Department Chair-Computer Science

8288BR

Golisano College of Computing & Info Sciences

GCCIS - Computer Science

Detailed Job Description

Rochester Institute of Technology is seeking a strategic and visionary leader to serve as the Department Chair (to begin July 2024) of the Department of Computer Science, an academic unit within the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences at RIT. Home to over 1,400 students, 43 faculty, and 9 staff, the Department of Computer Science is the largest department at RIT and attracts excellent students to its BS, MS, and PhD programs.  The scale and reputation of the Department of Computer Science make the Department Chair a key strategic leadership role across the entire university and the computing profession. 

This is an opportunity for an academic leader interested in shaping the future of computing education, in growing research in key areas of strength at RIT, and in partnering with other departments and programs across the university to prepare students for a future in which computing is fundamental to modern life.  The Department Chair will create an enduring legacy through their role in recruiting, hiring, and mentoring new faculty – as well as through the scale of the department’s impact on the computing discipline, with hundreds of graduates from the department’s programs annually. 

The department maintains a focus on high-quality undergraduate and graduate education, combined with a strong and growing research portfolio. The BS program is ranked 54th nationally and the MS program 77th by U.S. News and World Report, and department faculty participate in the college-wide PhD Program in Computing and Information Sciences, which has been ranked 57th in the U.S. by CSRankings.  The department’s research portfolio extends across a range of computing subfields, including strengths in AI, high-performance computing, algorithms, data science, and computing education. The department is committed to broadening participation in computing and fostering a climate of student success through diversity, equity and inclusion.

The successful candidate will display a strong commitment to continuing the outstanding success of the degree programs through support of continued curricular development and interaction with industry and academia.  The Department Chair plays a key role in cultivating relationships with industry, e.g., through the department’s industrial advisory board, and with over 600 students from the department engaged in co-op experiences at companies each year. 

The Department Chair should have both a strong strategic vision and the administrative skills to coordinate a large academic department.  The department leadership team includes an Associate Chair and dedicated undergraduate and graduate Program Coordinators, as well as administrative and academic advising staff members commensurate with the size of the department.  The Department Chair should have a demonstrated record of research excellence and publication in computer science, as well as an appreciation of the diverse research areas within the field, to provide faculty mentorship and leadership to the department’s growing research portfolio, as well as support collaborative work with other fields.

We are seeking an individual who has the ability and interest in contributing to a community committed to student centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; respect, diversity and pluralism; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork and collaboration. Select to view RIT’s core values , honor code , and diversity commitment .

The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience and rank and is based on a ten-month salary and administrative stipend.  Administrators are encouraged to supplement their work with additional summer assignments from externally funded grants, contracts, or special projects.

Department/College Description

The College: The Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences prepares students to improve lives and change the world through computing; GCCIS is home to the departments of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, School of Information, and the School of Interactive Games and Media. The college's PhD program in Computer and Information Sciences is ranked 57th by CSRankings.org. The college has over 130 full‐time faculty and more than 4,200 undergraduate and 960 graduate students. RIT is an interdisciplinary research hub, with research groups and communities encompassing a range of domain areas, including the Global Cybersecurity Institute (https://rit.edu/cybersecurity), RIT’s Personalized Healthcare Technology initiative (https://pht.rit.edu), the Center for Human‐Aware Artificial Intelligence (https://rit.edu/chai), the Center for Accessibility and Inclusion Research (https://cair.rit.edu), the Center for Advancing STEM Teaching, Learning and Evaluation (https://rit.edu/castle/), the Media Arts Games Interaction Creativity (MAGIC) Center (https://magic.rit.edu), the Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (https://ccrg.rit.edu/), the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (https://rit.edu/sustainabilityinstitute/ ).

THE DEPARTMENT: Computer Science (https://cs.rit.edu) is the largest department at RIT. Our student-centered programs are home to over 1,400 students pursuing BS, MS, BS/MS, and PhD degrees. Student employment rates upon graduation are over 98%, often with leading technology companies. The average class size is 33 students. Our innovative problem-based introductory programming sequence has been continuously updated, in part through research projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Our faculty publish in top-tier venues and contribute to leading conferences and journals.  Funded research is carried out in the areas of artificial intelligence, computing education, data science, distributed systems, graphics and visualization, pervasive computing, programming languages, security, and theory (https://rit.edu/computing/department-computer-science#research).  Students at all levels participate in research projects, including through NSF-sponsored undergraduate research programs. Our PhD students have made meaningful contributions to their respective areas and have gone on to secure excellent positions in industry and academia.

THE UNIVERSITY: Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology is a diverse and collaborative community of engaged, socially conscious, and intellectually curious minds. Through creativity and innovation, and an intentional blending of technology, the arts and design, we provide exceptional individuals with a wide range of academic opportunities, including a leading research program and an internationally recognized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Beyond our main campus in Rochester, New York, RIT has international campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo. And with more than 19,000 students and more than 125,000 graduates from all 50 states and over 100 nations, RIT is driving progress in industries and communities around the world. Find out more at www.rit.edu .

Required Minimum Qualifications

• A PhD or equivalent in a related discipline.
• Experience commensurate with that of a tenured associate or full professor with an exemplary record of achievement in research, teaching, and service in academia or an equivalent experience in industry setting.
• Demonstrated research excellence in computer science or related areas with a track record of external funding, and a strong interest in mentoring faculty and promoting impactful research.
• Strong commitment both to undergraduate and graduate education with a spirit of student centeredness, and a dedication to leading a faculty focused on high-quality instruction and student success.
• Demonstrated experience or ability to provide leadership for an academic unit, including strategic thinking, vision, communication, and administrative skills.
• Ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the College’s continuing commitment to cultural diversity, pluralism, and individual differences.

Required Minimum Education Level

PhD

Faculty Type (Tenure Status)

Tenured

Faculty Discipline

Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Machine Learning

Faculty Rank

Associate Professor, Professor

Employment Category

Fulltime

Anticipated Start Date

01-Jul-2024

Required Application Documents

Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume, List of References

How To Apply

Apply online at http://careers.rit.edu/faculty ; search openings, then Keyword Search 8288BR. Please submit your application, curriculum vitae, cover letter addressing the listed qualifications and upload the following attachments:

• A cover letter addressing the required qualifications for this position and the specific duties and responsibilities of this role.
• A curriculum vitae, which should include a listing of publications.
• The names and contact information of three references.

You can contact the search committee co-chairs with questions about the position at:

The dean will interview the finalists for the position.
Review of applications will begin December 1, 2023, and will continue until the position has been filled.

Additional Details

The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the work place. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to [email protected] . Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.