Associate or Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication

Northwestern University; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave

Tuition benefits

Job summary

Northwestern University in Evanston invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication at Associate or Full Professor levels. We seek scholars spanning art, design, law, policy, and technology who examine AI’s societal impacts across creative industries and communication contexts.

The role emphasizes collaboration, teaching, and industry engagement.

Qualifications

• Terminal degree required with expertise in AI and its applications or governance.
• Experience bridging technology with creative disciplines and policy.
• Proven ability to teach at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an active program of research, creative activity, and/or professional practice.
• Undergraduate and graduate student instruction.
• Development of innovative curricula.
• Student mentorship and collaboration across disciplines.
• Engagement with industry and community partners.
• Service to department, school, university, and profession.

Skills

Artificial intelligence

Human-centered design

Interdisciplinary research

Teaching experience

Education

Terminal degree in field

Job description

Faculty Position in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication

Artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of the entertainment ecosystem-from content creation, production, and distribution to audience engagement, accessibility, labor relations, intellectual property, and communication technologies. To engage these developments, the Northwestern School of Communication invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication. We seek an innovative scholar, artist, designer, technologist, legal scholar, or interdisciplinary researcher whose work examines the opportunities, challenges, and societal implications of artificial intelligence across creative industries, communication, performance, and human-centered technologies. We welcome applicants whose work explores these developments through artistic practice, scholarly inquiry, policy analysis, technological innovation, or industry engagement. The successful candidate will join a vibrant interdisciplinary community exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping entertainment, media, performance, communication, and society.

Areas of Interest

Candidates may be working in areas such as:

AI and Creative Practice

• Stage, scenic, costume, lighting, projection, and production design using AI-enhanced tools
• Generative AI in theatre, film, television, gaming, music, and immersive experiences
• AI-assisted virtual characters and digital performers
• Human-AI collaboration in artistic creation and performance
• Virtual production, digital environments, and emerging entertainment technologies
• AI-assisted storytelling and audience engagement

AI, Sound, and Music

• AI applications in sound design, music production, and audio engineering
• Computational approaches to sound analysis and immersive audio
• Machine learning and adaptive sound environments
• Ethical and artistic implications of AI-generated music and sound
• AI voice cloning and digital voice ownership

AI, Society, Policy, and Law

• Intellectual property, copyright, and licensing of AI-generated content
• Labor, employment, and workforce implications of AI in creative industries
• Entertainment contracts and governance frameworks related to AI
• Ethical, regulatory, and societal implications of AI-enabled creative and communication technologies
• Design, development, and evaluation of human-centered AI systems that support artists, performers, designers, communicators, and audiences
• Role of AI in expanding accessibility, participation, and inclusion within creative and cultural experiences
• Frameworks for responsible, equitable, and transparent AI use in entertainment, media, performance, and communication contexts

AI, Communication Sciences, Audiology, and Speech-Language Pathology

• AI systems supporting vocal health for performers
• Machine learning approaches to vocal fatigue analysis
• Voice synthesis, voice preservation technologies, synthetic speech
• Audience perception of synthetic voices
• AI auditory technology for entertainment applications

This position reflects SoC's commitment to advancing research and education at the intersection of AI, creativity, communication, accessibility, and the future of work. This position is 100% in person and located on Northwestern University's Evanston campus in the greater Chicago area.

Employment Term

This is a full-time continuing senior faculty appointment, service of 9 months paid over 12. The hire would be subject to Northwestern's tenure approval process.

Salary

The expected base pay range for this position at the rank of Associate is $125,000-$148,000, at the rank of Full Professor it is $225,000-$250,00, competitive based upon experience.

Preferred Start

September 1, 2027.

Closing Date

October 16, 2026. Review of applications will begin on October 19, 2026.

Primary Responsibilities

• Maintain an active program of research, creative activity, and/or professional practice
• Undergraduate and graduate student instruction
• Development of innovative curricula
• Student mentorship
• Collaboration across disciplines
• Service to the department, school, university, and profession
• Engagement with industry and community partners

Minimum Qualifications

• Terminal degree appropriate to the field and demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence and its application, impact, governance, or creative use. The candidate's appointment may be across one or more departments in the School of Communication with the tenure home determined by the major field of expertise.

Who Should Apply?

• We welcome applications from theatre and performance designers, sound designers, communication scientists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, media scholars, legal scholars, social scientists, and interdisciplinary researchers whose work bridges technology and human creativity.

Application Documents

• Cover letter describing relevant interests, preparation, and experience; candidates should specifically address how previous experiences relate to qualifications for the role
• Current CV, including links to creative works, if applicable
• Three (3) contacts for letters of recommendation, of which at least one should address teaching qualifications

Forward questions regarding the position to the search chair, Professor Darren Gergle ([e-mail]). For more information about the School of Communication, please visit our website.

The School

The School of Communication has five departments and offers a suite of interdisciplinary undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs. The departments span the communication arts and sciences including the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Communication Studies, the Department of Performance Studies, and the Department of Theatre (which includes music theatre and dance). The school offers instruction to roughly 900 undergraduate majors and 650 graduate and professional students. Founded nearly 150 years ago, the School has been a leader in developing the communication disciplines and professions, and continues to be a center of excellence in the communication arts and sciences. Our current Dean is E. Patrick Johnson.

The University

Northwestern University is one of the nation's largest private research universities. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, the main campus is in Evanston and the medical campus is 12 miles south in downtown Chicago. There is continuing expansion of University facilities and programs, particularly in the sciences and medicine. A variety of cultural, social, and recreational activities abound on and near each campus. We are committed to supporting a strong campus community.

Benefits

• health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• paid medical/sick and parental leave
• tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• generous retirement savings options
• wellness programs

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.