Department Chair and Associate or Full Professor of Computer Science

University Of Lynchburg•Lynchburg, VA

12h•Remote

About The Position

The University of Lynchburg invites applications for an innovative, future-focused leader to serve as Department Chair and Tenure-Track Associate or Full Professor of Computer Science beginning in the 2027-28 academic year. The university seeks a visionary educator-scholar who will lead the Computer Science program toward a human-centered, interdisciplinary model rooted in the liberal arts, moving away from language-centric coding. The ideal candidate is an academic intrapreneur who recognizes the competitive advantage of a midsize private university lies in agility, cross-pollination, and high-touch mentorship. The successful candidate will articulate a clear ROI to students and families by positioning the Computer Science degree as AI-proof, emphasizing high-level logic, ethical judgment, domain expertise, and system architecture. The Chair will lead comprehensive curriculum reform, foster strategic enrollment growth, cultivate external community and business partnerships, and ensure the career readiness of graduates. The ideal candidate has a forward-thinking vision for the future of Computer Science education and will thrive in a teaching-focused liberal arts environment, remaining current in their field with industry experience. Leadership experience in academia or industry is essential, particularly in leading change management initiatives and/or significant program creation or reform. The university seeks a collaborative builder with an innovative product manager mindset.

Requirements

A PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Systems Engineering, or a closely related computational field required by the start date.
Demonstrated record of teaching excellence and curriculum development.
2+ years of leadership experience in industry or higher education.
A clear vision for Computer Science education within a liberal arts framework, with demonstrated commitment to human-centered AI, system architecture, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
A passion for high-touch undergraduate mentorship, project-based learning, and building industry/community partnership.

Nice To Haves

3+ years of professional industry, consulting, or software architecture experience alongside academic credentials.
Demonstrated success leading academic change management, curriculum redesign, or launching new interdisciplinary academic programs.
A proven track record of securing external corporate, civic, or grant partnerships that yield student internships, client projects, or seed funding.
Demonstrated ability to communicate the strategic value and career ROI of a liberal arts-grounded technical degree to prospective students, parents, and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Serve as the strategic architect of the Computer Science program, transforming traditional curriculum into a versatile, future-focused pathway that integrates human-led AI literacy across disciplines.
Lead a comprehensive curricular update that shifts focus from syntax-focused programming to computational thinking, system architecture, machine learning operations, and cloud architecture.
Integrate AI ethics and human-centered design into foundational coursework.
Develop interdisciplinary degree pathways and minors in collaboration with disciplines across campus.
Re-envision assessment practices to include team-based product sprints and client-facing projects that solve real-world problems for local businesses and non-profits.
Help students bridge the entry-level hiring gap by creating opportunities for them to articulate their experience and skills.
Cultivate local and regional corporate, civic, and non-profit connections to secure project pipelines, internship opportunities, and job prospects.
Oversee departmental operations, budgets, course scheduling, program assessment, and faculty development.
Drive marketing, recruiting, and retention efforts in the department, at campus events, and online.
Maintain a reduced teaching load (commensurate with administrative duties as Chair) delivering core and advanced Computer Science courses.