Department Head of Informatics and Intelligent Systems

Penn State University • Ferguson Township, PA

106d

About The Position

The College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for Department Head of Informatics and Intelligent Systems (I&IS) located in State College, Pennsylvania. The headship position is a tenured appointment as an Academic Administrator at the full rank of Professor beginning in July of 2026 at the University Park campus. The Department of Informatics and Intelligent Systems (I&IS) is home to two undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees: Artificial Intelligence Methods and Applications (AIMA) and Data Sciences (DS). The department is one of three departments in the College, with extensive interaction with faculty in the Department of Human-Centered Computing and Social Informatics (HCC&SI) and Department of Privacy and Cybersecurity Informatics (P&CI). The College’s graduate programs in Informatics span all three departments, fostering a strong culture of interdisciplinarity in teaching and research.

Requirements

• PhD in informatics, information science, computer science, statistics, cognitive science, or a related discipline.
• Attained the full rank of Professor before the appointment start date in IST at Penn State.
• Depth of experience in leadership of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research.
• Pursuit of external funding to support research activities.
• Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Supervision of graduate students.
• Mentoring other faculty.
• Engagement in service activities at college and university levels.
• Collaboration across university, industry, and/or governmental partners.

Responsibilities

• Establish and implement the vision for the department’s future directions in hiring, growth, and research advances.
• Create a collaborative and respectful community where trust and support grow through strong leadership.
• Lead faculty hiring.
• Plan faculty teaching assignments, with support from degree Program Coordinators (PCs) and Academic Operations staff.
• Encourage curriculum development processes by collaborating with PCs, graduate program directors, and faculty to propose/revise courses and majors.
• Provide support in covering classes during faculty absences or unexpected situations.
• Conduct faculty evaluations and write letters for all stages of promotion and tenure, annual reviews, sabbaticals, five-year reviews, and award nominations.
• Provide strategic leadership for the department and work closely with the dean, associate deans, and centralized college offices.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• 75% tuition discount for employees, eligible spouses, and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree