Higher Ed Diverse Jobs | Department Chair – Computer Science at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, Florida, United States

Department Chair – Computer Science

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Florida Polytechnic University

Location: Lakeland, Florida
Category: Computer Science
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Job Description

The Department of Computer Science at Florida Polytechnic University invites applications for Department Chair with a faculty appointment at either the Associate Professor or Professor level. This individual must have broad teaching capacity that supports the undergraduate degrees in the department and must have a demonstrated research track record aligned with the overall departmental mission. The appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor level will begin on August 15, 2024 or earlier if appropriate. Department Chair appointments are for a term of three years, are renewable, and department chairs also hold traditional academic faculty appointments.

The Computer Science department is home to the largest undergraduate program in the University with the responsibility to deliver an ABET accredited degree in Computer Science. Successful applicants must have demonstrated experience teaching multiple courses in Computer Science and be capable of teaching a range of classes in the curriculum at all levels. The successful candidate must demonstrate the capacity to lead faculty with a focus on excellence in teaching, lead the faculty in the continued development of excellence in the graduate program, and finally, help the computer science faculty grow research profiles for themselves that are appropriate and sustainable within the institution.

This position is part of a strategic expansion of the department that will add approximately five faculty to the current twenty faculty members that comprise the department faculty. The department also delivers a Masters of Science degree in Computer Science and the expansion of the faculty will be critical to growing the size and quality of this graduate program. The department chair will have responsibility for a department that is dominated by junior faculty; hence much of the role requires significant mentorship and guidance to produce excellence in teaching and research across the department.

Ideally, applicants will provide evidence of prior success in teaching (both undergraduate and graduate) and research with an established record of coursework delivery, development, and leadership, as well as evidence of a viable research program appropriate to the faculty member’s current institution.

JOB DESCRIPTION

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION:

Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field
Current or prior appointment as Associate Professor at a US academic institution
Ten years of experience as a faculty member.

DESIRED / PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Strongly Preferred: appointment as Professor at a US academic Institution.
Direct experience as a department chair or associate chair of a department.
Demonstrated experience cooperating with multiple academic departments within an academic institution.
Demonstrated involvement in department level or institution level policy creation, management, or curriculum development.
Direct experience with accreditation activity including both ABET and regional accreditation.
Curriculum development and significant teaching experience at all collegiate levels.
Funded research experience as a Principal Investigator.
Demonstrated ability to identify project opportunities and independently develop proposals that are subsequently funded.
Experience with students’ academic mentoring and as a thesis advisor.
Experience in program assessment and execution of a continuous improvement plan.
Active participation in professional activities and organizations.

ABOUT FLORIDA POLY:

Florida Polytechnic University opened for classes in 2014-15 and is the twelfth university in the Florida State University System. The University was created as an exclusively STEM-focused public university that offers high-value undergraduate and graduate degrees and that has intentional industry connections with a focus on economic development of the high-tech I-4 corridor. Dedicated to preparing students for the competitive STEM workforce, Florida Polytechnic University blends traditional subject matter mastery with problem solving and laboratory experiences to provide students with learning opportunities applicable to both the workplace and a career of lifelong learning. The University delivers its courses in small class sizes, emphasizes a positive student to faculty experience, and is dedicated to both its teaching and research mission.

Florida Polytechnic University began its 10th year with students on campus in August and in its first decade has gone from being nothing but a cow pasture at the time of our founding in 2012 to a thriving campus ranked by U.S. News and World Report as among the top 20 public engineering programs in the country that don’t offer a doctorate as well as the number 1 public college in the southeast US. As a regionally and ABET-accredited university, we will continue to grow in student body size, number of buildings, and very importantly, faculty.

Faculty are employed at Florida Poly via renewable, term defined appointments, codified in a collective bargaining agreement, that substantially mirrors tenure systems with reappointment and progression in rank upon completion of a significant review of accomplishments.

Lakeland, home to Florida Polytechnic University’s ultra-modern campus, is located along the I-4 High Tech Corridor halfway between Tampa and Orlando. Our central Florida community combines small town comfort with big-city culture. Florida’s High-Tech Corridor is home to 11,000 high-tech businesses, and Polk County alone has more than 600,000 residents, four universities and one state college. Lakeland is just a 45-minute drive from Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, professional sports teams, and thriving performing art centers. With no income tax in Florida, and home values increasing by approximately 10% over the past year, Lakeland and Central Florida continue to rise among the best places to live and work.

EXPECTED STARTING SALARY: Commensurate with experience and qualifications

APPLICATION DEADLINE DATE:

Positions are open until filled (or recruitment canceled). Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled.

APPLICATION PROCESS: All Applicants are required to submit the following in PDF format (preferred)

Cover letter that directly addresses the individual’s experience that makes them qualified to be a department chair.
Curriculum Vitae
Statement of Research Interests
Statement of Teaching Philosophy which includes the individual’s capacity to teach Computer Science core and elective courses listed as part of the curriculum.
List of at least 3 professional references (names and contact information)
Unofficial copy of the Ph.D./M.Sc. transcript

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

Florida Polytechnic University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the University) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or genetic information. Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. An appointment is not final until proof is provided.

FLORIDA POLY BENEFITS INFORMATION

Florida Poly qualified employees have the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of

health benefits

(through the State of Florida) to help meet their specific needs, as well as the needs of their family. This comprehensive coverage includes flexible spending accounts, medical and life insurance, and worker's compensation.

Health benefits are administered through

People First

, on behalf of the State of Florida, as pre-tax insurance plans. People First handles all new hire enrollments, coverage changes, premium administration, and dependent eligibility. Their Service Center is staffed Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, at 1-866-663-4735.

RETIREMENT

Florida Poly offers great options for retirement. From the required selection of a state plan to additional voluntary retirement plans, our employees have many opportunities to save and prepare for their future.

Click here

for more information.

FLORIDA POLY BENEFITS

Perks and Discounts
Annual Leave
- To help promote work-life balance, Florida Poly provides a generous leave program, which includes paid time off and paid holidays. Qualified employees may accrue 22 days of annual leave. In addition, the University observes the holidays listed in our
  University Holidays policy FPU-1.008
  .
Sick Leave
- Qualified employees may also accrue 12 days of annual sick leave and participate in our
  Sick Pool Program
  .
Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

EXPLORE LAKELAND FLORIDA

Conveniently located along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland is home to Florida Polytechnic University and many other businesses and attractions. Click

here

to explore Lakeland, Florida.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ATTACHMENTS:

Required attachments are listed on each posting. Please be sure to attach all required documents in the Resume/CV field before continuing through the application. Once your application has been submitted, no changes may be made and additional attachments will not be considered.

An unofficial copy of the degree/transcript is acceptable during the application process. For positions requiring a degree, the official transcripts are required upon hire.

Foreign Transcript: Transcripts issued outside of the United States require a equivalency statement from a certified transcript evaluation service verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. This report must be attached with the application and submitted by the application deadline.

All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements.

This position requires a background check, which may include a level II screening as required by the Florida Statute §435.04.

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