Assistant Professor of Statistics

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in Statistics.   Cal Poly Pomona is one of two polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 11 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students participate in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive, relevant, and values diverse perspectives and experiences. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn-by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model.

The university is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The university’s nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus’s more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 baccalaureate and 29 master’s degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 2 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 15 best value college in the nation by Money Magazine. Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility, and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 

The Cal Poly Pomona campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour’s drive of beaches, mountains and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu, and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population.  California residents comprise the majority (96%) of applicants to undergraduate programs at Cal Poly Pomona – nearly half (49%) of new students were transfers in Fall 2020.  58% of Cal Poly Pomona students are first generation, 70% receive financial aid, and 44% qualify as Pell-eligible.  The university enrolls a diverse student body that identifies as 49% Latinx, 21% Asian, 15% White, 3% Black, 5% International 3% two or more races, 3% unknown and less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander and less than 1% Native American Indigenous. 39% of the student body were STEM majors with the top enrolled programs including psychology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biology and computer science.

Inclusive Excellence Criteria.  We aspire to be the model inclusive polytechnic university in the nation. We have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and to educational experiences that leverage the diverse perspectives and experiences needed to succeed and thrive in a diverse society.

Tenure track faculty hires will demonstrate a commitment and record of contributions through their teaching, scholarship, or service to these inclusive excellence criteria (a minimum of two must be addressed in the Student Success Statement):

1. Integrates the values of equity and inclusivity into their teaching, scholarship and/or service contributions with diverse student populations;
2. Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups and communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions;
3. Adopts teaching strategies that supports the learning and success of students from diverse student populations;
4. Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities;
5. Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities;
6. Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline;
7. Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education;
8. Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities;
9. Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and
10. Has expertise in or demonstrated commitment to teaching, scholarship and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education.

College.  The College of Science’s mission is to educate, mentor, and inspire students through scientific inquiry and hands-on learning. It offers 15 undergraduate degree programs and six Master’s degrees across seven academic departments that include: Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geological Sciences, Kinesiology & Health Promotion, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics & Astronomy. Our Center for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (CEMaST) supports K-16 education locally and nationally to increase STEM success and participation for all. The College has approximately 145 full-time faculty, 45 staff, 4,700 majors, and enrolls over 35,000 students each semester. The College of Science is committed to the teacher-scholar model and is the largest recipient of extramural funding on campus. We encourage a broad range of applicants who are committed to enhancing a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to an inclusive campus environment.

The Department. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics has over 30 full-time faculty and offers a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with two options: pure mathematics / secondary teaching and applied mathematics / statistics. We also offer a master’s program with four possible emphases: pure mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, and mathematics education. Within the next two years, we also plan to launch a new Master of Science in Statistics and Applied Mathematics program. The department currently has over 500 major students, including over 80 graduate students, and serves over 5,000 students each semester.

Cal Poly Pomona has a student body with diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and learning styles, and the Department is looking for faculty who can thrive and contribute meaningfully in this environment. In particular, applicants with a commitment to diversity in higher education are encouraged to apply.  Our majors reflect the diversity of the overall university student population, with over 50% from underrepresented groups.  We support our students as they move into careers in STEM fields or further education in mathematics and statistics.  We value faculty who can inspire students through their teaching and through mentorship in research.

The Position. Throughout the academic year, you will typically teach a mix of courses in statistics and data science at the lower division, upper division, and graduate levels. In addition, you will be expected to supervise master's thesis research and prepare master's comprehensive exams. Your service duties will include contributing to department, college, and university committees, as well as other duties such as curriculum development. We also expect you to sustain a scholarly research program, which may include statistical consulting collaborations.

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Our excellent benefits program includes start-up funds and a reduced teaching load during the first two years. Rank of initial appointment for this position is Assistant Professor only.

Minimum Requirements:

• Completion of a Ph.D. in statistics or a related area by at the time of the appointment.
• Experience teaching or communicating in technical settings.
• Potential to sustain a scholarly research program in statistics or data science.
• Ability to contribute to the diversity and inclusiveness of the academic community through research, teaching, and/or service work. This evidence must be communicated in the application process via a Student Success Statement, which explicitly addresses at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above in this long-form advertisement.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Any area of statistics or data science will be considered, but preference will be given to candidates having expertise in machine/statistical learning, statistical computing, statistical software development, Bayesian analysis, nonparametrics, time series, biostatistics, stochastic processes, or mathematical statistics.
• Evidence of excellence in teaching and the ability to teach upper division and graduate statistics classes.
• Evidence of the ability or desire to direct master's thesis research.

Conditions of Employment:

The person offered this position is required to pass a background check.

Application Process:

For first consideration, submit the following materials by Monday, December 6. All materials must be submitted to MathJobs.  In addition, submit the cover letter, curriculum vitae, and Student Success Statement to Interfolio:

• A cover letter in which you describe your background and interest in teaching, research, and service. In your cover letter, please address the duties and qualifications stated in our position description.
• A curriculum vitae, which should include the names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, and emails of at least three references we may contact who can speak to your potential for success in this position.
• A Student Success Statement (two pages maximum) specifically addressing your teaching, successes, challenges, or other experiences in working with a diverse population and how this experience will contribute to the broader mission of Cal Poly Pomona to be the model of an inclusive polytechnic university. Your Student Success Statement must explicitly address at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above in our long form ad.
• A Teaching Philosophy Statement, including evidence of the effective application of your teaching philosophy in technical communication settings (classroom teaching, consulting, etc.).
• A Research Statement, explaining your past and current research efforts as well as future research plans.
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted for this application; official graduate and undergraduate transcripts will be required if you are selected as a finalist.
• A minimum of three recent (within the previous two years) letters of reference on your behalf should be submitted through AMS MathJobs. At least one of your reference letters should address your teaching potential.
• A Cal Poly Pomona application form will be required if you are selected as a finalist.
  (See https://www.cpp.edu/~faculty-affairs/documents/acadapplication.pdf).

Submit all the above materials to AMS MathJobs: https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/list/18850

In addition, you must also submit your cover letter, curriculum vitae, and Student Success Statement to Interfolio: http://apply.interfolio.com/98443

Your completed application packet will be available to be examined by all tenured and tenure-track faculty of the Cal Poly Pomona Department of Mathematics and Statistics. This position is open until filled.  Those applications completed and received by Monday December 6, 2021 will receive first consideration.  Early response is encouraged.

Please direct all inquiries to (email is recommended mode of contact):

Faculty Search Committee

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

3801 West Temple Avenue

Pomona, California 91768-4007

E-MAIL: mathstatsearch@cpp.edu  

PHONE: (909) 869-3496 (Search Coordinator)