Assistant Professor of Data Science - University of Oregon

Department: Department of Data Science
Rank: Assistant Professor
Annual Basis: 9 Month

Application Deadline

December 1, 2023; position open until filled.

Required Application Materials

Please apply online at: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/25568, uploading the following materials:
1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position,
2) a CV,
3) a research statement outlining experience, interests, and future goals in the context of our interdisciplinary department,
4) a statement of contributions to JDEI outlining how, through research, teaching, extension, mentoring and/or service the candidate has and will advance JDEI,
5) a teaching statement outlining experience, interests, philosophy of teaching, and/or goals for education in or outside of classrooms,
6) names and contact information for at least three references  (the letters from these references are not required unless requested, at a later stage of the process).

Applications will be reviewed starting October 29th, 2023, and applications must be complete by December 1st, 2023 to ensure consideration, but will be accepted until the post has been filled.

If you are unable to use this online resource, please contact datascience@uoregon.edu to arrange alternate means of submitting application materials.

Position Announcement

We enthusiastically invite multiple interdisciplinary researchers to join our newly established Department of Data Science as tenure-track faculty colleagues. We invite applications from researchers working in Data Science, broadly defined, including those working in other domains who contribute to data analysis methodology for that domain (e.g., methods and/or applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistical inference, computational/applied mathematics, data visualization, etc) as well as those whose research focuses directly on the methodology itself (e.g., computer science or statistics). We are building the Data Science department to center justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JDEI), in our department's research, teaching, and organization. Strong faculty candidates will therefore have demonstrated impactful contributions to JDEI. We encourage applications from candidates with a history of collaboration with domain experts.

Strong candidates will have excellent research scholarship; as befits an inclusive, interdisciplinary department, we are open to various metrics of research success beyond grants, citations, and publications (including policy impact, community engagement in research, collaborative projects, et cetera). Strong candidates will have demonstrated excellence in and commitment to teaching, translation of knowledge, or advising/mentoring of students (including out-of-classroom education). We are excited to grow a mutually supportive culture of impactful teaching and research in our new department. We seek candidates who are enthusiastic to help develop our department culture of inclusive excellence, and have demonstrated this through past service. We welcome candidates who understand the barriers facing members of groups who have been historically excluded from data science and higher education (as evidenced by life experiences and educational background), and who have experience in JDEI with respect to teaching, mentoring, research, outreach, life experiences, or service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

More information about the Data Science department can be found at https://scds.uoregon.edu/ds. Particular strengths of collaborative research at UO include environmental science, ecology, evolution, linguistics, cell and developmental biology, sport and wellness, earth science, and spatial information sciences.

Department or Program Summary

Data Science is a new department that has grown out of a long-standing initiative to increase scholarship and education in quantitative methodology at the University of Oregon. We envision the Data Science Department to be a hub of ethical methodological data science research, with strong connections to domain areas of application, overall facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration across the university. Current faculty and affiliates reflect strengths in computer science, mathematical biology, biomedical data science, geospatial data science, and applied mathematics. The University of Oregon is a public university committed to exceptional teaching, discovery, and service, with a mission to foster the next generation of transformational leaders and informed participants in the global community. The initial educational focus of the department is the Data Science undergraduate program, offered for the first time in Fall 2020 and very rapidly growing (projected to have >700 undergraduate majors in 2027). The program aims to help students learn the technical data science skills to do socially/environmentally-connected interdisciplinary work with real-world impact. A data science masters program is in development, so the hired faculty will be positioned to teach in and shape that program. Faculty in the department of Data Science can additionally work with PhD students and integrate in specialized research communities through affiliations with world-class research Institutes on campus (e.g., the Institute of Neuroscience; the Institute of Ecology and Evolution; Center for the Study of Women in Society).

Early career faculty in Data Science will be supported through the transition to tenure, including reduced service expectations, access to training in teaching through the Teaching Engagement Program, and faculty mentors to support building a research program. The Data Science department invests in the success of each new member and seeks to support faculty in successful and impactful careers while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Minimum Requirements

• PhD at time of appointment in discipline related to data science (including, but not limited to, statistics, computer science, applied mathematics, or a domain field with strong involvement in data science methodology applied in that field).

Preferred Qualifications

• Promise of developing a strong research program in their area.
• Demonstrated success in collaboratively building organized spaces of inclusive excellence.
• Exemplary evidence of a commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion through research, teaching, and service.
• Demonstrated excellence in and commitment to teaching, translation of knowledge, or advising/mentoring of students (including out-of-classroom education).

About the University

The University of Oregon is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. The Department of Data Science aims to be a feminist and anti-racist organization centering JDEI and research excellence, for instance as reflected in our faculty review criteria. All faculty are expected to deeply understand the barriers faced by members of groups which have been historically excluded from data science and/or academia. We strongly encourage applications from scholars from historically excluded or targeted groups, including historically excluded racial or ethnic groups; women, transgender, and non-binary scholars; scholars with disabilities; and LGBTQIA+ scholars.

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities and holds the distinction of a “very high research activity” ranking in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO enrolls more than 20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states and nearly 100 countries. The UO’s 295-acre campus features state-of-the-art facilities in an arboretum-like setting within the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya people in the Willamette River valley. The UO is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of over 175,000 within easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.

In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://clery.uoregon.edu/annual-campus-security-and-fire-safety-report.