26040100 - HH-SPM ADMIN/INSTRUCTION

University of Florida, United States

Updated: 26 days ago
Location: Gainesville, FLORIDA
Deadline: Open until filled;

Classification Title:

AST/ASO/FULL PROF 
Job Description:  
The successful candidate will take on a leadership role for the Gator AccelerAItor project.
 
The Department of Sport Management, the Warrington College of Business, and the University Athletic
Association partnered on the Gator AccelerAItor project. This collaboration, which was funded by
President Sasse’s Strategic Initiative, aims to improve recruitment, player evaluation, scouting, and
game strategy through artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The project will also develop a master’s degree
program in AI and Sport Analytics and provide students with a real‐world laboratory for working directly with teams and athletes.
 
The ideal candidate will have experience with AI and sport analytics; experience organizing and leading
sports analytics teams to solve sports problems using statistics, machine learning, data science, and
artificial intelligence methods; and experience running a Center, Center of Excellence, Institute, Lab, or
Program at a major research university or the equivalent organization in a commercial firm. The
candidate should have experience interacting with professionals working in sport organizations, such as
coaches and sport managers. The candidate should have a demonstrated ability to identify and develop
sources of data to support projects. They should be passionate and enthusiastic toward student learning
and demonstrate a commitment to teaching excellence, as well as a track record of developing
partnerships with industry professionals or colleagues in other departments. Finally, the ideal candidate will have big data analytic skills, including Python and/or R programming languages.
 
The Department of Sport Management is committed to excellence and impact through (a) innovative,
socially impactful research; (b) the preparation and training of future industry and academic
professionals; (c) engaging with the community, and (d) being stewards of the future. The department
includes 6 instructional and 7 tenured or tenure‐track faculty, who are supported by award winning
advisory and administrative staff. Across residential and online programs, SPM reaches more than 900
students (596 undergraduate majors, 316 master’s students, and 16 PhD students). The Sport
Management online program was one of the first in the country and is a thriving part of the department.
Our website (https://hhp.ufl.edu/about/departments/spm/) expands upon our research and teaching
activities.
 
The University of Florida ranks #1 among Public Universities in the United States1 and is Florida’s oldest
and largest land grant university. UF is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities,
an organization comprising the top public and private institutions in North America. With an enrollment
of over 53,000 students annually, UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 200 research, service and
education centers, bureaus, and institutes. There is a vibrant culture of research, with over $1 billion in
research expenditures last fiscal year. The UF campus is in Gainesville, a city of approximately 141,000
residents in North‐Central Florida, 85 miles from the Georgia border, 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico,
and 67 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. USA Today recently ranked Gainesville as the best city in Florida.
It has abundant wildlife, mature forests, prairies, lakes, and opportunities for many outdoor activities, with moderate temperatures almost all year round.
 
The University of Florida is an AI University. It is home to HiPerGator – the top university‐owned and
operated supercomputer in the nation. Over 300 AI‐focused faculty across the university conduct
research and teach in the area, and over 800 UF research projects utilize HiPerGator to solve complex
problems. AI is embedded throughout the curriculum, with over 230 AI‐related courses across the 16
colleges, and more than 7000 students enrolled each semester. Finally, President Sasse allocated $18.8 million in 2023‐2024 to promote AI‐enhanced interdisciplinary.
Expected Salary:

 Commensurate with qualifications and experience
Minimum Requirements:

Candidates who qualify for a tenured or tenure‐track position will possess a PhD in Sport Management, AI, Analytics, Statistics, or related fields; have an established record of research focusing on AI and Sport Analytics; and have demonstrated the ability to publish in premier journals and seek funding needed to support a research program.

Candidates who qualify for the non‐tenured Clinical Professor position will have at least a master’s degree in Sport Management, AI, Analytics, Statistics, or related fields. They will have at least 10 years of industry experience in analytics, leading teams in an end‐to‐end analytics project methodology. Finally, the candidate should have experience in teaching or training people in AI and data analytics.
Preferred Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have experience with AI and sport analytics; experience organizing and leading
sports analytics teams to solve sports problems using statistics, machine learning, data science, and
artificial intelligence methods; and experience running a Center, Center of Excellence, Institute, Lab, or
Program at a major research university or the equivalent organization in a commercial firm. The
candidate should have experience interacting with professionals working in sport organizations, such as
coaches and sport managers. The candidate should have a demonstrated ability to identify and develop
sources of data to support projects. They should be passionate and enthusiastic toward student learning
and demonstrate a commitment to teaching excellence, as well as a track record of developing
partnerships with industry professionals or colleagues in other departments. Finally, the ideal candidate
should have big data analytic skills, including Python and/or R programming languages.

 
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Interested applicants must apply online at https://jobs.ufl.edu (reference job #530622) and include
(a) an application letter summarizing qualifications; (b) a statement demonstrating the qualifications for
the tenured‐tenure‐track or clinical professor position; (c) a curriculum vitae or resume; and (d) names,
addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of three references.
 
The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately, and the position will remain open
until filled. Send inquiries and nominations to Dr. Dan Connaughton, Search Committee Chair,
[email protected], or George Cunningham, SPM Department Chair, [email protected]. This is a 9‐
month, full‐time position that will also include a summer administrative appointment. The candidate will be hired for the 2024‐2025 academic year, and the specific start date is negotiable.
 
The University of Florida is an equal employment institution and is committed to nondiscrimination
with respect to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender
identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic
information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or
other non‐merit‐based factors. These protections extend to all management practices
and decisions, including recruitment and hiring, appraisal systems, promotions, training,
and career development programs.
 
Selected candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring
department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of
“Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of
the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service
provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluations Services (NACES)
which can be found at http://www.ncas.org .
 
If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352‐392‐2477 or the Florida Relay System at 8000‐955‐8771 (TDD).
Health Assessment Required: No

 


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