Open Rank Professor AI and Health

About the Opportunity

Northeastern University invites applications for two tenure-track positions beginning in academic year 2025-2026 in public health technology. One position will be in the field of network science and public health, broadly defined. The second position will be in the broad category of AI, data science, or health informatics in public health. Candidates at any rank (Assistant, Associate or Full) may be considered for either position. Northeastern is a leader in network science and AI and home to the Network Science Institute and the Institute for Experiential AI . Both positions will be located at Northeastern University’s campus in Charlotte, NC and successful candidates will be expected to work in the Charlotte, NC-area.

Successful candidates will be appointed primarily in the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, with possible secondary appointments in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences or the College of Science, depending on research and/or teaching focus. Faculty members will have the opportunity to collaborate in cross-disciplinary teams across the University and will complement existing strengths, and they will have the opportunity to join and collaborate with University initiatives such as the Network Science Institute .

For the network science position, relevant fields of study include the core areas of network science and its applications in public health. The core areas of network science include mathematical modeling of network structure and dynamics, dynamical processes and critical phenomena in networks (percolation, synchronization, epidemics, spreading, diffusion, routing), as well as all forms of data-driven science. We anticipate a candidate’s research plans and ambitions will benefit from broad engagement with complementary areas of network science and its applications at Northeastern.

For the AI, data science, or health informatics in public health position, candidates with informatics backgrounds who develop novel technologies for use in research as well as candidates who are behavioral scientists who use technology in their research but rely upon collaborators to develop the technologies are both encouraged to apply. Northeastern is home to outstanding potential collaborators for both informatics and behavioral scientist candidates. The successful candidate will collect new data as a prominent aspect of their program of research though candidates who are also engaged in projects involving existing/secondary data are encouraged to apply. Behavioral targets/outcomes are open, however areas of expertise among current departmental faculty include biostatistics/data science, community and rural health, environmental health, epidemiology, global health, health promotion and education, health policy, personal health informatics and health technology, and mental health.

Methods/approaches used by successful candidates to implement or evaluate health interventions may include but are not limited to state-of-the-art AI and machine learning techniques, wearable or phone-based sensors, ecological momentary assessment and intervention, e- and m-Health technologies, or virtual/augmented reality.

Cross-disciplinary research programs and appointments are strongly encouraged at Northeastern, and may be possible for these positions.

Our tenure and promotion process values collaborative research and teamwork. Hires will be mentored for success, with mentoring teams and group guidance. In addition, a strong and effective faculty development strategy is part of the Northeastern institutional mission. The ADVANCE Office of Faculty Development office works in conjunction with the Office of Research Development (ORD), the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI), the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research (CATLR), and University Decision Support (UDS) to provide programs and trainings to further develop and support a thriving faculty.

At Northeastern University, we embrace a culture of respect, where each person is valued for their contribution and is treated fairly. We oppose all forms of racism. We support a culture that does not tolerate any form of discrimination and where each person may belong. We strive to have a diverse membership, one where each person is trained and mentored to promote their success. See our website for more information about the College and its Leadership Team .

Responsibilities

The potential hires are expected to develop vigorous research programs crosscutting the field of network science, broadly defined, or the field of AI and public health technology. Faculty members at Northeastern are expected to develop independent research programs that attract external funding; teach courses at the graduate and undergraduate level; oversee students and postdocs in their area of research; and participate in service to the department, university, and discipline. Qualified candidates must have excellence in, or a demonstrated commitment to, working with diverse student populations and/or in a culturally diverse work and educational environment.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Biology, Public Health, Psychology, Social Sciences, or related fields by the appointment start date. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, including academia and industry.

All applicants should have a strong record of scholarly accomplishment that demonstrates the ability to build a strong research program. Academic rank at the Associate Professor or Full Professor levels will be commensurate with experience and qualifications reflecting a record of demonstrated teaching and scholarly excellence. Candidates seeking appointment at the Associate or Full Professor level should have substantial research productivity and an established history of grant support and academic service. Research excellence is the top-most priority. Depending on the research profile and expertise, a joint or affiliate appointment in another department(s) within the University is possible. Candidates for Associate Professor rank should have a minimum of 5 years of academic or related industry experience.

Additional Information:

Interested candidates should apply here with a curriculum vita that includes a list of publications, statements addressing the prompts below, and names and contact information for at least three professional references from whom letters of reference can be solicited as needed. Applications will be reviewed beginning on November 15, 2024. Questions about either search should be directed to Prof. Stephen Intille at .

Successful faculty at Northeastern will be dynamic and innovative scholars with a record of research and teaching excellence and a commitment to contributing to improved equity, diversity, and inclusion. Thus, strong candidates for this faculty position will have the expertise, knowledge, and skills to build their research, pedagogy, and curriculum in ways that reflect and enhance this commitment. Please indicate how your expertise, knowledge, and skills have prepared you to contribute to this work with written statements addressing the following prompts:

Research statement :

Please describe the focus of your research, including the questions you have identified, the funding you have received to support the work (if applicable), the results you have discovered, and the products of these efforts. Highlight any cross-disciplinary research efforts you have undertaken. Please also describe any research you have undertaken with students, with the external community, and/or with individuals from marginalized groups. Finally, please outline the research directions you foresee pursuing, any cross-disciplinary and collaborative aspects, and the strategies you will take to address each direction.

Teaching statement :

Please summarize your past instructional and mentorship experience, your pedagogical philosophy, your plans/goals for teaching (including existing and proposed courses), and your strategies for teaching and mentoring a diverse cohort of undergraduate and graduate students.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging Statement:

Please provide a statement of your contributions to diversity that describes your past experience, activities, and future plans to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging in your teaching, research, and service. Your statement should demonstrate an understanding of the barriers facing marginalized communities in your field and be in alignment with Northeastern’s mission to reflect the diversity of the societies in which it maintains campuses and meet the educational needs and interests of its diverse population. Some faculty candidates may not have substantial past activities. If that is the case, we recommend focusing on future plans in your statement.