Assistant Professor, RISE AI

As part of the University of Wisconsin RISE initiative, Language Sciences and the Information School are seeking excellent candidates for a tenure-track faculty position in the area of linguistic approaches to natural language processing. The selected candidate will have a robust research program taking a computational linguistics approach to natural language processing and will make significant contributions to the teaching missions of both Language Sciences and the Information School.

We are especially interested in applications from candidates with an expertise in computational linguistics as applied to Indigenous languages of the Americas.

The successful candidate will advance the educational mission of the College of Letters & Science, that values, prioritizes, and actualizes evidence-based and student-centered teaching and (undergraduate student) mentoring. They will contribute to an inclusive, fair, and equitable environment that fosters engagement and a sense of belonging for faculty, staff, students and members of the broader community.

Faculty responsibilities include research and publication, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses, graduate student advising (both master's and PhD), and service. The successful candidate will conduct scholarly research resulting in publications in high-quality peer-reviewed scholarly venues and design and teach bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level courses. As part of the UW RISE AI initiative, the successful candidate will participate in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts with other departments, schools and colleges.

The candidate will be committed to service within the department, university, and profession appropriate to faculty rank. The general teaching load is 4 courses per year, 2 in one semester and 2 in the other. The successful candidate, as a member of the College of L&S, will proactively contribute to, support, and advance the college's commitment to equity among all aspects of their teaching, research, and service. It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required
PhD in Linguistics or Language Sciences, or similar with a specialization in computational approaches, by start of appointment.

Candidates should demonstrate evidence of creativity and excellence in teaching and scholarly research. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience with fostering or the ability to foster an inclusive and equity-centered teaching, learning, mentoring, departmental, and research environment where all can thrive.

Full Time: 100%

This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.

Ongoing/Renewable

AUGUST 18, 2025

Negotiable
ACADEMIC (9 months)

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, nation and world. Building on UW-Madison's strengths, RISE expands the University's successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.

Over the next three academic years, UW-Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration.

Further information regarding RISE can be found at: https://rise.wisc.edu/

The College of Letters & Science is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which all of us - students, staff, and faculty - can thrive. Ours is a community in which we all are welcome. Most importantly, we strive to build a community in which all of us feel a great sense of belonging. There is no excellence without diversity in all its forms; diverse teams are more creative and successful than homogeneous ones. We are better when we are diverse and when we acknowledge, celebrate and honor our diversity. In acknowledging and honoring our diversity, we also assume a responsibility to support and stand up for each other.

This position is being posted simultaneously with PVL 306509; but please note that only one (1) vacancy exists. Applicants should submit to one and only one PVL. Having two position vacancy listings allows the Search & Screen Committee to better consider candidates with degrees from different fields for this position. Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications. Applicants with a PhD in Linguistics or Language Sciences, or similar with a specialization in computational approaches should apply using this posting (PVL#306423); Applicants with a PhD in Information Sciences, or similar, with a specialization in computational approaches to linguistics or language sciences should apply using PVL 306509.

Apply online at "Jobs at UW" (http://jobs.wisc.edu) under job number 306423. Applications must be received through UW- Madison's online application system. Applications submitted outside of this system will not be considered. Click the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. Applicants should submit the following 5 items:

1. a letter of application with a description of research program,
2. curriculum vitae,
3. a teaching and mentoring statement,
4. a writing sample
5. Evidence of excellence in teaching, including syllabi for courses in which candidate was primary instructor and complete sets of teaching evaluations where available.

Candidates will be asked to provide contact information for three references; each reference will receive an electronic link through which they can upload a signed letter of reference. References will be contacted automatically once application is submitted.

For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:55 pm CST on December 15, 2024. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Please note that applicants will be evaluated based upon submitted application materials and therefore should speak to and include evidence of their qualifications. Application materials must clearly demonstrate the applicant's dedication to excellence in student-centered teaching and mentoring. Additionally, materials should showcase the applicant's ability to purposefully plan their teaching practices, evidenced through goals, action plans, reflection, and related documentation. This portion of the application materials must be created by the applicant and may include supporting letters. It cannot be only in the form of letters and testimony by others.

Employment will require an institutional reference check regarding any misconduct. To be considered, applicants must upload a signed 'Authorization to Release Information' form as part of the application. The authorization form and a definition of 'misconduct' can be found here: https://hr.wisc.edu/institutional-reference-check/

Lori Ushman
ushman@wisc.edu
608-263-2908
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Assistant Professor(FA040)

A48-COL OF LETTERS & SCIENCE/THE INFORMATION SCHOOL

Faculty

306423-FA