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Founded in 1854, UCD is a research-intensive global university with purpose, drive and ambition. Since its foundation, the University has made a unique contribution to the creation of modern Ireland, engaging with Irish society on every level and across every sphere of activity. UCD is also Ireland’s most globally engaged university, with over 39,000 students drawn from 152 countries, including over 5,000 students based at locations outside Ireland.
Through our education, research, innovation and engagement, we seek to make a real difference to the world and to the lives of our students. Our three strategic pillars – Transforming Learning, Advancing Research and Innovation, Engaging for Impact – shape our research, our teaching and learning and the way we behave and function as a community and as an institution.
Our 133 hectare parkland campus contains outstanding facilities in support of teaching and learning, research and innovation, the student experience and biodiversity.
New Developments on our campus include the O’Connor Centre for Learning, an exciting new hub for learning on our campus, designed with active learning at its core. In our University’s first home in the centre of Dublin we have partnered with the National Library of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to create the Museum of Literature Ireland, celebrating Ireland’s rich literary heritage and in particular, our world-renowned graduate James Joyce.
UCD is committed to creating an environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone is treated fairly regardless of gender, age, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, civil status, family status, or membership of the travelling community. UCD holds an Athena SWAN institutional Silver Award, and 26 UCD Schools have received Athena SWAN awards for implementing Gender Equality Action Plans.
To learn more about the UCD Strategy, click here.
of Higher Education Institutions World-Wide
International Students on the Main Campus
Square Meters of Science, Engineering and Innovation Related Facilities
With the largest concentration of researchers in AI and data science and the most powerful infrastructure for AI, UCD is Ireland’s leading university in artificial intelligence.
A key strength for UCD is that the research, innovation and education in artificial intelligence is being undertaken in all six of UCD’s Colleges. This spans the UCD College of Arts and Humanities, the UCD College of Business, the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture, the UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, the UCD College of Science, and the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law.
This breadth of expertise has been further strengthened in the last year with the recruitment of 26 new academics. These new hires under the prestigious Ad Astra programme included specialist experts in applied AI in diverse domains, including AI-driven educational innovation and human-AI collaboration, as well as the best emerging AI researchers in new and existing fundamental disciplines, such as foundational technologies, LLMs and machine learning.
The scale and breadth of AI research, innovation and education has now grown to the extent that UCD has committed to the creation of a UCD AI Institute. The institute will connect, coordinate, and support all of these programmes, and enable smaller teams and individual researchers to collaborate more easily. Furthermore it will simplify the process for public sector and private sector organisations to partner with UCD in AI, as it will provide a single hub to reach the appropriate experts and teams.
This role requires an internationally recognised academic leader, who has led cross-disciplinary initiatives at scale. They will have a distinguished research and teaching profile in Artificial Intelligence, from any disciplinary perspective. The successful candidate will establish the new UCD AI Institute, and provide transformative, cross-disciplinary leadership through the cultivation of a dynamic research culture, innovative curriculum development, and the pursuit of prestigious national and international funding opportunities.
They will oversee high-quality, impactful research collaborations that advance the field and address major societal challenges and opportunities associated with AI. As Academic Director of the UCD AI Institute, the appointee will establish the Institute and guide the evolution of its programmes of activity, fostering strong external partnerships and pioneering international collaborations.
The role also carries a significant contribution to the broader strategic development of artificial intelligence at UCD, encompassing education, training, research, governance, and operational leadership.
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Mandatory:
Desirable:
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| Salary: 95 Full Professor (7937) €145,741 – €184,251 per annum
Appointment will be made on scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.
Details on eligibility to compete and pension information is available at |
Line Manager: Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact
Post Duration: This role is a permanent academic position linked to a UCD School to be confirmed based on the discipline of the successful candidate. The AI Institute is a strategic initiative of the UCD Strategy to 2030, and is therefore subject to review as the university enters into a new strategy term from 2030 to 2035. Our expectation is that this will be a longstanding structure of the University, as has been the case with our other institutes. This professorial appointment is a permanent academic role which will continue beyond the outcome of any Institute review process.
Reaching the 5 year term in 2030, a second 5 year term may be sought with the agreement of the VP for Research Innovation and Impact, or alternatively the role holder could step down as Director and become a normal part of the academic faculty of the School with the agreement of the relevant Head of School.
UCD is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone is afforded equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from everyone, including those who identify with any of the protected characteristics that are set out in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy. Learn more about Diversity at https://www.ucd.ie/workatucd/diversity/
Reasonable accommodations will be provided to any applicant during the interview process who discloses they have a disability or are neurodiverse.
The University will be supported in this appointment process by the executive search firm Perrett Laver. For enquiries or a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Lucy Roper at [email protected].
Completed applications should be uploaded to https://plusportal.perrettlaver.com/ quoting reference 8300.
The closing date for applications is 09:00 Irish Local Time, Friday, 27th March 2026.
The process will include an initial screening stage led by Perrett Laver. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for formal interviews with the Selection Committee in May.
The appointment will be made subject to satisfactory references and the formal interview process may include additional assessments such as psychometric assessments.
As defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interest’. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website www.perrettlaver.com/information/privacy .
Michelle is a Managing Partner.
Michelle works in Perrett Laver’s Dublin office. She is a Partner, former Head of the Project Management team and has worked across a number of Perrett Laver’s global Offices including London, Chicago and Hong Kong. She works with organisations across our Global Higher Education, Sport, Social Impact and Health sectors.
Jack is Partner & Sector Lead, AI, Data & Technology.
His experience of senior level executive search includes multiple Chair and Professorial appointments globally across all academic disciplines, as well as leadership appointments in higher education and industry research and development.
Jack is expert in the use of metrics and analytics for the identification and assessment of world leading academics.
Jack holds a BSc in Physiology from the University of Liverpool, an MSc from the University of Leeds in Ion Channels in Disease and a PhD from Kings College London in Cell Signalling. His research focused on the role of ion channels in hormone release.
