Senior Faculty-Level or Equivalent Position - AI Interpretability, Alignment, and Safe Scientific AI

Senior Faculty-Level or Equivalent Position - AI
Interpretability, Alignment, and Safe Scientific AI

Category: Faculty

Department: School of Computing, Watson College

Locations: Binghamton, NY

Position ID: 205590

The School of Computing in the Thomas J. Watson College of
Engineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University (The State
University of New York at Binghamton) invites applications for a
senior faculty-level or equivalent position, with an expected start
date of September 1, 2027. The primary focus of this search is on
established academic researchers for appointment at the tenured
Associate Professor or Full Professor level, as appropriate.
Exceptionally accomplished senior research and technical leaders
from industry, government, or research laboratories will also be
considered for an appropriate appointment.

We seek an established scholar and research leader with an
outstanding record of externally sponsored research and scholarly
impact in the broad area of AI Interpretability, Alignment,
and Safe Scientific AI. We are particularly interested in
candidates whose research advances the foundational understanding,
computational methods, and practical capabilities needed to
understand, align, verify, and safely deploy advanced AI systems,
especially in scientific and engineering applications.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• AI Interpretability and Explainability:

Developing mathematical, computational, and empirical methods to
understand the internal representations, mechanisms, reasoning
processes, and decision-making behavior of AI systems.

• AI Alignment and Control: Advancing methods

for aligning AI systems with human values, intended objectives, and
operational constraints, including scalable oversight, preference
learning, robust objective specification, and the control of
advanced AI behavior.

• Safe Scientific AI: Developing AI systems that

can be trusted in scientific discovery, engineering design, and
other high-consequence applications, including methods for ensuring
physical consistency, scientific validity, uncertainty awareness,
and reliable decision-making.

• Trustworthy AI Systems: Developing methods for

evaluating, validating, and securing AI systems, including
robustness, adversarial resilience, uncertainty quantification, and
the detection and mitigation of unsafe or unintended behavior.

The successful candidate will provide intellectual leadership in
this rapidly evolving field, develop a nationally and
internationally recognized research program, and pursue significant
external funding from federal and state agencies, industry, and
other sponsors. The candidate will also be expected to lead and
participate in large-scale, multidisciplinary research initiatives
and strengthen collaborative research across the School of
Computing, the Watson College, and other academic and research
units across Binghamton University and the broader SUNY
system.

As a senior faculty hire, the successful candidate will contribute
to expanding the School of Computing's research portfolio and
strategic capabilities. The candidate will help build a vibrant
research community through collaboration, mentorship, and the
recruitment of outstanding faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and
graduate students. The candidate will also contribute to
undergraduate and graduate education and mentor students and junior
faculty, as appropriate to the candidate's appointment and
background.

Research Environment

The position will be affiliated with the newly launched $55
million New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research
(CAIRR) at Binghamton University- one of the nation's
emerging centers focused on safe, responsible, and trustworthy
artificial intelligence. The Center brings together researchers
working across technological, societal, and policy dimensions of AI
and is intended to serve as a premier AI research hub for the State
University of New York system, advancing transparent, accountable,
secure, and public-focused AI technologies.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to help shape the
Center's research agenda and develop collaborative initiatives at
the intersection of AI interpretability, alignment, safe
scientific AI, cybersecurity, trustworthy computing, and
responsible AI. The position is particularly well suited
to a scholar or senior research and technology leader interested in
building interdisciplinary research teams and pursuing ambitious,
externally funded research programs addressing emerging
challenges.

Candidates from industry, government, or research laboratories
should demonstrate a record of substantial technical or research
leadership and the ability to contribute to the Center's research
mission through research collaboration, technology development,
industry partnerships, sponsored research, translation of research
into practice, and/or other forms of high-impact innovation.

The School of Computing and the Watson College are committed to
building a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment for
teaching, research, and professional engagement. We particularly
welcome candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to fostering
diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their teaching,
mentoring, research, and professional activities. Historically
underrepresented minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and
veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering,

Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline.

• Demonstrated record of externally sponsored research

commensurate with appointment at the Associate or Full Professor
level.

• Record of peer-reviewed scholarly publications and demonstrated

research impact in an area relevant to the position.

• Record of effective teaching and research mentoring at the

undergraduate and/or graduate levels.

For exceptional candidates whose primary experience is outside a
traditional academic setting, equivalent evidence of research
leadership, technical innovation, and significant impact may be
considered in evaluating qualifications for the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong and sustained record of externally sponsored research,

including significant support from federal agencies and/or
industry.

• National or international recognition for scholarly

contributions in AI interpretability, alignment, safe scientific
AI, or a closely related area.

• Demonstrated success in leading or contributing to large-scale,

interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, or industry-academic
research collaborations.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead ambitious research

initiatives and pursue major collaborative funding
opportunities.

• Experience mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral

researchers, and/or junior faculty and building high-performing
research teams.

• Evidence of translating research into practice through industry

partnerships, software systems, technology development, technology
transfer, standards development, policy engagement, or other forms
of societal impact.

• Research expertise that complements and strengthens existing

capabilities in AI, cybersecurity, trustworthy computing,
autonomous and physical AI systems, quantum technologies,
microelectronics, or other strategic areas at Binghamton
University.

Please be advised that H1B visa sponsorship may not be available
for this position.

Additional Information:

Binghamton University is committed to providing access, equal
opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with
disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.
To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job
application or interview process, please contact the ADA
Coordinator by completing the following Request Form.

The State University of New York is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. It is the policy of
Binghamton University to provide for and promote equal opportunity
employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of
employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color,
religion, disability, national origin, gender identity or
expression, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member
status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic
predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal
conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational
qualification or other exception.

As required by title IX and its implementing regulations,
Binghamton University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in
the educational programs and activities which it operates. This
requirement extends to employment and admission. Inquiries about
sex discrimination may be directed to the University Title IX
Coordinator or directly to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR).
Contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and OCR, as well
as the University's complete Non-Discrimination Notice may be found
here.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the
Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that
an applicant for employment provide his or her current
compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as
the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with
compensation. If such information has been requested from you
before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee
Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

Binghamton University is a tobacco-free campus effective August 1,
2017.

Offers of employment will be contingent upon successful completion
of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s)
and credentials.

To apply, visit http://binghamton.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=205590

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