Job Details

Assistant Professor or Professor of Practice, AI/Machine Learning

Position Number: 6899234
Location: Golden, CO
Position Type: Science - Computer Science

Assistant Professor or Professor of Practice, AI/Machine Learning

Posting Number: JR108102
Location: Colorado

Engineering a world of possibilities
Professor of the Practice or Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Faculty Position in Computer Science - AI/Machine Learning

The Opportunity

The Colorado School of Mines, a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, is excited to announce an open faculty position in Computer Science focused in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Data Science (DS). The hire will expand our teaching and research efforts in these areas and be a key player in accelerating scientific discoveries across disciplines at Mines through innovative integration of modern AI and data analytics techniques.

The Department of Computer Science invites applications for either a professor of the practice (PoP) faculty position or a tenure-track faculty position in the broadly defined area of Machine Learning and AI, with an anticipated start in Fall 2026. We seek a creative and ambitious researcher whose work complements and expands our strengths in computer science, applied math, and applied interdisciplinary engineering. Candidates whose research bridges multiple subfields, connects with industry or national laboratories, or integrates experimental and theoretical approaches are especially encouraged to apply. Areas of interest include:

Machine Learning (supervised, unsupervised, causal, and reinforcement learning);
Deep Learning (neural network architectures, generative AI, large language models);
AI Applications (computer vision, natural language processing, multimodal systems);
Grounded AI (explainable AI, trustworthy AI, physics-informed AI, human-AI interaction)

Responsibilities

Develop and teach courses that are valuable to undergraduate and graduate students, within Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and across Mines.
Supervise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students in career pathways, research, and coursework, including through the expanding AI and Data Science programs at Mines.
Contribute to the visibility and reputation of the program through professional engagement, service, and community involvement.

Additional Responsibilities (Tenure Track only)

Develop and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program that relates to and supports AI and Machine Learning.

Minimum Qualifications (Professor of Practice)

Ph.D., M.S./M.A. or B.S./B.A. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or another closely related field.
History of professional experience in industry or academia with a national or international reputation demonstrating achievement as a distinguished practitioner of the discipline.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and a commitment to student success.

Minimum Qualifications (Tenure-Track Assistant Professor)

Ph.D. from an accredited program in Computer Science or a closely related field relevant to the search areas by the time the appointment begins.
Evidence of research productivity and potential for sustained scholarly achievement.
Demonstrated ability to teach effectively and mentor students at the university level.
Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration or engagement with AI in the sciences.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and a commitment to student success.

About Mines & The CS Department

Colorado School of Mines, Colorado's oldest public university, produces talent, knowledge and solutions that serve industry and benefit society-all to create a more prosperous future. Mines has about 6400 undergraduate students and 1900 graduate students in a broad range of applied science and engineering disciplines. Mines maintains high-quality, well-funded research programs (~$106M in awards for fiscal year 2024) with strong participation from both graduate and undergraduate students. The 2026 edition of U.S. News and World Report ranks Mines as a top 100 university. Mines has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S. Located in Golden, Colorado, Mines has close proximity to Denver and Boulder, providing opportunities for significant collaboration with government labs (including NLR, NIST, NCAR, and NOAA), industry, and other universities.

The Computer Science Department consists of 27 full-time faculty and hosts a thriving research program focusing on algorithms, human-centered computing, machine learning & data science, robotics, security & privacy, and computer systems. The department educates approximately 1000 undergraduate and 140 graduate students, offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science, and supports growing interdisciplinary programs in Quantum Engineering, Data Science, Robotics, Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, and Operations Research with Engineering. The CS faculty often advise graduate students in these programs, and they work collaboratively with researchers across other departments, universities, hospitals (including CU-Anschutz Medical Campus), national labs and industry partners. More information about the university and the CS Department can be found at https://www.mines.edu and https://www.cs.mines.edu. For any questions, please contact cs@mines.edu.

About AI at Mines & Colorado

The computer science faculty integrate machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data sciences into much of their teaching and research, allowing them to provide structure, and quantitative insights for collaborative solutions of data-driven problems. This broad interest in AI/ML and data sciences more generally has created a collegial teaching and research environment among our faculty and also fosters many interdisciplinary collaborations across Mines and the broader Colorado research community. Led by the Trefny Innovative Instruction Center, Mines is actively embarking on creative and effective means of integrating AI into its classes (from introductory to advanced graduate-level courses). Mines faculty are also engaged in programs such as Colorado's ElevateAI program to enhance AI literacy and transform education and workforce development.

Total Rewards and Salary Rate

Assistant Professor: $110,000 - $132,000

Professor of Practice: $125,000 - $157,000

Mines takes into consideration a combination of the candidate's education, training, and experience as well as the position's scope and complexity, the discretion, and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees. Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

Flexible health and dental care options
Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year - including a week-long winter break for entire campus
Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
Free RTD Ecopass for transportation throughout the Denver Metro area

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Recreation Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on-campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit https://mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.

How to Apply

For full consideration, please apply by March 1st, 2026. Applicants will be asked to complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, references, veteran status) and upload a CV and cover letter (required). References will not be requested until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made. Applications must specify in the application package to which rank they are applying (Tenure Track Assistant Professor or Professor of the Practice). Applicants will notice on the application form that there is only one location to upload all required materials. Further, once submitted, the applicant will not be able to edit their application. Applicants may submit their application as one combined document or as separate documents. All applications must include:

a cover letter expressing interest in the position,
a curriculum vitae,
a statement of teaching (at most 2 pgs).

In addition, for those applying of the Assistant Professor position, please also include:

a statement of research (at most 4 pgs),
up to three representative research papers (PDFs) that best reflect the applicant's scholarly contributions.

Teaching Statement: Mines is committed to high-quality, hands-on, and project-based learning. Additionally, Mines is growing its online MS non-thesis degree programs. Candidates should cover their in-person and hands-on teaching pedagogy and be prepared to describe any experience they have in online education.

Research Statement: Candidates should describe how their research relates to and complements research activities and expertise at Mines, its expected scholarly and societal impact, its relevance to Mines' goals, and current or future connections to industry and/or opportunities for entrepreneurship. The statement should cover both the candidate's history of successful research as well as their plans for future research at Mines, and their plans for obtaining external funding for that future research. Candidates should also be sure to describe any transdisciplinary aspects of their research. (For more information visit https://research.mines.edu ).

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position. This posting may be used to fill multiple openings. Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR with any questions at kfeighny@mines.edu.

Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

Equal Opportunity

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.

Mines' commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting

Apply online at https://mines.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Mines_Careers/job/Colorado/Assistant-Professor-or-Professor-of-Practice--AI-Machine-Learning_JR108102