Assistant Professor in Music, AI and Brain Health

Assistant Professor in Music, AI and Brain Health

About the Opportunity

About the Opportunity:

The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD) at Northeastern
University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant
Professor in Music, AI and Brain Health, to be located at the
Boston campus. We are particularly interested in candidates at the
intersection of music, brain health and artificial intelligence
qualified for a joint appointment between the College of Arts,
Media and Design and the College of Science or Bouve College of
Health Sciences, who could serve as core faculty within the
Institute for Cognitive and Brain Health. There is also potential
for courtesy appointment in other relevant units such as the
Experiential AI Institute.

The ideal candidate will conduct original research at the
intersection of music, neuroscience, brain health, and artificial
intelligence; investigate AI applications for personalized music
therapy and brain health interventions; and explore machine
learning approaches to understanding musical cognition and neural
plasticity. In this position, the successful candidate will develop
and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in sound and health,
including but not limited to music cognition, psychoacoustics,
music-based interventions, creative cognition, music neuroscience,
imaging and sonification, AI approaches to creativity and brain
health, and AI applications in music therapy and/or sound and
health. The ideal candidate would lead transformative curricular
initiatives in sound health programming across both our Boston
campus and our network campuses. We encourage applicants whose
research includes but is not limited to the following topics:
• Computational approaches to understanding music’s role in
neuroplasticity and brain health across diverse populations and
across the lifespan
• Sonification of brain imaging data to translate neural patterns
into audible representations
• Psychoacoustic optimization of soundscapes for well-being and
therapeutic outcomes
• AI-driven analysis of musical engagement patterns to predict
and monitor cognitive decline
• Development of adaptive music-based interventions responsive to
real-time physiological feedback
• Integration of music cognition principles with AI to create
personalized sound-based health interventions
• Multimodal imaging studies combining neuroimaging with acoustic
analysis to map music-brain interactions

Our tenure and promotion process values collaborative research and
teamwork. Hires will be mentored for success with individualized
and group guidance. In addition, a strong and effective faculty
development strategy is part of the Northeastern institutional
mission. The ADVANCE Office of Faculty Development office works in
conjunction with the Office of Research Development (ORD) and the
Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research (CATLR)
to provide programs and trainings to further develop and support a
thriving faculty.

The College is seeking to give excellent candidates across all
demographics of society the opportunity, resources, and support to
establish innovative and impactful research careers. This includes
candidates at the earliest stages of their careers as well as those
who are more established. For selected candidates, there may be an
option of a 1- to 2-year CAMD funded, mentored post-doc Fellow
position, to allow candidates to ramp up their research programs
before starting on the tenure track.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include teaching undergraduate and graduate
courses, including courses in our interdisciplinary programs;
mentoring students at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels;
maintaining a strong program of interdisciplinary research that
attracts external funding and/or recognition; and participating in
departmental, college and university service. Qualified candidates
must be prepared to work with global student populations.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have a PhD degree in Music,
Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science,
Engineering, or a related field by the employment start date; and
demonstrated potential to attract external funding for research
and/or creative practice.

Additional Information:

Interested candidates should apply here with a curriculum vita that
includes a list of publications, statements addressing the prompts
below, and contact information for at least three reference
letters. Applications will be reviewed beginning on December 15,
2025.

Successful faculty at Northeastern are dynamic and innovative
scholars with a record of research and teaching excellence and a
commitment to fostering belonging in the university community.
Thus, strong candidates for this faculty position will have the
experiences, knowledge, and skills to build their research,
pedagogy, and curriculum in ways that reflect and enhance this
commitment. Please indicate how your experience, knowledge, and
skills have prepared you to contribute to this work with written
statements addressing the following prompts:

Research statement:

Please describe the focus of your research, including the questions
you have identified, the funding you have received to support the
work (if applicable), the results you have discovered, and the
products of these efforts. Please also describe any research you
have undertaken with students and/or with the external community.
Finally, please outline the research directions you foresee
pursuing in the College of Arts, Media and Design.

Teaching statement:

Please summarize your past instructional and mentorship
experiences, your pedagogical philosophy, your plans/goals for
teaching in the College of Arts, Media and Design (including
existing and proposed courses), and your strategies for teaching
and mentoring global student populations.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
disability status, protected veteran status, or any other
characteristic protected by the law.

About Northeastern:

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and
the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our
world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students,
faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the
confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

Our locations-in Boston; Arlington, Charlotte, North Carolina;
Miami; London; Portland, Maine; Oakland; San Francisco; Seattle;
Silicon Valley; Toronto; Vancouver; and the Massachusetts
communities of Burlington and Nahant-are nodes in our growing
global university system. Through this network, we expand
opportunities for flexible, student-centered learning and
collaborative, solutions-focused research.

Northeastern’s comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate
programs- in a variety of on-campus and online formats-lead to
degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. Among
these, we offer more than 195 multi-discipline majors and degrees
designed to prepare students for purposeful lives and
careers.

The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD)
is a collaborative community within the university that acts as a
catalyst for research, inspiration, and discovery. It brings
together a unique combination of disciplines, including
Architecture, Art+Design, Communication Studies, Journalism, Media
and Screen Studies, Music, and Theatre. CAMD is also home to three
interdisciplinary research centers: the Center for the Arts, the
Center for Design, and the Center for Transformative Media.

The Department of Music offers flexible, student-focused curricular
options including Bachelors’ in Music, Music Industry, and Music
Technology, along with combined majors with Psychology, game
design, Physics, Computer Science, and Engineering. With a
cross-disciplinary approach emphasizing cutting-edge technology and
a wide-angle focus on music’s cultural meaning and social impact,
the department serves multi-talented, creative, entrepreneurial
students committed to making a positive difference through
music.

The Institute for Cognitive and Brain Health harnesses
neuroimaging, behavioral, and computational studies to understand
how lifestyle choices and behaviors influence brain activity,
structure, and cognitive function across the lifespan. Through
interdisciplinary research examining factors such as physical
activity, diet and nutrition, and creative activity (artistic
engagement, including music, dance, and the arts), the Institute
investigates mechanisms of brain health to maximize well-being and
promote effective functioning from infancy through older adulthood.
The Institute serves as a hub for multiple research labs and brings
together expertise from psychology, neuroscience, physical therapy,
and other disciplines to address critical challenges in cognitive
decline and healthy aging.

Position Type

Academic

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work
experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit
eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid
time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as
well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for
more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, religion,
color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability
status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable
law.

Pay Range:

Assistant Professor: $88,000.00 – $110,000.00

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend
on several factors, which may include your education, experience,
location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay
comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role.
Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to
change.

To apply, visit https://northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/job/Boston-MA-Main-Campus/Assistant-Professor-in-Music–AI-and-Brain-Health_R136941

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