Director - School of Computing Science (Associate or Full Professor)

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is recognized globally for academic and research excellence. It is ranked as Canada’s top comprehensive university and its vision is to be Canada’s most engaged university. SFU has three vibrant campuses located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, on whose traditional territories its campuses stand, in British Columbia’s largest municipalities - Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver - and deep roots in partner communities throughout the province and around the world. By recognizing these unceded territories, SFU aspires to create space for reconciliation through dialogue and decolonizing practices.

The School of Computing Science is among the top computer science departments in Canada and internationally, with excellent research and teaching programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The School currently has 66 faculty members, close to 400 graduate students and 2800 undergraduate students. The School strives for excellence in its researchers, instructors, and facilities, and seeks to train high-quality students. In addition to a world-class research-oriented graduate program, the school also offers a full-time Master’s program in Professional Computer Science with a focus on Big Data, Visual Computing, and Cyber Security; as well the School maintains a dual-degree partnership programs with Zhejiang University in China.

Reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Director is responsible for the day-to-day academic and strategic activities of the School. A commitment to leadership, collaboration, and staff development is essential for a role of this magnitude. The Director will amplify the School’s mission of performing innovative, translational research and entrepreneurship, as well as fostering the School’s relationship with industry and community engagement. The Director will likewise oversee the strategy and development of new educational programs, certificates, and training to help our undergraduate and graduate students succeed in a changed and changing world.

The School Director is a term position with an initial appointment of five years that may be renewable for a subsequent term. The successful candidate must be appointable in a discipline within the School of Computing Science to a tenured position at the level of Associate or Full Professor, and would resume regular full-time professorial duties upon the conclusion of their administrative appointment.

The ideal candidate will:

• Provide proactive leadership and operational management of the school, creating an environment that encourages innovative teaching and fosters internationally recognized research;
• Develop and deploy new initiatives that enhance Computing Science's international and domestic standing;
• Promote collaboration within the school and drive engagement with partners across the Faculty, throughout the University, and with other academic institutions and industry;
• Support the development of enhancements and innovations in teaching, learning, and curriculum design and development that enable faculty and staff to provide improved experiences and outcomes to students in all programs;
• Commit to supporting current and future undergraduate students through curriculum updates, innovations in teaching and enhancing student experiences;
• Lead the School in creating a collaborative and compelling strategic vision, with an eye towards growth, that engages academic and non-academic colleagues, students and industry partners to strive for excellence in all activities;
• Support the University’s Strategic Visions, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty, staff, and our community”. And to be “the leading engaged university defined by its dynamic integration of innovative education, cutting-edge research, and far-reaching community engagement."

The ideal candidate is expected to possess and demonstrate the following qualifications:

• A Ph.D., and ongoing engagement, in fundamental Computing or Computer Science research areas;
• An outstanding personal research record of accomplishment and international profile;
•  Leadership and administrative qualities and experience;
• Balanced attention between teaching and research initiatives;
• Proven excellence in course and curriculum design at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
•  Excellent communication skills and commitment to a team based working culture;
• Enthusiasm about supporting students and student initiatives, as well as engaging with them directly;
• Commitment and contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The competition will remain open until the position is filled. However, screening will commence on January 27th, 2023.

To apply, submit the following to our online application system:

• A recent curriculum vitae,
• Research and teaching statements,
• A vision statement,
• Names and contact information for three referees.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

Simon Fraser University is an institution whose strength is based on our shared commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity is an underlying principle of our Strategic Vision, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty, staff, and our community.” SFU is committed to ensuring that no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications. Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the work force, specifically Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, and women; embrace gender and sexual diversity; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat all employees equitably. Candidates that belong to underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply.

SFU offers several benefits and services aimed at creating a more inclusive and accessible campus community for faculty, please see the Faculty Relations, Benefits and Service page for more details. SFU is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants; if you require accommodations or have questions about SFU benefits, services, accommodations policies, or equity considerations please contact the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Faculty Relations.

Under the authority of the University Act personal information that is required by the University for academic appointment competitions will be collected. For further details see: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/Faculty_Openings/Collection_Notice.html

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Tenure-track Faculty Positions

The School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University (SFU) invites applications for multiple tenure-track faculty positions in the following research areas:

• Computer Security: network security, information privacy, vulnerability analysis, trust management, quantum security, and applied cryptography.
• Systems: software engineering, computer networks, cyber-physical systems, and mobile computing.
• Interdisciplinary: data science, human-computer interaction, computational biology, social computing, visual computing, and robotics.

Candidates with a commitment to the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups in computer science are especially encouraged to apply.

The School of Computing Science is among the top computer science departments in Canada and internationally, with excellent research and teaching programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. SFU is located in Metro Vancouver, which is rated one of the most livable areas in North America. SFU offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a collegial and vibrant work environment. In addition, exceptional candidates may be considered for Endowed Research Chairs, which come with extra teaching releases and salary tops, in addition to the prestige and recognition of the chairs.

Successful candidates are expected to have strong research records and demonstrate commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and graduate student supervision; including the demonstration of creating inclusive classrooms and/or recognition of needs in support of a diverse student body. The School will consider applications at all ranks, including assistant, associate, and full professor, with the following expectations:

• Assistant Professor: excellent research achievements demonstrated by publications at top venues with the candidate being the main contributor, strong reference letters, and broader impact of the research outcomes shown, for example, by research awards, citations, open-source tools used by peers, and/or technology transfer to industry.
• Associate Professor: outstanding research achievements demonstrated by sustained publications at top venues for several years, strong reference letters from leaders in their area, and broader impact of the research outcomes shown, for example, by research awards, citations, open-source tools used by peers, and/or technology transfer to industry. It is also expected that the candidate has a strong research funding record, visibility in their research community, and leadership skills. Further, it is expected that the candidate provides evidence for effective supervision of graduate students as well as high-quality teaching of graduate and undergraduate courses.
• Full Professor: outstanding research achievements demonstrated by sustained publications at top venues over their career, strong reference letters from top leaders in their area, and broader impact of the research outcomes shown, for example, by research awards, citations, open-source tools used by peers, and/or technology transfer to industry. It is also expected that the candidate has a strong research funding record and has managed multiple large-scale research projects. The candidate should be an established leader in their research community, and they should have made significant contributions to graduate student supervision and high-quality teaching of graduate and undergraduate courses.

Successful candidates must hold a PhD in computer science or a closely related field by the employment start date; however, candidates with imminent completion of their PhD degree may be hired at the rank of Instructor and will be promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor upon completion of their PhD.

The deadline for receiving all application materials, including curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement, and at least three reference letters, is December 15, 2022. Please submit your application to our on-line system at: http://www.sfu.ca/computing/about/job-opportunities.html

The positions are subject to availability of funding and approval by the SFU Board of Governors. Any inquiries regarding this posting may be directed to cs_faculty_affairs@sfu.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

Simon Fraser University is an institution whose strength is based on our shared commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity is an underlying principle of our Strategic Vision, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty staff and our community.” SFU is committed to ensuring no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications. Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the work force, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons and women; embrace gender and sexual diversity; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat all employees equitably. Candidates that belong to underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply.

Under the authority of the University Act, personal information that is required by the University for academic appointment competitions will be collected. For further details see: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/faculty_openings/collection_notice.html

Apply Now