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 https://quantum.mines.edu/, https://datascience.mines.edu/, https://robotics.mines.edu/, https://qbe.mines.edu/, and https://orwe.mines.edu/. 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 mailto: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 https://stateofcolorado.benefithub.com/app/home through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines https://minesathletics.com/ home games, as well as access to the state-of-the-art https://minesathletics.com/facilities/student-recreation-center/13 (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the https://minesathletics.com/sports/2016/7/10/outdoor-recreation-home.aspx. We are proud to have recently opened an https://www.mines.edu/human-resources/employee-total-rewards/benefits/facu
