Lecturer of Computer Science, Computational Science, Data Science, Part-Time, Spring 2025

Description

General Information

The rapidly growing Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering at Chapman University invites applications for a part-time lecturer position in the areas of computer science, computational science, or data science. This position would begin in Spring of 2025.

Chapman University is a nationally ranked, R2 Carnegie Classified, private institution offering traditional undergraduate and graduate programs in the heart of Orange County, one of Southern California's most diverse and vibrant regions. Chapman's campuses are home to nearly 10,000 students representing 50 states, three territories, and 87 countries. The 11 schools and colleges of Chapman, including Fowler School of Engineering, offer 65 bachelors, 53 masters, and six doctoral programs, along with 60 minors and 17 integrated and bridge programs. Dedicated to forward-looking, personalized education, we create an environment for unlimited achievement by both our students and faculty.

Opened in the fall of 2019, the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering offers undergraduate degree programs in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Data Science, Electrical Engineering, and Software Engineering, and a MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The School also offers several interdisciplinary minors and themed inquiry programs which allow students from across other Chapman programs to explore engineering. Fowler Engineering is committed to contributing solutions to global challenges, and to building truly inclusive and equitable faculty, staff, and student experiences. A key component of that mission is the recruitment and support of faculty, staff, and students from the broadest possible set of backgrounds and experiences. The Swenson Family Hall of Engineering (opened in 2021) provides state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research that allow for experiences that are truly without boundaries.

Chapman University strives to enhance diversity and inclusion in recruitment and employment. For more information on diversity, equity, and inclusion at Chapman University, please visit our DEI webpage.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will teach one to two graduate courses per year as needed. We are currently hiring for CPSC 541, Statistical Machine Learning II, which provides a more prediction focused treatment of Statistical Machine Learning. In CPSC 540, Statistical Machine Learning I, we take a more inferential perspective and focus on topics such as Markov chain Monte Carlo, Bayesian Casual Inference, and Frequentist Inference. The class is scheduled for Spring 2025 for Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30-9:45pm. The anticipated start date is January 20. First day of instruction for the spring semester is February 3rd. 

CPSC 541 Course Description: This course covers a range of topics in Statistical Machine Learning including the Bias Variance Trade off, Supervised Machine Learning, Unsupervised Machine Learning (including clustering), new developments in the field of Machine Learning, and ethical considerations that arise through the application of these topics. Letter grade. 

Course Learning Outcomes:

The goal of this course is to provide students with foundational knowledge of statistical concepts that underlie Statistical and Machine Learning Models so that they can build, interpret, and communicate about these models in their data work. By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

* Build, Test, and Maintain both Supervised and Unsupervised Machine Learning Models

* Communicate about the structure of Machine Learning Models, and their results to both expert and novice audiences

* Understand the Bias-Variance Tradeoff and apply methods to improve the balance between the two

* Identify, incorporate, and apply new developments in the field of Machine Learning into their models

Graduate classes in the MS Electrical Engineering and Computer Science program meet in person during the academic semester, and the graduate courses are taught in the evenings. The successful candidate needs to be available for office hours.

Qualifications

Required

A M.S. or Ph.D. in computer science, computational science, or data science is required for this appointment.

Whereas we welcome applicants from all disciplines within these fields; however, it is essential that candidates possess backgrounds and teaching experience in the following areas:

- Machine Learning Models (Regression/Classification, Bias Variance Tradeoff, Model Selection/Comparison)

- Optimization methods (e.g. gradient based methods, second order optimization)

- Large Language Models (e.g. Transformers, State Space Models, Retrieval Augmented Generation)

- Generative Image Models (e.g. Stable Diffusion, other types of image models are covered in CPSC 542, Deep Learning and Computer Vision)

- Reinforcement Learning (e.g. applied to robotics, LLMs, or video games)

All candidates must have a history of successful teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Preferred

Industry experience in the candidate’s field of expertise is preferred.

Application Instructions

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to electronically submit:

1. Cover letter that provides a succint overview of why the candidate is well-positioned to contribute to the specific educational and diversity & inclusivity missions of Chapman University

2. Curriculum Vitae

3. Teaching philosophy statement that includes how the candidate's teaching strategy is synergistic with an engineering school housed in a liberal arts university.

4. Contact information for two references, one of which must address the candidate's ability as a teacher. Letters of recommendation will be requested from those who advance in the search process.  

Inquiries? Please direct any inquiries to Hilary Anderson, Program Manager, at fsegradadvising@chapman.edu. Please use “Part-Time Lecturer MS EECS Position” as the email subject line.

Application review will begin November 15, 2024, and may close at any time after that without prior notice.

Successful completion of a background check is required for the final candidates. The pay range for course and course related work for this position is $50.04 per hour commensurate with experience and contingent on final budget approval.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community. The University is dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruitment and employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. The University is committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply.

Office of Human Resources, DeMille Hall - 140, One University Drive, Orange, California 92866