Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Philosophy Department

Penn State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% tuition discount

Benefits package

Job summary

The Philosophy Department at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor specializing in AI ethics. The appointee will teach in-person and online, participate in research and service, and develop AI ethics curricula for general education and the major.

The position includes a 50% appointment in the Rock Ethics Institute and a standard teaching load of four courses per academic year, with one course release for

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in philosophy or related field is required by the appointment date.
• Demonstrated ability as a researcher, scholar, and teacher in AI ethics.
• Ability to develop curriculum related to AI ethics for general education, major, and university-wide initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Teach and supervise a four-course load per academic year; one course release per year for five years to support ethics initiatives.
• Engage in research and service within the department and the Rock Ethics Institute.
• Embed ethics into undergraduate and graduate curricula and lead interdisciplinary ethics projects.

Skills

AI ethics

Education

PhD in philosophy or related field

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Philosophy Department at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA, invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position, at the rank of Assistant Professor with a specialization in the ethical and philosophical questions raised by artificial intelligence (AI ethics). Candidates must have demonstrated ability as a researcher, scholar, and teacher in AI ethics, and have evidence of growth in scholarly achievement. The Department hopes candidates will be able to develop curriculum related to AI ethics for general education, the major, and other university-wide initiatives. The anticipated start date for this position is Fall2027, with flexibility. A Ph.D. in philosophy or related field is required by the appointment date. Duties will involve a combination of teaching, research, and service, based on the candidate’s qualifications. The position will include residential and online instruction and normal university service. In-person teaching is an essential function of this job. Penn State’s Department of Philosophy teaching and research strengths include: continental philosophy, critical philosophy of race, feminist philosophy, the history of philosophy, Latin American philosophy, and critical theory. The successful candidate will hold a 50% appointment in the Rock Ethics Institute (https://rockethics.psu.edu). Based in the College of the Liberal Arts, the Institute pursues a university-wide mission of promoting interdisciplinary and engaged ethics research and ethical leadership, with research strengths in the ethical dimensions of agriculture and food, artificial intelligence, citizenship and immigration, climate and sustainability, criminal justice and policing, empathy and moral psychology, engineering, gender and sexuality, health, race, and technology. The Institute seeks candidates who will be effective in working on and leading interdisciplinary teams that embed ethical analysis into research projects and who have experience and interest in integrating ethics into undergraduate and graduate curricula. The standard teaching load during the academic year is four courses per academic year. However, the successful candidate will receive one course release each year for the first five years for enhancing existing ethics research and curricular initiatives as well as building new initiatives and programs aligned with the Institute’s mission.

Review of applications will begin on October17, 2026 and will continue until filled. Inquiries may be directed to the search chair, Nancy Tuana, DuPont/Class of 1949 Professor of Philosophy and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at [e-mail]. Visit our website at https://philosophy.la.psu.edu/ for more information on our Philosophy Department.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

BENEFITS

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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