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One-U RAI Cluster Hires Program

Over the last year, the One-U Responsible AI Initiative (RAI) has made significant progress in advancing its mission. This includes deploying cyberinfrastructure, growing research expertise, engaging with our community, and building the services and support structures to sustain these efforts. You can read more about these efforts in our annual report.

We are now working to define the focus areas for the cluster hires, which we hope to launch this summer. We aim to hire three or four clusters over three hiring cycles starting in the 2026 academic year. These clusters will align with RAI thematic areas, be responsive to broader opportunities, build on existing strengths and other RAI investments, and align with the priorities and plans of colleges, schools, and departments. If you would like to learn more about this effort and/or engage with us in this process, please reach out directly to the One-U RAI or someone from your college engaged with the One-U RAI.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Goal: Establish 3-4 clusters over 3 hiring cycles starting AY’26

    Overarching principles:

    • Align with RAI thrusts and responsive to broader opportunities
    • Build on and complement existing strengths/aspirations and other RAI investments
    • Align with College/School/Department priorities and plans

    Timeline:

    • January: Development and approval of decision process
    • February: Determine expertise areas for each cluster as well as more specific focus areas and approximate career level and priority
    • March: Develop and propose an approximate budget
    • April - May: Communication with leadership and identification of participating departments
    • June: Drafting and approval of hiring calls, development of hiring committees
    • July: Posting of initial cluster hires

  • One-U RAI cluster hires will used a shared appointment model between the SCI Institute and an academic department. Shared appointments of faculty members are made in the situation where a unit that does not have the authority to appoint faculty wishes to collaborate with a faculty-appointing unit (academic department) and “share” some of the faculty member’s responsibilities. With a shared appointment, the faculty member will hold tenure/be on the tenure-track in only the academic department. The shared-appointment unit will offer input in faculty reviews, and will often provide financial or other resources for the faculty member who then conducts teaching, research, and/or service on behalf of the shared-appointment unit. More information can be found on the Office for Faculty webpage.

  • If you have ideas around specific focus areas for the cluster hires that align with the thematic areas of environment, healthcare and wellness, and teaching and learning, including examples of existing collaborative or complementary expertise existing on campus or gaps that could be filled, please reach out to the One-U RAI Team or to the One-U RAI directly at rai@utah.edu.