The Department of Government at Colby College invites applications for a tenure-track position to begin in the fall of 2024. The candidate should have a research and teaching focus analyzing the intersections of artificial intelligence, politics, and policy – as well as the ability to use machine learning/artificial intelligence in this research. The candidate will be expected to teach courses that explore the social, ethical, and policy implications of AI and machine learning, as well as courses on how to apply methodological tools from artificial intelligence/machine learning for social science research. The successful applicant will be expected to teach the department’s introductory course in research methods as well as additional courses chosen in consultation with the department chair.
Colby is a highly selective liberal arts college located in Central Maine with high standards for teaching and research. Our students are motivated, intellectually curious, and easily engaged in the classroom and in independent research. Our department faculty have active research agendas and receive generous support from the college, including a pre-tenure sabbatical during the fourth year, start-up and travel funds, divisional research grant opportunities, and department funded student research assistants. The teaching load at Colby is 4.5 courses per year.
Thanks to the generous gift that created the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Colby College will be hiring an interdisciplinary cluster of two faculty members and one postdoctoral associate this academic year. Faculty at Colby have numerous opportunities to collaborate on research and teaching related to AI; currently there are faculty pursuing AI-related scholarship in chemistry, philosophy, environmental science, anthropology, music, physics, economics, statistics, east Asian studies and computer science. The successful applicant for the present position will be expected to contribute to the college’s AI programs and interdisciplinary initiatives. For more about the Davis Institute for AI see https://davisinstituteai.colby.edu.
The ideal candidate will hold a Ph.D. in political science, public policy, or a related field (ABD will be considered). The successful candidate will provide evidence of excellence in teaching a diverse student body and present a strong and on-going research program that is open to the inclusion of undergraduates. The college and the department are committed to enhancing the diversity and inclusivity of the campus community and the curriculum; candidates who can contribute to these goals are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences in these areas when they apply.
Applicants should submit the following materials: a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, a statement outlining the candidate’s research agenda, a recent sample of scholarly writing, a statement expressing the candidate’s teaching experience and philosophy, course descriptions and/or syllabi for three proposed courses, evidence of teaching excellence, a graduate school transcript, and three confidential letters of recommendation. Please submit all of these materials via Interfolio: http://apply.interfolio.com/132179. Review of applications will begin October 15 and will continue until the position is filled. Questions about this position should be directed to: government-ai-search@colby.edu.
Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and makes personnel decisions on the basis of the individual’s qualifications to contribute to Colby’s educational objectives and institutional needs. The principle of not discriminating on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, caste, national or ethnic origin, marital status, genetic information, political beliefs, veteran or military status, parental status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability unrelated to the job or course of study requirements is consistent with the mission of a liberal arts college and the law.
