Assistant Professor in Agentic AI and Autonomous Systems

Assistant Professor in Agentic AI and Autonomous Systems

Salary

See Position Description

Location

UH Manoa, Honolulu, HI

Job Type

Full-Time Permanent

Job Number

20261027

Department

University of Hawaii at Manoa - College of Natural Sciences - ICS

Opening Date

10/27/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

Position Number:

20261027

Description

Title: Assistant Professor in Agentic AI and Autonomous Systems

Hiring Unit: College of Natural Sciences, Information & Computer Sciences Department

Position: Pending Position Number

Location: Manoa Campus

Date Posted: October 27, 2026

Closing Date: Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

Salary Information: Commensurate with qualifications and experience

Monthly Type: 9-Month

Tenure Track: Tenure

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) at the University of Hawai?i at Manoa invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Agentic AI and Autonomous Systems, beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year. This position is part of a three-position cluster focused on Human-First AI that also includes an Assistant Professor position in AI Computing, and an Assistant or Associate Professor position in Safe and Trustworthy AI Systems. Each position is a separate search. Candidates who wish to be considered for more than one position must submit a separate application for each. The cluster hire aims to advance research in AI agents, AI computing systems, and AI safety. The candidate will contribute to the department's growing AI curriculum, the proposed BS in Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Track, and the Professional MCS in AI/Data Science. This position will be connected to the new University of Hawai?i AI Institute currently under development. The Institute's mission is to advance human-first AI through research, education, and service that strengthen the capabilities and well-being of Hawai?i's people, with human judgment and decision-making, responsible stewardship, and community-defined priorities guiding its work.

Research Focus

We seek candidates who develop AI systems capable of reasoning, planning, using tools, and collaborating with people. Areas of interest include planning and sequential decision-making; learning and reasoning for autonomous agents; embodied and physical AI; interaction with external data and software; workflow orchestration; multi-agent coordination; memory and adaptation; and human-AI collaboration and oversight. We welcome research on agent behavior and the design and evaluation of trustworthy autonomous systems that preserve human agency and operate effectively in real-world environments.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses in the candidate's area of expertise and related areas of artificial intelligence, as well as other courses in information and computer sciences
• Establish or sustain an extramurally funded research program; publish high-quality scholarly work
• Supervise graduate research
• Mentor and advise undergraduates
• Participate in capstone mentoring
• Develop interdisciplinary and external collaborations
• Provide department, college, and university service; and
• Perform other scholarly duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field by the start date.
• Evidence of high-quality research through peer-reviewed publications in conferences or journals relevant to the position sought.
• Commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching, mentoring, and advising.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse groups of students, faculty, and external partners.
• Strong potential to establish an independent research program and obtain extramural funding.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience developing or evaluating AI methods or computing systems relevant to this position, including efficient AI computing, agents that plan and use tools, or systems operating under safety, security, reliability, privacy, or resource constraints.
• Experience translating research into usable tools, models, software, platforms, benchmarks, or evaluation methods, with attention to accessibility, meaningful human control, and impacts on users and communities.
• Experience with interdisciplinary or applied research involving government, industry, or nonprofit partners.
• Experience mentoring students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines through research, internships, or collaborative projects.

About the University

The University of Hawai?i at Manoa is the flagship campus of the UH system and the only R1 university in the state. It is dedicated to teaching, research, and service in a multicultural and inclusive environment.

Appointment Conditions

Pending position clearance. This is an Assistant Professor search. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

How to Apply

Apply through the posting for this position and submit the following materials with your application:

• A cover letter identifying this position and explaining how you satisfy the relevant minimum and desirable qualifications. Candidates applying to multiple searches may also indicate their interest in the other positions.
• A curriculum vitae with a publication list.
• Names and contact information for three individuals willing to provide professional reference letters.
• A statement of research interests, accomplishments, and future research plans.
• A statement describing your experience and approach to teaching and mentoring, including any experience mentoring projects with industry or other external partners.

Candidates whose expertise spans more than one area are encouraged to apply to each relevant position and indicate that interest in their cover letter. Applications will be evaluated separately against the qualifications of each position. Where permitted, interviews and campus visits may be coordinated across searches. Application materials will not be returned. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Note: If this is your first time using NEOGOV you will need to create an account.

Inquiries: Guylaine Poisson, guylaine@hawaii.edu (Department Chair)

EEO, Clery Act, ADA

The University of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/

Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawaii may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.

Accommodation Request: The University of Hawaii complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/

Employer University of Hawaii

Website http://workatuh.hawaii.edu