Associate Professor/Professor in Games (AI, HCC, Perception and Cognition, and/or Games-Based Learning)

The Division of Games at the University of Utah invites applications for multiple tenure-track / tenured positions in Games at the Associate and Full Professor levels to begin Fall 2025. We seek established scholars with demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following games research areas:

(1) Artificial Intelligence (AI);

(2) Human-Centered Computing (HCC);

(3) Perception and Cognition (P&C);

(4) Games-Based Learning (GBL)

Successful candidates will share our vision of the power that games hold to transform players, groups, and society. This hire is part of a significant, multi-year commitment for faculty growth in the Division of Games.

Note: we are committed to recruiting, welcoming, and supporting undergrad and graduate students, postdocs, scientists, staff, and faculty with a broad range of backgrounds and expertise. We are also committed to addressing lifestyle priorities and will work with candidates to develop opportunities for partners and family members.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. at the time of hire in a discipline relevant to the area (AI, HCC, Perception and Cognition, and/or Games-Based Learning) for which they wish to be considered. Because this specific recruitment is for a senior-level tenure-track/tenured position, candidates must be able to demonstrate (1) an excellent and sustained record of research and scholarly productivity, superior scholarly achievement, and impact, (2) evidence of an active, extramurally-funded research program commensurate with their career stage, and (3) an effective and sustained record of teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and other faculty.

Preference will be given to candidates who, in addition to meeting the necessary qualifications, can demonstrate (1) leadership in some combination of university, public, and professional settings, and (2) commitment to enhancing the work of the Division in shaping the future of our unit as a scholarly community toward a vision of sustainable growth and disciplinary breadth in games.

The Division of Games is a world leader in games education, with consistently top-ranked programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Utah Games faculty includes artists, social scientists, games studies scholars, designers, and computer scientists who collectively work together on the mission to push the boundaries of what is possible in games. This plurality of backgrounds is one of the core elements within our identity. We strongly value inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to research and education, and seek to foster collaboration across the University of Utah. Currently, our faculty sustain ongoing collaborations with other departments within our College of Architecture and Planning, as well as the School of Medicine, the Colleges of Education, Humanities, Science, and Engineering and other campus partners. Additionally, we maintain strong collaborations with the vibrant local game development community and other significant game industry-wide partners.

Our unit is committed to being a responsible member of our campus and professional community, and we strive to recruit and support faculty committed to acting in furtherance of our unit’s values. Interested candidates may view these values by visiting https://games.utah.edu/utah-games-values/.

We have recently received significant support from the Office of the President to advance our mission. This job opportunity is an integral first step within our plan to expand our program strengths in teaching and research/creative scholarship. To learn more about our PRESS PLAY Initiative, please visit https://games.utah.edu/pressplay/.

If you are interested in joining us to build a culture of academic excellence; to create ideas that advance our understanding of games; to share those ideas with our students, communities, and society; and apply those ideas to change the world for the better, we strongly encourage you to apply.

The University of Utah is a Carnegie Research I institution located in Salt Lake City, nestled in the breathtaking foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. With thriving arts and culinary scenes, and an exploding high technology sector, Salt Lake City offers a unique mix of urban life juxtaposed with access to remarkable national parks, ski resorts, hiking and climbing, and more, just minutes away from campus.