Description

Title: Visiting Research Scholar, Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology

Area: Institute for Informatics & Applied Technology

Telework Availability: On-campus Position

Employee Classification: Visiting Faculty

Appointment Percentage: 100

Months per year: 9

Salary Range: The budgeted annual salary that the University reasonably expects to offer for this position is $69,863 (w/o terminal degree) or $99,225 (w/terminal degree). The internal salary range is $69,863 - $72,192 (w/o PhD) or $99,225 - $102,533 (w/ PhD)

Is this position eligible for relocation reimbursement?: Yes

Is this position eligible for a signing bonus?: No

Close date: July 31, 2026

At this time, the University has suspended all new H1B visa sponsorships.

Job Purpose:

The Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology (IIAT) at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA invites candidates for a non-tenure-track Visiting Research Scholar position beginning in Academic Year 2026-2027. We welcome active researchers with hands-on expertise in Agentic AI and/or Physical AI to join our institute. This is expected to be a nine-month appointment with flexibility in appointment structure and duration. Depending on project needs and candidate availability, appointments may be considered for varying lengths, including semester, academic-year, or calendar-year terms. This role is designed for researchers actively engaged in advancing AI systems and applications through research, development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Applicants may include doctoral candidates, recent Ph.D. graduates, or experienced researchers whose work aligns with the mission and priorities of IIAT.

Successful candidates will lead one or more R&D projects, mentored by the Reisenauer Family Director of the IIAT, and in collaboration with faculty and students across disciplines and experts across sectors, to develop technologies that enable experiential learning. Imagine how Physical AI that recognizes the world could reflect how humans reason about their environment with various emotions, and how human-AI interactions could transform K-12 education for multi-lingual learners, along with other opportunities that will transform education in the age of AI. Following the Jesuit mission of the University, the IIAT team focuses on responsible advancement, development, and uses of AI systems with purpose and agency while fostering learning for everyone. Through this position, we are looking to develop several technology-infused experiential learning modules across disciplines.

The IIAT at Gonzaga University is grounded in a simple but demanding conviction: technology should serve people, and the people who build it bear responsibility for the world it shapes. As part of a Jesuit university, we believe that inquiry is inseparable from purpose, and that the most consequential questions in AI are not only technical - they are human. We pursue research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human-centered computing, but our deeper work is formative. We ask how AI systems can act with intentionality and agency in ways that expand human capability rather than diminish it. We ask how responsible design choices become habits of mind. And we ask how the next generation of professionals, regardless of discipline, can be equipped not just to use AI - but to shape it wisely. We develop AI-enabled tools and experiences that allow students in healthcare, law, business, education, sciences, and the humanities to engage with intelligent systems not as passive users, but as informed, critical participants. This is what the future of liberal arts education looks like - a curriculum that weaves human judgment, disciplinary depth, and hands-on technological fluency into a single, coherent formation .

Gonzaga University is a Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic institution grounded in a mission to form the whole person - intellectually, ethically, and spiritually - and to prepare graduates for lives of leadership and service for the common good. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition of cura personalis (care for the whole person) and "faith that does justice," Gonzaga calls its faculty, staff, and students into a vibrant community committed to social justice, solidarity, and finding meaning and purpose in their work. Located in Spokane, Washington - the heart of the Inland Northwest - the university offers an exceptional quality of life in one of the Pacific Northwest's most livable and dynamic mid-sized cities. Spokane sits at the crossroads of mountains and rivers, offering four distinct seasons, world-class outdoor recreation from skiing and hiking to whitewater and cycling, and a thriving downtown with tremendous sports events as well as arts and culinary scene. With a cost of living well below that of larger coastal metros and a strong sense of community, Spokane combines the amenities of a city with the warmth and accessibility of a place where people genuinely know their neighbors - making it an ideal home for those seeking both purposeful work and an exceptional place to visit and live.

For more information on our mission, please visit: https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/our-mission-jesuit-values/mission-statement

Essential Functions:

Research and Development -

• Scope and execute Agentic AI / Physical AI R&D project(s) in consultation with the IIAT Director.
• Conduct the R&D project(s) independently and in collaboration with the IIAT team and GU faculty and students, as well as community partners as appropriate.
• Disseminate R&D outcomes through publications, presentations, demos, software and data repositories, tutorials, and/or workshops.

Educational Innovation and Learning Resources -

• Collaborate with faculty across disciplines to develop educational resources, demonstrations, workshops, learning modules, and other instructional innovations that leverage Agentic AI, Physical AI, and related research initiatives.
• Consult with the IIAT Director regarding project priorities and pedagogical approaches and support implementation opportunities as they arise.

Institute Initiatives and Dissemination -

• Contribute to the intellectual life of IIAT by collaborating with Institute staff and faculty on emerging AI initiatives.
• Share developments in the field through seminars, workshops, project consultations, and presentations for faculty, staff, and students.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctoral candidate, recent PhD graduate, or equivalent industry experience beyond Master level degree in computing or related disciplines.
• Evidence of active research expertise and hands-on experiences in Agentic AI or Physical AI.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, and student researchers, engineers, and experts across disciplines.
• Experiences in developing and offering training, tutorials, workshops, or demos.

Educational Requirement:

Master's Degree

Physical & On-Campus Requirements:

In-Office Presence - Ability to work on-site in typical office setting and participate in in-person meetings with colleagues: 5 days/week

Standing/Sitting - Ability to remain in a stationary position for a prolonged period: Daily (>75% of time)

Walking - Ability to move about on foot to accomplish tasks: Rarely (1%-49% of time)

Lifting/Carrying - Ability to move or transport objects up to a specified weight: Rarely (1%-49% of time)

Attention to Detail - Ability to focus on detailed tasks for extended periods: Daily (>75% of time)

Problem-Solving - Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively: Daily (>75% of time)

Required Application Materials:

• Cover letter should address the following:
  • Relevance of your academic training to the position.
  • Additional qualifications you would bring to this position.
  • Your fit with Gonzaga's Jesuit, Catholic, and humanistic tradition.
  • Personal commitment to leadership and service within the profession.
• Curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information for at least three professional references will be collected from advancing candidates during the interview process. References will be sent a link to upload a confidential letter of recommendation.