Description

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) Chair Search Plan

1. Advertisement description

The Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) at the University of South Florida (USF) invites applications for the position of Department Chair. This position offers a leadership opportunity in one of the nation’s rapidly rising industrial engineering departments at a top-50 public research university. We seek an accomplished scholar and dynamic leader who will guide a highly productive faculty, respect and strengthen the department’s collaborative culture, address faculty and students’ needs, and foster continued excellence in research, teaching, and service. The successful candidate is expected to provide strategic vision and day-to-day management for the IMSE Department while advancing its role in achieving the College’s strategic mission. Responsibilities include: providing strategic leadership and effective management of departmental operations; promoting a strong research culture aligned with the College’s reputation for scholarly impact; advancing excellence in teaching across all programs; recruiting, mentoring, and retaining talented faculty and staff; managing resources and budgets effectively; strengthening relationships with industry partners, alumni, and donors; and collaborating with other department chairs and college leadership. 


Minimum qualifications include: (1) eligibility for appointment as at least a tenured associate professor, with a clear path to promotion to full professor soon after appointment, in an Industrial Engineering department at a Carnegie R1 institution; (2) a doctoral degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related field from an accredited research institution; (3) demonstrated understanding of the industrial engineering discipline and community; (4) proven leadership experience in higher education administration; and (5) commitment to high-quality pedagogy and student development.


Preferred qualifications include: (1) eligibility for appointment as a tenured full professor at a Carnegie R1 Industrial Engineering department; (2) a proven commitment to fostering a collegial and supportive departmental culture; (3) demonstrated availability, responsiveness, punctuality, and excellent communication skills; (4) a proven ability to develop and sustain enduring relationships with industry, academic partners, alumni, donors, and sponsors; (5) a strong record of leadership in securing competitive and significant research funding from various sources; (6) a strong record of scholarship with publications in top-tier journals and conferences in industrial engineering research areas aligned with the department’s strengths in intelligent decision-making through, among others, optimization, data science, and AI; (7) longstanding engagement in mentoring faculty, students, and staff, to promote their professional development and long-term success; (8) proven leadership in recruiting, program development, team building, and staff supervision; and (9) effective budget management practices in consultation with faculty and staff. 

The IMSE Department currently has 16 full-time faculty members and offers BSIE, MSIE, and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial Engineering, together with an M.S. degree in Engineering Management (MSEM) and an M.S. degree in Data Intelligence (MSDI), and is highly engaged in distance learning. The department currently hosts 266 undergraduates, 125 master's, and 27 full-time doctoral students. IMSE faculty have strong collaborations with other departments within the College of Engineering, the Colleges of AI Cybersecurity and Computing, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Business, and Arts & Sciences. The department has strong ties with various centers and institutes such as the Institute of Applied Engineering, Center for Urban Transportation Research, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, USF Sleep Research Center, and with organizations outside of USF such as City of Tampa, Tampa Electric Company, Tampa General Hospital, and James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital.

Established in 1964 and currently led by Dean Levi Thompson, the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida is ranked #56 among public institutions (#89 overall) by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Engineering & Specialties Rankings. The college serves more than 3,700 students, offering nine bachelor’s programs as well as 12 master’s and eight doctoral degrees. The college is actively engaged in local and global research activities, with $46 million in research expenditure for the fiscal year 2023-2024. The college has 12 major research centers and institutes and is actively engaged in local and global research activities focused on sustainability, biomedical engineering, computing technology, and transportation.

The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past ten years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings than USF. Further, USF joined the American Association of Universities (AAU) in 2023. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee, the Florida Board of Governors designated USF as a Preeminent State Research University, placing it in the most elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu. 

Applicants should submit a cover letter outlining their interest and qualifications for the position with respect to the above job description, a detailed curriculum vitae, and contact information for at least four professional references who can speak to scholarly achievements, leadership abilities, and administrative experience. The application must also include a statement of leadership philosophy, interests, and strategic vision, as well as a statement describing current research and future research plans. The cover letter should be addressed to Dr. Manjriker Gunaratne, Search Committee Chair, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ENG 030, Tampa, Florida, 33620. Review of applications will begin on December 5, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants must electronically submit the application packet as one PDF file to the following website: https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/careers/index.aspx (Search Job Opening ID# 42253). 


USF is an equal opportunity, equal access academic institution that embraces diversity in the workplace. The University of South Florida does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race/color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other unlawful basis.  Dual career couples with questions about opportunities are encouraged to contact the Department chair. To request disability accommodations in the application and interview process, please notify Melanie Salarbux at (727) 873-4290 at least five working days in advance. 


Pursuant to Title IX, USF does not discriminate on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that it operates. Such protection extends to students, employees, admission, and employment. Questions or inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator or to the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. The most current contact information for the USF Title IX Coordinator and resources can be found on the USF Title IX webpage at www.usf.edu/title-ix .

2. Search Committee

The following search committee has been selected:

3.  Advertisements External Venues 

The position will be advertised in:

1. Paid postings:

a. Advertising within a wide network of engineering/science/higher education organizations and job boards: YM Careers site, https://www.ymcareers.com/ . The ad will reach candidates through targeted association emails, department chair listserv, social media channels, websites, newsletters, and more (i.e. NSBE, WEPAN, SHPE, SWE, AISES).

2.    b. Advertising within the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), an international society for practitioners in the fields of operations research, management science, and analytics.

2. USF Careers Postings: https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/careers/index.aspx

           Department Chair, search Job ID# 42253 

4. Criteria to be used in the evaluation of candidates and the process

Minimum Desired Qualifications:

1. Eligibility for appointment as at least a tenured associate professor, with a clear path to promotion to full professor soon after appointment, in an Industrial Engineering department at a Carnegie R1 institution.
2. A doctoral degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related field from an accredited research institution.
3. Demonstrated understanding of the industrial engineering discipline and community.
4. Proven leadership experience in higher education administration.
5. Commitment to high-quality pedagogy and student development.
   
   

Preferred Qualifications: 

1. Eligibility for appointment as a tenured full professor at a Carnegie R1 Industrial Engineering department.
2. A proven commitment to fostering a collegial and supportive departmental culture.
3. Demonstrated availability, responsiveness, punctuality, and excellent communication skills.
4. A proven ability to develop and sustain enduring relationships with industry, academic partners, alumni, donors, and sponsors.
5. A strong record of leadership in securing competitive and significant research funding from various sources.
6. A strong record of scholarship with publications in top-tier journals and conferences in industrial engineering research areas aligned with the department’s strengths in intelligent decision-making through, among others, optimization, data science, and AI.
7. Longstanding engagement in mentoring faculty, students, and staff, to promote their professional development and long-term success.
8. Proven leadership in recruiting, program development, team building, and staff supervision.
9. Effective budget management practices in consultation with faculty and staff. 

Hiring process:

Table 1. Tentative selection criteria (leadership, mentoring, research, etc.)

5. Timetable

1. Dean Thompson converses with Department Chair and Dean/or designee to identify department needs.
2. Upon Dean/or designee approval, committee and committee leadership is formed.
   • Search committee chair draft and share ad/search plan with college HRBP for preliminary review.
   • HRBP sends to college leadership for final review and approval before ad is advertised.
3. Dean/or designee will charge the search committee.
4. Search committee screens pool & conduct virtual interviews of preferred candidates.
5. Search committee chair forwards top candidates (unranked) to Dean’s Office for approval.
6. Dean’s Office approves pool and onsite campus interviews.
   • Candidates selected for final campus interviews (could be virtual) visit for seminars, meetings with department faculty and Dean/or designee. 
   • Dean or designee will need to notify college HRBP to initiate the Foreign Influence screening for the top candidates. This process must be done prior to any offers can be extended.
7. List of top (unranked) candidates are submitted to the Dean/designee.  The Dean, in consultation with the Provost, will extend offers to selected candidate(s).

All search committee meetings will be open, and the public will be notified by department ASA. 

6. Description of methods that will be used to check Reference / Work Experience

Search Committee members will check research expertise and academic history based on familiarity with the candidate’s current academic department(s) and a review of the scientific literature and relevant databases.  For the candidates selected for on-campus interviews, letters will be obtained from appropriate references.

7. Identification of the person responsible for clerical support to the Search Committee

The person responsible for administrative support to the Search Committee is Donna Rock, Academic Services Administrator for the ENG Dean’s Office, as well as Tramaine Polk and Charisse Moll-Villanueva, Academic Services Administrators for the Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) department.



Job Requisition # 42253