Open Rank Faculty Position in Artificial Intelligence

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – School of Humanities and Social Sciences

HSS AI Position 

Open rank from Assistant Professor to full Professor

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Applied Linguistics/Translation and Literary Studies/Media and Communication/China Studies/International Studies

LOCATION: Suzhou Campus

ABOUT XJTLU

In 2006, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was created by the University of Liverpool and Xi’an Jiaotong University – a top ten university in China. Offering a unique international education experience, XJTLU brings together excellent research practice and expertise from both institutions and gives students the skills and knowledge they need to secure careers in a global marketplace. The University has around 25,000 registered students, including those who are studying at the University of Liverpool. As of September 2025, there are around 1,800 teaching and research staff of various types, including about 1,300 full-time academic staff. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 100 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.

XJTLU is entering a new and exciting phase of its development as part of its strategic priorities for the next ten years. Adopting a new higher education model based on the concept of Syntegrative Education (SE), XJTLU has opened a new Entrepreneurial Education site in Taicang, part of wider Suzhou, where the Entrepreneur College (Taicang) is located. The Taicang site will be a pioneer of, and educational model for, the future campus in addressing challenges arising from the 4th Industrial Revolution. Other new initiatives include new working partnerships with Xi’an Jiaotong University, the continued development of the four new Academies, and exploration of further potential locations to develop the SE model.

Alongside these developments, the University is advancing an institution-wide Education + AI strategic framework, integrating artificial intelligence into teaching, research, governance, and industry engagement. This includes the development and deployment of large language model–based platforms to support learning and research, as well as enhanced digital and high-performance computing infrastructure to enable data-intensive and AI-supported research across disciplines.

With a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and innovation, XJTLU hosts a range of AI- and data-focused research centres and laboratories, and has established collaborations with leading Chinese technology and AI companies, as well as public and private sector partners. These initiatives support research in areas such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence, digital society, education technology, and human-centred AI design.

With a focus on innovative learning and teaching, and research, XJTLU draws on the strengths of its parent universities, and plays a pivotal role in facilitating access to China for UK and other institutional partners. At the same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from west and east, with digital and AI-enabled innovation as a key driver.

For detailed information about the university, please visit www.xjtlu.edu.cn.

ABOUT the School of Humanities and Social Sciences

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) is dedicated to establishing a centre of research excellence that is recognised both within China and internationally. To this end, we offer innovative degree programmes that position graduates for success both in pursuit of employment at leading companies and admission into postgraduate programmes at the world’s best universities. The School also cultivates outreach and partnerships with domestic and international universities, as well as with industry and policy stakeholders.

Researching and educating across different disciplines in humanities and social sciences, the School is supported by 100 scholars from more than 15 countries and consists of five academic departments:

• China Studies
• International Studies
• Media and Communication
• Applied Linguistics
• Literary and Translation Studies

HSS offers eight undergraduate degree programmes and six postgraduate degree programmes, including:

• BA Chinese Studies 
• BA International Relations 
• BA Media and Communication 
• BA English Studies 
• BA English and Communication  
• BA English and Finance 
• BA English and International Relations 
• BA Translation and Interpretating 
• MA Applied Linguistics (specialisation in multilingualism) 
• MA China Studies 
• MA international Business and Global Affairs 
• MA International Relations 
• MSc Media and Communication 
• MA TESOL

Each undergraduate programme offers opportunities for students to pursue a 2+2 with the University of Liverpool as well as study abroad programmes at universities around the world. In addition, the School hosts the University of Liverpool’s Year in China programme, welcoming hundreds of Liverpool students to our campus.

As a research-intensive university, the School also enrols PhD students across our core disciplines as well as germane ones such as history, sociology, and anthropology. HSS also organises collaborative and collective research projects to explore interactions and dialogues between China and the world, and proactively engages with the wider academic, business, and policy-making communities in the Yangtze River Delta region, as well as nationally and internationally, including in emerging areas related to AI, digital society, and global communication.

More details about the School of HSS can be found here: https://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/study/departments/school-of-humanities-and-social-sciences

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

The successful candidate will be based in one of HSS’ five academic Departments and will contribute to research, teaching, and administration commensurate with their experience. The teaching responsibilities of the colleague will consist of two parts: 1) to lead and develop School-level AI modules and 2) contribute partially to department-level teaching.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE:

The successful candidate must possess a PhD in computer science or a relevant field within the humanities and social sciences as per the respective descriptions below.

Humanities

We seek candidates who understand the intersection of AI and the humanities and are capable of integrating AI technologies into their research and teaching, primarily through natural language processing (NLP) to analyse historical texts, literature, and cultural data. Experience with AI tools such as machine learning for sentiment analysis, data mining for social trends, or computational linguistics for linguistic analysis will be highly regarded. Additionally, the ability to instruct students on how AI can be applied to the study of philosophy, ethics, and history is essential. Understanding AI’s implications for privacy, identity, and digital culture is also critical.

Social Sciences

We seek candidates who can incorporate AI into their research on human behaviour, social trends, and policy analysis and are knowledgeable about AI tools that can analyse large datasets, including predictive modelling, sentiment analysis, or social network analysis. Experience with AI applications in sociology, political science, communication, linguistics, or area studies is vital. The candidate should be equipped to examine AI’s impact on social structures, inequality, and ethics in their work and understand AI’s potential to shape societal norms and public policy. Familiarity with tools such as Python for data analysis and AI-driven surveys or data collection methods is advantageous.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE:

• Experience of successful development and implementation of humanities and social sciences curricula, and/or teaching quality enhancement programmes;

• Experience of working within quality assurance frameworks that are institutional, national and international;

• Experience working in a transnational educational context with Chinese and/or UK partner institutions;

CITIZENSHIP AND VISA REGULATIONS

Employment at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is regulated by Chinese Labour Laws, and must comply with the regulations of the provincial government. These regulations stipulate who is eligible for legal employment with regard to obtaining work permits and visas.  Please be advised candidates over 65 may be not eligible for a work visa in the P.R. China.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

SALARY: Competitive salary in the market

BENEFITS

• Allowance: XJTLU provide various month/annual/one-off allowances as:
  • Housing allowance
  • Travel allowance
  • Relocation allowance
  • Kids’ education allowance

• Commercial insurance: international insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (details refer to the University Policy)

• Paid holidays:
  • Statutory Holidays (11 days)
  • Annual Leave (36 days)
  • Family Matters Leave
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Marriage Leave
  • Paternity Leave
  • Parental leave

• Working visa and residence permit in China:
  • XJTLU sponsors working visa and residence permit in China for the staff.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application on our university website via the 'Apply' button above.

Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file that includes 3 parts in the order of:

• A cover letter
• A current CV, including country of citizenship, and highest degree level
• Contact Details for Three References

Informal enquiries about the position and the School may be addressed to the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, xiaoling.zhang@xjtlu.edu.cn

For specific enquiries relating to the position, please email Jia.Xu@xjtlu.edu.cn.