Assistant Professor in Cognitive Science, AI & Mind

Job Summary

The Institute of Cognitive Science (ICS) at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the area of AI and the Mind, with an anticipated start date of Fall 2027. Highly qualified candidates who have been recently promoted to Associate Professor level may also be considered.

We seek applicants advancing research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, broadly construed, and human cognition. Candidates may bridge artificial and natural intelligence through modeling, experimentation, or theory; candidates pursuing interdisciplinary and innovative approaches are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will have an outstanding track record of research, as evidenced by a notable publication history and a demonstrated record of seeking and securing funding as a Principal Investigator, as appropriate to their current academic rank.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Computational Models of Cognition: using AI methods to model perception, memory, learning, decision-making, or language, including their neural bases.
• AI Tools for Cognitive Neuroscience: leveraging machine learning to analyze brain/behavioral data or to explore neural mechanisms.
• Human-AI Interaction: understanding how humans perceive, collaborate with, and may be enhanced or augmented by AI systems.
• Brain-Computer Interfaces: connecting neural processes to computational systems for communication, control, or rehabilitation.
• Algorithmic Bias & Cognitive Bias: studying parallels between human biases and AI decision-making; ensuring fair and ethical systems.
• Philosophy of Mind & AI: investigating conceptual questions about consciousness, representation, and machine intelligence.

A successful candidate will be expected to build a widely recognized research program, provide high-quality instruction and advising to a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate students, and actively engage with colleagues from a wide range of disciplines.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ICS is a highly interdisciplinary research and training environment that brings together faculty and students from psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, computer science, philosophy, education, and speech, language & hearing sciences. The Institute hosts graduate and undergraduate programs in Cognitive Science, and is affiliated with numerous centers and initiatives across campus, including the NSF National AI Institute for Student-AI Teaming (NSFiSAT), Intermountain Neuroimaging Consortium, the Center for Research and Education on Cannabis and Health, and campus-wide initiatives in AI and data science.

We embrace responsible innovation and community-engaged initiatives in the design and development of AI science, models, and tools.

The mission of the Institute of Cognitive Science is to identify and address key questions in Cognitive Science through interdisciplinary research and education. We explore the nexus of humans and machines as we seek to understand and extend human cognition, emotion, machine intelligence, and fruitful collaborations between the two. Our research builds on artificial intelligence, cognitive neuroscience, and human learning to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges: understanding brain health and wellness, developing personalized therapies and interventions, enhancing and deepening human learning and education, and optimizing complex cognitive processes to improve human performance and human-agent collaboration.

ICS spans and connects researchers from nine units – Computer Science;
Education;
Psychology and Neuroscience;
Information Science;
Integrative Physiology;
Linguistics;
Philosophy;
Architecture and Planning; and Speech, Language and Hearing – and…