Assistant Professor of Human Centered Design & Engineering

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 186,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Washington’s Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position for Autumn 2027. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, supervise doctoral students, and build a substantial research program in sociotechnical systems.

Candidates should have a PhD in a related field, evidence of teaching excellence, and a strong research trajectory.

Qualifications

• Evidence of strong promise in teaching as well as scholarship.
• PhD (or foreign equivalent) in a relevant field by the date of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses (three courses per year).
• Supervise doctoral students.
• Develop substantial programs of research with peer-reviewed publications and external funding.

Skills

Teaching excellence

Scholarly promise

Education

PhD in relevant field

Job description

The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington is hiring an Assistant Professor to provide excellence in teaching and research programs in our dynamic, interdisciplinary intellectual community in Autumn 2027.

HCDE is a vibrant, welcoming, and engaged interdisciplinary community that incorporates a range of intellectual traditions. Successful candidates will join a dynamic faculty conducting research in the design and engineering of sociotechnical systems broadly defined. We offer BS, MS, and PhD degrees, as well as graduate certificates in User-Centered Design and Human-Centered AI. We also are a founding contributor to three interdisciplinary graduate degrees. Candidates will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and will supervise doctoral students. The yearly teaching load is three courses (one per quarter) plus supervision of for-credit directed research groups. Teaching opportunities will be based on our current course offerings and the individual’s areas of scholarly expertise.

More information about our department can be found at http://www.hcde.washington.edu.

We invite candidates in all areas, but especially encourage applicants aligned with one or more developing areas within the department, including:

• Environment and sustainability: scholarship addressing sociotechnical relationships to land, water, air, environment, and questions of resiliency and the long-term consequences of technical decisions for communities and ecosystems, in the design of technologies, including approaches that investigate technical capabilities for sensing, monitoring, experimentation, and action within communities.
• Civic infrastructure and society: scholarship on how people live, move, and coordinate within the built environment or digital infrastructure–whether in urban or rural settings –including work on civic and public interest technology, food and water, mobility, planning, and the design, analysis, or engineering of systems that support or hinder thriving communities.
• Labor and the future of work: scholarship addressing how automation, AI, and digital technologies reshape the conditions and experiences of work–across organizational and enterprise systems, manufacturing and supply chains, and gig and platform economies–including attention to care and invisible labor, worker organizing, and the design of technologies and governance frameworks that center human agency, dignity, and pro-worker futures.

More information about our department research areas can be found at https://www.hcde.washington.edu/research/areas.

Successful candidates are expected to develop substantial programs of research including peer-reviewed publications and external funding.

All UW faculty engage in teaching, research and service. Faculty members also routinely collaborate with colleagues across campus and with affiliates from the region’s noted tech industry. Seattle is a culturally diverse urban center with growing racial, ethnic and immigrant communities. It is also home to many prominent technology companies, along with a robust startup and global health community.

UW faculty enjoy outstanding benefits. The base salary range for this position will be $12,500-15,500 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. This is a tenure track, full-time appointment with 9-month service period. Appointment is expected to begin in Autumn 2027.

We seek applicants who demonstrate commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service in a diverse and inclusive academic community. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity, and justice for all.

Qualifications

Candidates should show evidence of strong promise in teaching as well as scholarship. Applicants for this Assistant Professor (tenure-track) position should be recent or soon to graduate PhDs and must have earned a doctorate (or foreign equivalent) in a relevant field by the date of appointment.

Instructions

Priority will be given to applications received by October 15, 2026. Applications will only be accepted via Interfolio, link below. The position will remain open until filled.

Applications should include the following materials:

1. A letter of application detailing your interest in the position, relevant qualifications, experiences.
2. A current curriculum vitae.
3. A statement of research.
4. A statement of teaching goals.
5. Up to three representative papers or other scholarly works (e.g., book chapters).
6. Contact information for at least three people from whom we may request letters of recommendation.

Applicants should articulate how their past experiences and/or future plans in research, teaching, mentoring, patient care, and/or service promote a sense of belonging and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Inquiries: Stacia Green at [e-mail].

Equal Opportunity

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

Benefits Information

The University is committed to providing excellent benefits to our faculty. For a summary of available benefits, please see UWHR benefits information.

Privacy Notice

Your application materials may be used for employment consideration and shared in accordance with UW’s Privacy Policy.

Disability Services

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [e-mail].