Position Description

The School of Engineering and Computing at Rice University in Houston, TX, invites applications for a tenured professor position to serve as department chair, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025. Priority will be given to candidates who have a demonstrated capability or potential to (i) provide outstanding visionary leadership, (ii) lead a highly impactful research program, (iii) enrich and engage in a collaborative departmental environment, (iv) promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The candidate must have an internationally recognized track record of research, a strong history of extramural funding, and a strong record or demonstrated potential of exemplary leadership and management skills. The outstanding candidate will possess strong teaching and mentoring abilities, communication skills, personnel and fiscal management skills.

The successful candidate will be expected to continue an excellent research program, teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses, and provide service to the Department, the School of Engineering and Computing, the University, and the broader profession.

The Department of Statistics is in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing is housed in Maxfield Hall. It has twenty faculty, including nine tenure/tenure-track and eleven non-tenure-track. There are also several joint faculty and adjunct faculty representing other Rice departments, as well as faculty from institutional members of the Texas Medical Center, such as M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine. We have approximately 100 undergraduate students, 80 graduate students, and five staff members. The Department offers a variety of degree programs, including a Minor in Statistics, Minor in Data Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Statistics, Master of Arts, and Ph.D. Additionally, coordinated degrees with other departments are available, such as a Minor in Financial Computation and Modeling, a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Analytics, and a Master of Computational Science and Engineering. The Department is home to the Center for Computational Finance and Economic Systems; the Data to Knowledge Lab (D2K), a center for innovative data science education; and the Inter-institutional Biostatistics Doctoral Program with M.D. Anderson.

The Department of Statistics has expertise in Bayesian statistics, machine learning, optimization, multivariate analysis, dependent data (including time series, spatial data, and functional data), data science, applied probability and stochastic processes, topological and geometrical data analysis, and modeling. Faculty members also have significant expertise across various application areas. One area is the biomedical domain as we are located across the street from the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. This includes biostatistics, bioinformatics, systems biology, molecular evolution, mathematical oncology, human health sciences, neuroscience, and environmental health. Other major application areas are community analytics, environmental science, materials, finance, economics, astronomy, agronomy, physics and social sciences. More information about the Department of Statistics is available at https://statistics.rice.edu/.

About Rice University 

Rice University is a private, comprehensive research institution located in Houston’s vibrant Museum District, adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Offering undergraduate and graduate programs across eight schools, Rice serves approximately 4,000 undergraduates and 3,000 graduate students. The university consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and is celebrated for undergraduate teaching, ranking in the top 10 (U.S. News & World Report). Its endowment is among the top 20 of U.S. universities.

In the most ethnically diverse city in the United States, Rice is committed to fostering a nurturing, inclusive environment that celebrates cultural diversity. The university actively seeks greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others historically underrepresented in science and engineering. Additionally, Rice aims to attract international students from a wide range of countries and backgrounds and to build a faculty and staff community that is diverse in background and thought. This commitment supports an inclusive environment that promotes interaction and understanding across our diverse community.

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the nation’s top 20 engineering programs and is dedicated to supporting the aspirations of faculty, staff, and students in an inclusive, supportive environment.

Qualifications

All candidates must have a Ph.D. degree in statistics or a related field and professional experience consistent with the rank of the position.

Application Instructions

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled or closed with full consideration and review of applications beginning December 10, 2024.

To apply, please submit the following materials: (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) research statement (up to 4 pages), (4) statement of teaching philosophy (up to 2 pages), and (5) statement of past and planned contributions to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (up to 2 pages), and (6) statement of leadership pertaining to the job posting.

In addition, candidates will be asked to provide the names and contact information for 3-5 references. These names will only be contacted with your permission. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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