Full Professor & AI Research and Innovation Institute Inaugural Executive Director - College of Computing

About the Role

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and the Van Andel Institute (VAI) invite applications for a Full Professor and Inaugural Executive Director to lead the newly established AI Research and Innovation Institute (AIRAI), a strategic partnership between GVSU's College of Computing and the Van Andel Institute. The Executive Director will serve as the founding scientific and strategic leader of the AI Research and Innovation Institute, guiding its growth into a globally recognized center of excellence in artificial intelligence. The Full Professor position will be housed in GVSU's College of Computing, with an adjunct appointment at the Van Andel Institute. Tenure may be offered at hire based on the candidate's qualifications. The Executive Director reports to the Dean of the GVSU College of Computing.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and visionary leader with the ability to inspire researchers across disciplines, attract major investments, and build high-impact collaborations spanning academia, industry, healthcare, and government. We welcome candidates with deep expertise in machine learning (theory or applied), AI systems and infrastructure, computer vision, NLP or multimodal AI, data science and large-scale AI. We also seek candidates working at the intersection of AI and computational biology/bioinformatics, genomics, epigenomics, systems biology, clinical and/or translational research.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a bold long-term vision for the institute
• Build internationally visible research programs in AI and AI-driven discovery
• Recruit and mentor world-class faculty, researchers, and doctoral students
• Position GVSU and VAI as global leaders in AI research and innovation
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and societal impact
• Advance the translation of AI discoveries into real-world solutions that improve human health and well-being

Institute Leadership

• Define and execute an ambitious vision for a world-class AI research and innovation institute
• Lead a multidisciplinary research enterprise spanning AI, computing, and life sciences
• Establish AIRAI as a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence
• Shape institute strategy, governance, and long-term sustainability
• Cultivate a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, and inclusion
• Represent the institute globally through partnerships, conferences, and strategic initiatives

Research Development

• Build externally funded research programs in Core AI (ML, systems, multimodal AI) and AI applications (biomedical, life sciences, health, and beyond)
• Secure funding from NSF, NIH (AI for biomedical research), industry and foundations

Faculty & Team Building

• Recruit and develop exceptional talent across foundational AI, AI systems and infrastructure, AI + biomedical sciences, AI + health, and AI + emerging domains
• Build a vibrant intellectual community that encourages scientific excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurship and technology transfer, and responsible and human-centered AI innovation

Partnerships & Ecosystem Building

• Strengthen collaboration with Van Andel Institute
• Build partnerships with healthcare systems, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and AI and technology organizations

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. and 10+ years of experience leading research teams in AI or related areas
• Demonstrated interest in advancing AI research in biomedical, life sciences, or societal challenges
• Record of excellence consistent with appointment at the rank of Full Professor
• Strong research record in AI, machine learning, or related areas
• Demonstrated success in securing external funding
• Experience leading research initiatives or teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated success building or scaling research centers, institutes, or large collaborative initiatives
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams across institutions or sectors
• Record of mentoring faculty, post-docs and graduate students toward research excellence
• Experience translating research into societal or economic impact
• Evidence of national or international scientific leadership
• Vision for shaping the future of AI research and graduate education

Benefits

• Minimum 9-month academic year base salary of $185,000, commensurate with experience
• Additional compensation is available for summer responsibilities associated with serving as the Executive Director of the AI Research and Innovation Institute
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver effective on date of hire

About the Ph.D. in Computing

In partnership with VAI, the institute will leverage advanced computing and data infrastructure and world-class biomedical and life science research environments. The Ph.D. in Computing is a fully funded program providing deep training in core AI and machine learning, offering pathways into AI applications in biomedical and other high-impact domains, and including co-advising across institutions.

About Van Andel Institute (VAI)

Van Andel Institute is a world-class independent biomedical research and science education organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. The Institute combines significant internal investment, advanced technological platforms, and a culture of collaboration to enable high-impact discovery, specifically with strengths in cancer biology and epigenetics, neurodegenerative disease research, metabolism and nutritional programming, structural biology and advanced imaging (e.g., cryo-EM), and world-class Core Technologies and Services. VAI's research impact is reflected in independent rankings: in 2026, VAI ranked No. 3 among North American nonprofit research organizations for biological sciences on the 2026 Nature Index Research Leaders list. VAI brings world-class research faculty and laboratories, a strong track record of high-impact scientific discovery, a graduate education ecosystem in biomedical sciences, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence.

This partnership enables a rare integration of advanced AI and computational methods (GVSU) with cutting-edge biomedical research (VAI).

Vision for the AI Research and Innovation Institute

The AI Research and Innovation Institute aspires to become a world-class destination for artificial intelligence research and education by advancing foundational AI and next-generation computational methods, accelerating discoveries in biomedical and life sciences, creating transformative AI solutions for society, training the next generation of AI scientists and innovators, and catalyzing economic development and entrepreneurship in the region and beyond. The institute will leverage the complementary strengths of GVSU's rapidly growing computing ecosystem and VAI's internationally recognized biomedical research enterprise to create an unprecedented environment for AI-driven discovery.