Position: Assistant Professor in Music Technology and Computation (Tenure Track)

Description: The Music and Theater Arts Section (MTA) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) together with the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC) seeks applicants for a position in Music Technology and Computation at the level of tenure-track Assistant Professor beginning July 1, 2023 (for the 2023–24 academic year, or as soon as possible thereafter).

Music Technology and Computation are rapidly growing areas of interest at MIT, with new degree programs being considered. This search is one of several anticipated hires in the near term, with the goal of creating a cohort of faculty at the intersection of music and computation. Over 1,000 students enroll in music classes each year at MIT and several cross-disciplinary classes that require advanced knowledge of both computation and music already exist. Together with the SCC, Music at MIT is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment, including diversity in our topics of research, musical genres engaged with, and in the faculty appointed.

Qualifications: A doctorate in music technology, music, computer science, engineering, applied mathematics, cognition or neuroscience, or a closely related field is required by the start of appointment. We seek candidates whose research involves serious engagement with questions in computation and technology applied to music. Candidates should be investigating areas where both computation and music are intertwined to make discoveries that would not be possible without deep understanding of the conceptual issues and techniques of both disciplines with a potential to create new knowledge in one of music technology, music (generally), or computation. Our intent is to hire at the tenure-track assistant professor level, but more senior appointments may be considered in special cases, commensurate with experience.

Areas of interest include music information retrieval (audio or symbolic), computational approaches to music cognition or perception, human-computer interfaces in music or musical instruments, software and/or algorithms for musical creativity or creation, computation in traditional music research, music and AI/Machine learning, or visualization of music. This listing of areas merely gives suggestions; the search welcomes disciplines not listed, including those that are emerging or not always considered part of music technology.

Duties: The successful candidate will have a shared appointment in both MTA and also SCC, in either the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) or the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). MTA and SCC are committed to academic excellence and to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment for a diverse faculty and academic community. Faculty duties include conducting original research, teaching classes, and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The normal teaching load is 3 subjects per year (2+1 or 1+2). Candidates are expected to teach in both MTA and educational programs of SCC. Faculty should be prepared to apply for outside grants to grow research in their field.

Starting Date: July 1, 2023

Required Materials: 1) Cover letter (1–3 pages), including current and future research directions; 2) Curriculum Vitae; 3) a statement describing teaching experience and plans for teaching, including information on how you have already or will in the future foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work, and 4) two letters of recommendation (a third letter may be solicited further in the search).

Application Deadline: Applications must be complete by January 1, 2023 (extended from Dec. 15 previously), to receive full consideration.