Job description

Posting Number: req27551

Department: Educational Psychology

Location: Tucson Campus

Address: Tucson, AZ USA

Position Highlights

The University of Arizona Department of Educational Psychology, in partnership with the College of Information Science, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Human-Centered AI and Data Literacy.

We seek a scholar working at the intersection of education and information science, interrogating questions related to how people learn about, question, and use data and artificial intelligence in educational contexts. The ideal candidate combines a sophisticated understanding of how people learn, how information is organized and accessed, how rigorous research generates reliable knowledge, and how AI can be leveraged to improve learning, decision-making, knowledge discovery, and human performance in educational settings.

This individual will bridge theory and practice, translating advances in cognitive science, learning sciences, information systems, data analytics, and AI into practical, ethical, and measurable solutions. The successful candidate will lead interdisciplinary research, develop intelligent learning environments, evaluate emerging technologies, and advise organizational leaders on the responsible application of AI in education and knowledge-intensive settings.

This position is part of the interdisciplinary cluster Developing the Human Intelligence Behind the Use of Artificial Intelligence. The cluster connects Educational Psychology, Information Science, Cognitive Science, Public Health, and the Humanities around shared questions about how AI and data-intensive systems can support better decisions and practices in education and human development, with attention to interpretability, trust, and real-world effectiveness, including mental health, wellness, and learning. We especially welcome scholars whose work bridges basic and applied research and who want to collaborate across disciplines.

This cluster hire will be a joint appointment with the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education (51%) and the College of Information Science (49%). The successful candidate will connect these communities, bringing a learning-focused perspective to interdisciplinary work on AI, data, and educational systems. Each appointment will come with a written position description that spells out responsibilities and expectations for each unit.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; sick leave and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocation services, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer Vets/Disabled

Duties & Responsibilities

Department of Educational Psychology

The department (education.arizona.edu/educational-psychology) conducts research and graduate training in learning and cognition, human development, motivation, measurement, and research methodology. It is small by design and built on mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration, and it is expanding its work in artificial intelligence and data literacy, including fully online stackable certificates in Data Literacy in Education.

College of Information Science

InfoSci (infosci.arizona.edu) prepares students to lead at the intersection of people, data, and technology. With its twelve undergrad and graduate degree programs, and with a set of interdisciplinary scholars engaged in research across areas like data science, information science, library science, game development, cyberoperations, and more, the unit provides a supportive environment for faculty working across fields and disciplines. InfoSci is a noteworthy academic college with programs that are highly ranked and is a member of the global iSchools consortium.

Why the University of Arizona and Tucson

The University of Arizona is Arizona’s flagship, land-grant university and an R1 research institution. Its strategic plan calls for responsibly accelerating the integration of AI into the curriculum and for a framework for responsible AI use in teaching, learning, research, and community engagement. The Office of Responsible AI leads a campus AI Roadmap, and the Arizona Institute for AI & Society brings together responsible AI, machine learning, and data science. The campus is a welcoming environment that supports interdisciplinary scholars and research aimed to meet today’s grand challenges.

Located in the beautiful desert Southwest, Tucson is nestled between the Catalina and Tucson Mountains and Saguaro National Park. This bicycle-friendly city is known for its arts, music, food, and rich history. Tucson is a designated UNESCO City of Gastronomy and is consistently ranked as one of the country’s best places to live.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain an active, independent research program in human-centered AI, machine learning, causal inference, and/or learning analytics applied to education, health, or information systems.
• Pursue external research funding through grant proposals.
• Develop collaborations within and across disciplines, particularly through the cluster hire initiative, including work with colleagues in Education, Information Science, Public Health, Cognitive Science, and Humanities, among others.
• Disseminate research through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and other scholarly activities.
• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Educational Psychology and Information Science, potentially online and in person. This is a joint appointment: 51% in the College of Education and 49% in the College of Information Science. Across both appointments, the expected teaching load is four courses per academic year, and the overall workload is roughly 40% teaching, 40% research, and 20% service. In the College of Education, the breakdown is 20% teaching, 20% research, and 11% service. In the College of Information Science, it is 20% teaching, 20% research, and 9% service.
• Advise and mentor master’s and doctoral students, supporting their research and professional development.
• Build partnerships with P-16 schools, districts, and community colleges.
• Participate in departmental, college, university, and interdisciplinary service.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to design, conduct, and contribute to research across disciplinary lines in education, information science, and the social sciences.
• Ability to communicate AI and data concepts clearly to educators, practitioners, and technical audiences.
• Ability to effectively teach and mentor students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate in Educational Psychology, Learning Sciences, Cognitive Psychology, Information Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a closely related field, in hand by the start date (August 2027).
• Evidence of a research program in AI, data science, or learning analytics as applied to human learning, behavior, or decision-making, such as peer-reviewed publications, dissertation research, or manuscripts in preparation.
• Experience teaching graduate or undergraduate courses, in person or online.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting research in educational or other real-world settings.
• Experience teaching or mentoring students in varied educational settings, and/or conducting multilingual research or research across different educational contexts.
• Experience designing and teaching online courses, both synchronous and asynchronous.
• Experience designing curriculum or instruction for adult learners, such as practicing educators or other working professionals.
• A record of seeking or securing external research funding, including grant proposals submitted as PI or co-PI.

Rank: Assistant Professor

Tenure Information

Tenure Track (T/TE)

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Academic

Job Category: Faculty

Benefits Eligible: Yes – Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: DOE

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Type of criminal background check required: Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Contact Information for Candidates

Brandy Perkl, PhD
Professor of Practice, Educational Psychology [email protected]

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and Four Additional Documents

Special Instructions to Applicant

Applications will be reviewed starting November 15, 2026 and will be accepted until the position is filled.

How to apply

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Cover Letter specifically addressing the applicant’s match to the criteria described above.
• Statement of Research describing current scholarly activities and future plans.
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Experience.
• Three publications demonstrating a focus on one or more of the research areas listed above (combined into one PDF).
• Three references, including names and contact information. If advanced, we will request letters of recommendation from your references.

Note: Files must be 10 MB or smaller.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses. These reports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.
Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at [email protected].

The University of Arizona is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.