Professor/Department Head

DEPARTMENT HEAD 

Department of Computer Science 

Kansas State University 

The Carl R. Ice College of Engineering at Kansas State University (K-State) invites nominations and applications for the position of Head of the Department of Computer Science. The college seeks an individual with the experience to provide leadership and administrative oversight for successful instructional, research and broad-based growth of programs in the department. The Department Head reports to the Dean of the College and is responsible for the administration of all programs and budgets of the department.

The department seeks an individual who has the vision for engaging the land grant mission in new and creative ways including the expansion of computer science education to new populations. The successful candidate will be a strong promoter of teaching, research, service and faculty development. Duties include working with faculty, staff, and students to deliver outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs, fostering research efforts of the highest quality, and maintaining productive relationships and development activities with alumni, external businesses and government agencies. The ideal candidate will lead and administer: 

1. Academic programs
   1. Oversee both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Coordinate with both the undergraduate and the graduate program directors related to all aspects of teaching support.
   2. Interact with alumni and industry to determine educational needs for the future.
   3. Oversee the accreditation and assessment processes. 
2. Research
   1. Promote departmental research inside and outside K-State.
   2. Identify strategic research focus areas and promote those areas.
   3. Facilitate research opportunities between faculty, departments, colleges, universities, funding agencies and industry.
   4. Facilitate and support competitive proposals for extramural funding, especially larger collaborative proposals that align with the strategic priorities.
3. Faculty and Staff
   1. Recruit and mentor new faculty and staff.
   2. Perform faculty evaluations, teaching assignments, committee assignments, and allocation of resources for startups and other initiatives. Monitor progress of faculty towards tenure and promotion and provide appropriate recommendations for P&T cases.
   3. Supervise and evaluate staff positions.
4. Fiscal Management
   1. Set department budget and spending priorities each fiscal year.
   2. Leverage faculty and staff salary funds with college opportunities to maintain or grow the number of departmental faculty, staff and students.

The successful candidate will have a strong record of scholarly and professional accomplishments, a distinguished reputation in the computer science community, and excellent interpersonal skills. A doctorate in computer science or a closely related field is required. 

The Department of Computer Science at K-State has a rich tradition of teaching and advising excellence, interdisciplinary research, and highly recognized outreach programs. The new head will administer teaching, research, scholarship, outreach, and service activities in a diverse and dynamic department consisting of 15 tenure-track faculty and eight teaching faculty, who lead research programs in artificial intelligence and data science, cybersecurity, high assurance software, cyber-physical systems, and CS education. Information about the department can be found at: http://www.cs.ksu.edu/.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Earned doctoral degree in computer science or a closely related field 
• A strong record of teaching, funded research, publications and service
• Proven leadership and administrative abilities  
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively nurture talent and a demonstrated commitment to the principles of equal opportunity 
• Academic credentials and professional qualifications that merit appointment as a tenured full professor in the department  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Demonstrated ability to raise substantial external funding  
• Proven fiscal and managerial skills  
• A record of increasing administrative responsibility with demonstrated leadership 
• Engagement in national/international professional organizations  
• Demonstrated strategic vision in leading organizations and projects 
• A record of positive interaction with business, alumni and other relevant constituents  
• Ability to lead and facilitate a positive environment for continuing growth of the department and its endowment  

APPLICATION PACKAGE: 

• Letter of application outlining the applicant’s qualifications for the position 
• Current curriculum vitae  
• Statement of vision and goals for leadership of the department  
• Contact information of at least three professional references, at least one of which should be a professional reference from outside the candidate’s current organization 

SCREENING OF APPLICATIONS:

Screening will begin January 6, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. Preferred start date is summer 2025.

Inquiries and applications will be confidential. The names and CVs of finalists will be publicly available. Inquiries and questions may be sent to Dr. Brad Kramer, CS Department Head Search Committee Chair, bradleyk@ksu.edu.

ANTICIPATED HIRING PAY RANGE:

Salary commensurate with experience and consistent with the position sought.