Associate or Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication

Faculty Position in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication

Artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of the entertainment ecosystem-from content creation, production, and distribution to audience engagement, accessibility, labor relations, intellectual property, and communication technologies. To engage these developments, the Northwestern School of Communication invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence, Entertainment, and Human Communication. We seek an innovative scholar, artist, designer, technologist, legal scholar, or interdisciplinary researcher whose work examines the opportunities, challenges, and societal implications of artificial intelligence across creative industries, communication, performance, and human-centered technologies. We welcome applicants whose work explores these developments through artistic practice, scholarly inquiry, policy analysis, technological innovation, or industry engagement. The successful candidate will join a vibrant interdisciplinary community exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping entertainment, media, performance, communication, and society.

Areas of Interest

Candidates may be working in areas such as:

AI and Creative Practice

• Stage, scenic, costume, lighting, projection, and production design using AI-enhanced tools

• Generative AI in theatre, film, television, gaming, music, and immersive experiences

• AI-assisted virtual characters and digital performers

• Human-AI collaboration in artistic creation and performance

• Virtual production, digital environments, and emerging entertainment technologies

• AI-assisted storytelling and audience engagement

AI, Sound, and Music

• AI applications in sound design, music production, and audio engineering

• Computational approaches to sound analysis and immersive audio

• Machine learning and adaptive sound environments

• Ethical and artistic implications of AI-generated music and sound

• AI voice cloning and digital voice ownership

AI, Society, Policy, and Law

• Intellectual property, copyright, and licensing of AI-generated content

• Labor, employment, and workforce implications of AI in creative industries

• Entertainment contracts and governance frameworks related to AI

• Ethical, regulatory, and societal implications of AI-enabled creative and communication technologies

• Design, development, and evaluation of human-centered AI systems that support artists, performers, designers, communicators, and audiences

• Role of AI in expanding accessibility, participation, and inclusion within creative and cultural experiences

• Frameworks for responsible, equitable, and transparent AI use in entertainment, media, performance, and communication contexts

AI, Communication Sciences, Audiology, and Speech-Language Pathology

• AI systems supporting vocal health for performers

• Machine learning approaches to vocal fatigue analysis

• Voice synthesis, voice preservation technologies, synthetic speech

• Audience perception of synthetic voices

• AI auditory technology for entertainment applications

This position reflects SoC's commitment to advancing research and education at the intersection of AI, creativity, communication, accessibility, and the future of work. This position is 100% in person and located on Northwestern University's Evanston campus in the greater Chicago area.

Employment Term: This is a full-time continuing senior faculty appointment, service of 9 months paid over 12. The hire would be subject to Northwestern's tenure approval process.

Salary: The expected base pay range for this position at the rank of Associate is $125,000-$148,000, at the rank of Full Professor it is $225,000-$250,00, competitive based upon experience.

Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate including years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal comparators; and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Preferred Start: September 1, 2027.

Closing Date: October 16, 2026. Review of applications will begin on October 19, 2026.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain an active program of research, creative activity, and/or professional practice

• Undergraduate and graduate student instruction

• Development of innovative curricula

• Student mentorship

• Collaboration across disciplines

• Service to the department, school, university, and profession

• Engagement with industry and community partners

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree appropriate to the field and demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence and its application, impact, governance, or creative use. The candidate's appointment may be across one or more departments in the School of Communication with the tenure home determined by the major field of expertise.

Who Should Apply?

• We welcome applications from theatre and performance designers, sound designers, communication scientists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, media scholars, legal scholars, social scientists, and interdisciplinary researchers whose work bridges technology and human creativity.

Application Documents:

Applications will be accepted via Northwestern Careers. For full consideration, please be sure to include the following materials in your application:

• Cover letter describing relevant interests, preparation, and experience; candidates should specifically address how previous experiences relate to qualifications for the role

• Current CV, including links to creative works, if applicable

• Three (3) contacts for letters of recommendation, of which at least one should address teaching qualifications

Forward questions regarding the position to the search chair, Professor Darren Gergle (dgergle@northwestern.edu). For more information about the School of Communication, please visit our website.

The School:

The School of Communication has five departments and offers a suite of interdisciplinary undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs. The departments span the communication arts and sciences including the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Communication Studies, the Department of Performance Studies, and the Department of Theatre (which includes music theatre and dance). The school offers instruction to roughly 900 undergraduate majors and 650 graduate and professional students. Founded nearly 150 years ago, the School has been a leader in developing the communication disciplines and professions, and continues to be a center of excellence in the communication arts and sciences. Our current Dean is E. Patrick Johnson.

The University:

Northwestern University is one of the nation's largest private research universities. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, the main campus is in Evanston and the medical campus is 12 miles south in downtown Chicago. There is continuing expansion of University facilities and programs, particularly in the sciences and medicine. A variety of cultural, social, and recreational activities abound on and near each campus. We are committed to supporting a strong campus community.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at Northwestern Benefits to learn more.

Please read ALL instructions and make preparations before proceeding to the application page:

• Applications will only be accepted via online submission (see link below).
• Please prepare all documents in advance as Adobe PDF files, and please be sure all information is entered correctly and accurately (especially names and email addresses), as there will be no opportunity for online revision after your application has been submitted.
• Please also prepare a list of names and email addresses for your external academic references; your references will be contacted directly by the online system and invited to upload their letters on your behalf.
• All required fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk and must be filled before clicking the "Submit" button.
• Be aware that incomplete applications cannot be saved.

Applications accepted here: Apply for Job

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.