Tenured Professor and Chair of Systems and Information Engineering

University of Virginia•Charlottesville, VA

20h

About The Position

The Department of Systems and Information Engineering (SIE) within the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the University of Virginia invites applications for the position of department chair. For 50 years, our department has been dedicated to academic excellence, training generations of leaders in engineering and business. We now seek a visionary leader and world-class scholar with a strong presence in the systems / industrial engineering community, someone who can foster a collaborative, innovative, and supportive environment, and who will lead the department to the next level. About Us The Department of Systems and Information Engineering is advancing the boundaries of knowledge in three core areas: Human-Technology Interaction, Operations Research/Analytics, and Information & Intelligent Automation. Newly developed approaches have produced advances in domains as varied as aviation safety, juvenile diabetes, manufacturing, precision medicine and surgery. Through all our work, we seek to benefit society by fostering safety, efficiency and sound decision-making. The department is the proud academic home to 22 faculty members, staff, and a vibrant community of ~150 graduate students and ~300 undergraduate students (2nd–4th years). We adopt systems thinking to make sense of the complexity of the world to tackle societal challenges. The department manages an extensive research portfolio with funding from industry, federal agencies, and private foundations, leveraging several departmental and multidisciplinary research facilities and centers across the school and university. These support projects enabling faculty and students to pursue research in numerous dimensions of systems engineering, including operations research, systems and control, decision theory, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), human factors, human-computer interaction (HCI), risk analysis, and financial engineering. The Position The new chair will provide leadership for the Department of Systems and Information Engineering, guiding initiatives in strategic planning, faculty and staff development, alumni engagement, and the recruitment of future faculty leaders. The chair will oversee the department’s budget and serve as a key liaison with the School of Engineering and Applied Science and University leadership, fostering relationships built on integrity, transparency, and collaboration. This role requires a leader with strong management and outreach skills, administrative acumen, and a record of impactful research and teaching. The chair should have a strong reputation in systems / industrial engineering and act as a liaison between the department and the broader systems engineering community in academia and industry.

Requirements

Qualified candidates must hold a PhD in systems engineering, industrial engineering, or closely related technical field and demonstrate sufficient qualifications for appointment as a tenured faculty member at the professor level as outlined in the School’s guidelines

Responsibilities

Continue to build the strategic vision and objectives of the SIE department.
Build and enhance the reputation of SIE at UVA and beyond in the broader systems engineering community.
Play a key role in supporting and advocating for department programs and initiatives to SEAS and University leadership.
Play a key role in maintaining alumni engagement and involvement.
Aid in the department’s assessments and accreditation process.
Work closely with department staff on budgetary and administrative aspects essential for operational success.
Work closely with the faculty and staff within the department to improve the quality of its undergraduate and graduate programs.
Support, guide, and mentor faculty, students, and staff in a transparent manner to provide a positive and accountable experience.
Provide leadership in the development and management of departmental resources.
Play a key role in the assignment and evaluation of the department's faculty and staff service to the department, school, and university.
Foster excellence in teaching, scholarship, and outreach for faculty and students in the department.
Support and enable scientific discovery through collaborations within the department and across the University
Productively manage, support, and advocate for the departmental staff.
Facilitate open communication and manage conflict resolution with students, faculty, and staff.
Serve as a contributing member of the SEAS leadership team.
Work effectively to foster a supportive community of students, faculty, and staff within the department.