Assistant Professor of History with a focus on Artificial Intelligence or Digital History

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number FAC - VA - 27015

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Timothy LeCain

Department Chair

[email protected]

Classification Title

Working Title Assistant Professor of History with a focus on Artificial Intelligence or Digital History

Brief Position Overview

The Department of History of Philosophy at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of History with a focus on Artificial Intelligence or Digital History.

Faculty Tenure Track Yes

Faculty Rank Assistant

Position Number 4A0328

Department History and Philosophy

Division College of Letters & Science

Appointment Type Faculty

Contract Term Academic Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications

Contract Type MUS

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

The Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of History with a focus on Artificial Intelligence or Digital History. Applicants with either a topical focus or a methodological focus on AI or Digital History are encouraged to apply. Geographic and chronological areas of expertise are open. Research topics may include, but are not limited to, technology and the environment, sustainability, medicine, governance, data, Indigenous data sovereignty, national security, surveillance, infrastructure, labor and automation, and/or computational history.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Teach lower-division, upper-division, and graduate history courses relevant to the candidate’s expertise.

• Maintain an active research program leading to publications in peer-reviewed journals and books.

• Advise undergraduate students.

• Recruit, advise, and mentor graduate students in the M.A. and Ph.D. programs in History.

• Play an active role in MSU’s new Interdisciplinary Institute on Artificial Intelligence and its associated scholarly and pedagogical initiatives.

• Participate in department, college, and university committees as appropriate.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• PhD in History or closely related field by August 15, 2027.

• Research related to Artificial Intelligence or Digital History.

• Demonstrated potential for excellence in both teaching and scholarship.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Interest or experience in interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Interest or experience in public history.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Have demonstrated preparation and expertise (or potential for expertise) in the historical dimensions of Artificial Intelligence or Digital History.

• Be able to contribute to MSU’s interdisciplinary initiatives on AI.

• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Be able to work productively in a dynamic and interdisciplinary department.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

The Program

The Department

The Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University is an active Department with a strong record of research, teaching, and interdisciplinary studies. The research agendas in the Department include the American West, early America, Modern America, European History, science, environment, and technology, global studies, the philosophy of science, and ethics. The Department offers majors in History, History Teaching, Philosophy, and SETS (Science, Environment, Technology, and Society), as well as a minor in Museum Studies. The Department is comprised of 15 tenure-track faculty, several non-tenure-track faculty, and approximately 25 graduate students. The Department grants Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in History and participates in the Ph.D. program in American Studies.

The College

The College of Letters and Science ( CLS ), the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and mathematical sciences.

Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.

Montana State University is a Carnegie R-1 land grant university located in Bozeman, MT. Situated in the heart of the Rocky Mountain West, a short drive from Yellowstone National Park, MSU faculty benefit from outstanding outdoor recreation and cultural opportunities. MSU is currently the largest university in our state with over 17,000 students. We are home to several interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes, including the Ivan Doig Center for the Lands and Peoples of the North American West, the Montana Institute on Ecosystems, and the newly established Interdisciplinary Institute on AI ( IIAI ). The mission of the IIAI is to generate interdisciplinary research on AI technology—including its technical, educational, cultural, historical, ethical, and environmental implications—for the benefit of all Montanans. In a state where the impacts of technology and extractive industries (e.g. mining, nuclear testing, energy production, and now data centers) have been acute, particularly for rural communities and Tribal Nations, MSU’s IIAI will play a critical role in navigating the AI’s economic and social repercussions.

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 1

Desired Start Date August 2027

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on November 6, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

As part of your application, please upload the following required documents:

• Curriculum Vitae

• Cover Letter addressing the Required and Preferred Qualifications

• Research Statement (maximum 1,000 words or 2 pages, single-spaced)

Letters of Recommendation and Reference Calls: All applicants will be required to provide a minimum of three references during the application process. References will be contacted automatically by email once the application is submitted to request a letter of recommendation. Applicants should notify their references in advance and let them know that letters must be submitted by the screening date. References will also be contacted by phone as part of the final reference check process during the finalist stage.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.