The Department of Data Science at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) invites applications for the position of Department Chair. The successful candidate should demonstrate academic leadership skills necessary to create the conditions for faculty and student development and encourage interdisciplinary research across the university as well as with other national and international partners. The chair is expected to play an active role in capitalizing on the department’s strengths to elevate the department’s visibility and recognition.

The Department of Data Science is a new department launched in Fall 2021 with 9 faculty members and plans to grow significantly over the next five years. The department includes faculty at all levels including one Distinguished Professor. The faculty in the department have a strong track record of grant funding from NSF, NIH, DoD, DOE, and industry. The department faculty develop foundational data science methods and conduct research to solve real-world grand challenges that leverage data science in application areas such as Cybersecurity, FinTech, Health Informatics, Urban Sustainability, and Solar Terrestrial Research, and play a key role in the NJIT Institute for Data Science, with its centers for Big Data, Cybersecurity Research, Medical Informatics, and AI Research. The department has strong connections with local industry and works closely with many companies through student Capstone projects, internships, co-ops and joint R&D projects. Data Science participates aside of the Computer Science Department and the Informatics Department, in the Ying Wu College of Computing (YWCC).  The College comprises 34% of the NJIT enrollment, educating more than 4.000 students in computing disciplines, and graduating more than 1000 computing professionals every year. As such, NJIT is the largest generator of computing talent in the tri-state (NY, NJ, CT) area.

NJIT is a Carnegie R1 Research University, with $166M research expenditures in FY21. The department resides within the Ying Wu College of Computing, which is undergoing significant growth as a priority area for NJIT. This growth is an integral part of NJIT’s five-year strategic plan, which calls for consolidating NJIT as a world-class institution of higher education and research. Applied research, collaboration with industry, innovation and entrepreneurship are encouraged and supported. The College has recently expanded its graduate programs, including those in Data Science, to Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from the financial district of Lower Manhattan in New York City, where it serves the many working professionals in that region. NJIT is located in Newark’s University Heights, a vibrant downtown campus close to Rutgers-Newark, New Jersey Innovation Institute, Essex Community College, New Jersey Medical School, University Hospital, and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. NJIT is just a 30-minute train ride from New York City and its burgeoning Silicon Alley tech sector.

Candidates must have a PhD in computing or a related discipline with a demonstrated track record of scholarly accomplishments commensurate with the appointment at the rank of Full Professor, including a sustained record of publication in top venues, attracting funding, and mentoring students. The ideal candidate must demonstrate administrative leadership as well as the ability to recruit, mentor and retain diverse research-intensive faculty, maintain a collegial and ethical environment, and work with faculty and students of diverse backgrounds.  International candidates are especially welcome.

To apply for the position, please submit your application materials (CV, cover letter, research statement, teaching statement, diversity statement, and the contact information for at least five references) to https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/22917 . NJIT recognizes the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in academia and society at large.  Candidates are requested to also submit a Diversity Statement. 

Applications must be received by December 31, 2022 to receive full consideration. However, applications are welcome until the position is filled.

Diversity is a core value of NJIT and we are committed to make diversity, equity and inclusion, part of everything we do. We celebrate the diversity of our university community and recognize the cultural and personal differences. We strive to cultivate an inclusive campus culture that promotes excellence among our faculty, staff and students. Building a robust and diverse community is critical to NJIT’s continuing status as a premier institution of higher education and a leading polytechnic university.