Assistant Professor Positions in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability and Resilience

Assistant Professor Positions in Artificial Intelligence for
Sustainability and Resilience

Two Tenure-Track Faculty Openings in the George R. Brown School
of Engineering and Computing at Rice University

https://engineering.rice.edu/

https://www.rice.edu/

Position Description

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing at Rice
University in Houston, Texas, invites applications for two
tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in artificial
intelligence for sustainability and resilience, with anticipated
start dates of July 1, 2027. These positions are part of a
coordinated, school-wide initiative to build strength in
technically rigorous AI and its application to consequential
scientific and engineering challenges.

We seek candidates who develop, advance, or apply artificial
intelligence to address challenges in sustainability and
resilience. We welcome research across a broad range of scientific
and engineering domains that combines technical depth in AI with
the potential for significant impact on sustainable and resilient
systems.

Successful candidates will demonstrate technical depth in AI
scholarship and clear potential for transformative domain impact.
Rice seeks faculty who embrace a culture of excellence, innovation,
collaboration, responsible technological development, and inclusive
mentorship. Excellence in research and teaching will be the primary
criteria for evaluation.

Responsibilities

The selected candidate will be expected to establish or maintain a
vigorous, externally funded research program with national and
international recognition; conduct innovative research and
disseminate results through high-impact publications, conferences,
and other scholarly activities; and teach undergraduate and
graduate courses aligned with their expertise. Additional
responsibilities include advising and mentoring undergraduate,
graduate, and postdoctoral researchers; contributing to
departmental, school, university, and professional service; and
fostering interdisciplinary collaborations within Rice and with
external partners. The successful candidate will demonstrate a
strong commitment to excellence in teaching, advising, and
mentoring students from a broad range of backgrounds and
experiences and will contribute to the continued strength of
undergraduate and graduate education across the department and the
George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. Rice’s highly
collaborative environment provides opportunities to engage with
researchers in materials science, computational science, energy,
advanced manufacturing, biomedical engineering, and other
disciplines.

We welcome the fullness of diversity at Rice. Qualified applicants
are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin,
genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. In
our candidate pools, we seek to increase the representation of
women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and
others who have historically been underrepresented in engineering,
computing, and the statistical sciences; attract scholars and
students from a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and
experiences; accelerate progress toward building a faculty and
staff community with diverse perspectives and expertise; and
maintain an environment that fosters interaction, understanding,
and belonging throughout our community.

About the School of Engineering and Computing’s AI
Initiative

The School’s Vision 2030 strategic plan identifies three research
thrusts: Health and Well-being, Sustainability and Resilience, and
Computing and AI. Consistent with that broader vision, Rice
Engineering and Computing is undertaking a multi-year faculty
hiring initiative in artificial intelligence. For the 2026–27
hiring cycle, the School is recruiting for three positions: one
open-rank position in Foundational AI and two Assistant Professor
positions in AI for Sustainability and Resilience. The initiative
prioritizes deep, technically rigorous AI scholarship,
interdisciplinary collaboration, responsible technological
development, and research with the potential for significant
scientific and societal impact.

Within this initiative, the two AI for Sustainability and
Resilience positions lie at the intersection of the Computing and
AI and Sustainability and Resilience thrusts. This search
prioritizes domain-specific applications of AI to engineering,
materials, environmental systems, and sustainability. It supports
the School’s goals of reinventing what we make; transforming how
and where we live; and designing technologies and infrastructure
that anticipate and respond to environmental, societal, and
space-related challenges.

Candidates applying through this posting will be considered for a
potential primary appointment in Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, Statistics, Computer Science, or Electrical and
Computer Engineering. Candidates whose work aligns with multiple
departments may be reviewed across multiple applicant pools, and
joint or affiliated appointments may also be considered.

About Rice University

Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university
located on a 300-acre, tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas,
adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice serves nearly 9,200
undergraduate and graduate students and is distinguished by
research excellence, a collaborative culture, and close engagement
between students and faculty.

Houston’s leadership in energy, health care, aerospace,
manufacturing, and data-intensive industries creates exceptional
opportunities for external partnerships and research impact.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in chemical or biomolecular
engineering; civil or environmental engineering; mechanical or
aerospace engineering; statistics, or data science; computer
science or machine learning; electrical or computer engineering;
applied mathematics; operations research; materials science;
environmental science; or a closely related field by the time of
appointment.

Candidates should demonstrate excellence or exceptional promise in
research and scholarship; the potential to establish a highly
impactful, externally funded research program; a commitment to
excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching; and a commitment
to mentoring students and contributing to a collaborative academic
community.

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with
commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment
qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic
origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran
status.

Rice Mission and Values : Mission and Values | Rice University