Assistant Professor - School of Information - Ethical AI, Information Generation & Retrieval, and Knowledge Systems

San José State University • San Jose, CA

10d • $100,000 - $110,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The School of Information at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for Assistant Professor of Ethical AI, Information Generation & Retrieval, and Knowledge Systems beginning in August 2027. The successful candidate will contribute to SJSU's strategic investments in artificial intelligence, large language models, data analytics, and critical technologies through research, teaching, and service that advances the design, evaluation, governance, and use of intelligent information systems. We seek candidates whose work examines how humans and computational systems interact to create, organize, discover, evaluate, and use information in increasingly AI-mediated environments.
The successful candidate will contribute to the School's mission of preparing information professionals to serve diverse communities in an increasingly complex information landscape. In addition to advancing scholarship and teaching related to youth, information, media, and technology, the successful candidate will provide curricular leadership and strategic vision for the Teacher Librarian Program, strengthening its relevance in a rapidly changing educational and technological environment while expanding its national and international reach. The School of Information (iSchool - SJSU - School of Information - Information Science School) prepares professionals who organize, preserve, analyze, protect, teach, and improve access to information across communities and institutions. Our new faculty member will join a scholarly community with:
thousands of students and a broad global alumni community
one of the largest and most diverse schools in the information field
fully online graduate programs that support working professionals
an ALA-accredited MLIS program
an emphasis on access, equity, community service, digital literacy, and ethical technology
working on problems connected to information access, AI literacy, digital preservation, cybersecurity, and social justice.
The School of Information and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.
We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Requirements

• Earned doctorate in Library and Information Science, Information Science, Informatics, Information Studies, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Data Science, Knowledge Management, or a closely related field.
• Evidence of scholarship in one or more of the following: Artificial intelligence and intelligent information retrieval systems, Critical Technology Studies, Data stewardship and governance
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, or large language models to information discovery, knowledge management, digital curation, user services, or decision support.
• Research addressing the social, ethical, legal, and policy implications of AI and emerging technologies.
• Experience working in libraries, archives, museums, technology organizations, public-sector organizations, or other information-centered environments.
• Evidence of potential for external funding, industry partnerships, or applied research collaborations.
• Experience teaching in online, hybrid, or distributed learning environments.
• An understanding of how the fields of information science, library & information science, as well as related fields frame issues connected to: Trust, credibility, and information quality, Ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI, Information policy and governance

Responsibilities

• Develop curricula for undergraduate and/or graduate courses across the School of Information’s many programs and certificates, for topics such as: Human and autonomous information retrieval systems, AI governance, ethics, and policy, Research methods and analytics
• Advise students pursuing careers in libraries, archives, information management, user experience, digital curation, knowledge management, data services, AI-enabled information services, and related professions.
• Conduct an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity.
• Participate in service activities that support the School, University, profession, and broader information community.
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Benefits

• Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule.
• Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $100,000 - $110,000
• Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree