The Opportunity

The College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, position of tenured professor and director of the newly formed School of Data, Mathematical, and Statistical Sciences with an anticipated start date on May 1, 2027. The successful candidate will serve as the inaugural Director of the School. The director is the unit head, provides leadership for the school, and is essential to the decision-making and administrative functions within the unit, including academic programs, budget, hiring, evaluations, and facilities. This appointment offers an opportunity to strengthen connections across the disciplines in the school and support their distinctive strengths. Nominations of ideal candidates can be communicated to the Committee Chair, Dr. Brett McCollum ([redacted]).

The Dr. Yvette Kanouff School of Data, Mathematical, and Statistical Sciences (Kanouff School) is a new interdisciplinary unit within the College of Sciences formed from the merger of the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Statistics and Data Science. The new school has a growing, innovative population of faculty and students carrying out theoretical and applied research in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Actuarial Science, and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning. The school's undergraduate academic programs include degrees in Data Science, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, and Statistics. Graduate programming includes a M.S. degree in Statistics and Data Science with two tracks in Data Science and Statistical Computing and a SAS certificate program, a M.S. degree in Mathematical Science including tracks in Industrial Mathematics and Financial Mathematics, a Ph.D. in Mathematics including a track in Financial Mathematics, and a Ph.D. in Big Data Analytics including a track in Statistics. The Ph.D. in Big Data Analytics is the first Ph.D. program of its kind in the state of Florida and only one of a few across the globe and has been ranked #4 nationally by TechGuide's Best Data Analytics Ph.D. programs in 2025.

With 70 full-time faculty, The Kanouff School serves over 120 graduate students and 800 program majors, provides prerequisite courses for colleges such as Engineering & Computer Science and Medicine, and offers General Education courses that support the broader undergraduate student community. As a significant service teaching unit, the school annually supports roughly 4,000 undergraduate FTE across more than 600 course sections of various class sizes. It is a collegial academic unit with broad representation that values collaborations and mentorship across subdisciplines. The school faculty collaborate with faculty from across the College of Sciences as well as the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, the National Center of Forensic Science, the Nanoscience and Technology Center, the College of Optics and Photonics, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Community Innovation and Education, thus preparing our students for complex problem solving in an interdisciplinary world. For more information, visit https://sciences.ucf.edu/sdmss/.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, or a closely related field, from an accredited institution. In addition, to be eligible for appointment as a tenured professor upon hire, the successful applicant must have a distinguished record commensurate with a tenured faculty member at the rank of professor within the Kanouff School with respect to teaching, research, and service. Candidates will have a demonstrated record of administrative leadership in a university or similar setting for at least 2 years.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated experience in:

• handling faculty matters,
• supervising staff,
• managing budgets,
• using strong communication skills,
• having a distinguished record of teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and
• having a strong publication record reflecting experience conducting research within the disciplines of the school.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/ . In addition to the online application, interested candidates should upload the following materials: (1) a current CV, and (2) a 2-to-3-page letter of interest that addresses the qualifications, research and leadership experience, teaching philosophy, and vision for the school.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

Review of applications will begin on November 16, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Brett McCollum, Search Committee Chair, at [redacted].

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. H-1B visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H-1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Job Close Date:

Open until filled.

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as "Open until filled" may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options.
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions.
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment.
• And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department
College of Sciences (COS) - School of Data, Mathematical, and Statistical Sciences (SDMSS)

Work Schedule
Varies

Type of Appointment
Regular

Expected Salary
Negotiable