Duke University, Social Science Research Institute

Position ID:

Duke-SSRI-CAPDIR [#28842]

Position Title:

Capstone Director

Position Type:

Non tenure-track faculty

Position Location:

Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States of America

Subject Area:

Interdisciplinary / Data Science

Appl Deadline:

(posted 2024/10/10, listed until 2025/04/10)

Position Description:

The Duke Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science (MIDS) program within the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) is looking to hire a Professor of the Practice or Research Professor (open rank) as a Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science (MIDS) Capstone Project Director. Depending on the candidate’s experience, this may be at the assistant or associate level, with a commensurate salary.

This faculty position is hosted by the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) in collaboration with the Rhodes Information Initiative at Duke (iiD). Faculty on the Practice and Research tracks at Duke are regular rank faculty members with term renewable appointments, where the expectation is for repeated reappointments for faculty who demonstrate excellence in education and scholarship. The position includes educational responsibilities, direct project mentorship, client and project recruitment, and facilitating legal agreements for the flagship capstone projects for the MIDS Program. Capstone projects are team-based, collaborative projects involving 3-4 Master’s students, a project mentor, and a client. The Master’s students will work in close collaboration with guidance from their mentor while helping fulfill the needs of their client; project mentors are typically faculty members in MIDS or the Department of Statistical Sciences and serve as a primary point of contact for organizing research, resources, and team dynamics; clients are typically external organizations, such as companies or non-profits with an identified need.

The Capstone Director will help coordinate and manage all of the Capstone projects and the related classroom components for master's and several doctoral graduate students. The term of this appointment is January 1st, 2025 (or later hire date) through June 30th, 2028, with an opportunity for renewal.

The overall expectation is of a two-semester capstone teaching load and program administration, with the balance of effort open to discussion based on the candidate, to include teaching in the MIDS program and/or research. The candidate will also be expected to join and contribute to weekly MIDS faculty meetings and annual retreats, as well as to serve on ad hoc committees as needed. Principal Responsibilities: The Capstone Director is expected to organize project-based graduate education with the MIDS program. This involves tasks related to Capstone program administration, course instruction, project recruitment, legal agreements, and mentorship: • MIDS Capstone administration includes composing project teams and assigning mentors, supporting project teams during the year, coordinating with the Statistics Master’s program, organizing a year-end public symposium for the students’ non-thesis master’s defense, and working with Duke counsel to facilitate legal agreements. • MIDS Capstone instruction includes teaching a class to facilitate the Capstone projects’ progress, which includes providing feedback in helping the students articulate scientific goals, breaking those goals into smaller tasks, and then interpreting those results. • MIDS Capstone project and client recruitment includes actively seeking external partners and program-appropriate projects via networking and advertising and connecting with partners across a wide range of organizations (e.g., industry, government, academic) and data science application areas (e.g., health, finance, climate, tech). • MIDS Capstone client legal agreements include working with partners and Duke counsel in negotiating legal agreements. • MIDS Capstone mentorship includes directly mentoring two or three project teams a year. The Capstone Director will recruit and assign mentors to other teams, as well.

Many of the above roles come with additional administrative support.

Background

Duke’s Masters in Interdisciplinary Data Science (MIDS) program connects technical learning and expertise with the many domains in need of data insights, inviting broad collaboration to connect data science with real-world problems. Duke’s interdisciplinary and collaborative research culture provides an ideal place for such a program. https://datascience.duke.edu/

The core mission of Duke University’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) is to catalyze pioneering social science research and methods and their broad application. To that end, SSRI brings together researchers interested in problems that cross the various social and behavioral sciences, including problems that connect with the humanities and natural sciences. https://ssri.duke.edu/

The Rhodes Information Initiative at Duke (iiD), launched in 2013, works with departments and schools to transform data science education at Duke, develop a large and vibrant data science community, and develop a broader base of high-visibility interdisciplinary research. https://bigdata.duke.edu/

Preferred Qualifications: • A Ph.D., Master’s degree, or substantial research experience with a record of publication • Experience working with data-driven problems • Experience coding, ideally in Python (or R, Julia, etc.) • Familiarity with data science methodologies • Teaching experience and organizing class logistics • Experience as a mentor • A history of science communication and data visualization

Benefits: Duke's overall benefit plan has long been recognized and valued because of its comprehensiveness and competitiveness in the market. In addition to a robust array of traditional benefits such as medical care, dental care, and retirement, Duke also offers a wide range of family-friendly and cultural benefits to attract, support, and reward the skilled employees who help Duke remain a premier education, research, and health care institution.

To Apply: Applicants must submit the following information [via AJO Link]: (1) Curriculum Vitae; (2) Statement of Research or Project Experience and Interests; (3) Statement of Mentorship and/or Teaching Experience; (4) Names and Contact Information for three references; (5) an optional cover letter. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding this position can be sent to Dr. Andrea Lane (andrea.lane@duke.edu).

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunities without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas- the best exchange when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all community members feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Application Materials Required:

Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:

Cover letter
Curriculum Vitae
Research statement
Teaching statement
Three Names of Reference

And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:

https://datascience.duke.edu/

919-660-5735

140 Science Drive
Gross Hall 2nd floor
Box 90989
Durham, NC 27708