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Assistant Professor of Music & AI, Penn State University

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MUSIC + AI

Penn State University is aiming to hire multiple Tenure-track or Tenured faculty as part of an ambitious multi-year cluster hire in AI across multiple university campuses, to help realize the university’s goals of transformative integration of AI across research and graduate and undergraduate curricula across all disciplines.  These faculty will complement a strong cohort of over 30 existing faculty in AI and many more whose work leverages AI to advance sciences and engineering. The focus of the search this year is on faculty with expertise in AI Foundations and Methods or in the integration of AI into Sciences, Engineering, Healthcare, and Education and Workforce Development.

One of these positions, in the AI in Education for Workforce and Creative Industries cluster, is an Assistant Professor of Music + AI.

The successful candidates will join a vibrant, interdisciplinary research community at Penn State and will have collaborative opportunities and access to extensive resources offered by the interdisciplinary research institutes – Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (which provides excellent high-performance computing facilities), Materials Research Institute, and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Faculty members in these positions will be expected to develop nationally recognized research programs, contribute to excellence in graduate and undergraduate education, and engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary scholarship. In addition, the successful candidates will teach and mentor students and collaborate to develop courses that integrate AI into research and curricula in their respective fields. The tenure home will be based on the successful candidate’s expertise.

Successful candidates will be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, conduct cutting-edge research, mentor graduate students, secure external funding to support research activities, engage in service activities at the college and university levels, and collaborate with faculty across the university and industry partners.

School of Music, College of Arts and Architecture, University Park, PA: An Assistant Professor whose research/creative practice advances and connects musical expression, learning, and human development through emerging AI technologies.  This position will explore how AI can transform musical practice and learning—from generative musical composition and interactive performance systems to new modes of sonic exploration and musical expression.  It investigates fundamental questions about musical cognition and how humans create and communicate through sound.  This work would also examine how machine learning approaches can deepen our understanding of musicality, music learning, and creativity.  The appointment bridges music, education, and technology, while aligning with national priorities in AI for learning, ethics, and workforce development.  Potential areas of emphasis include: AI-assisted composition, performance, and pedagogy; Generative systems for sound, storytelling, and creative learning; Human-AI co-creativity and adaptive learning systems in the arts; Immersive and adaptive simulation environments for music education and music pedagogy using LLMs and VR/AR; and, Ethical, accessible, and equitable applications of AI in creative and artistic professional training contexts.  Candidates will possess a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Music Technology, Music Education, Cognitive Science, or a closely related discipline before their appointment start date at Penn State.

Application:

Candidates must indicate in their application that they are applying to the Music + AI position. Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements outlining plans for teaching, research, and contributing to Penn State values (https://universityethics.psu.edu/penn-state-values), and the names and contact information for four references. Please combine these materials into a single PDF file and submit your application.

More information can be found at https://www.icds.psu.edu/2025-ai-cluster/. For questions, contact ICDS Director, Guido Cervone (icds@psu.edu).

BENEFITS
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.