The Department of Statistics invites suitably qualified candidates to join their team.

The Department

The Department of Statistics at Rhodes University is seeking to appoint a Professor or Associate Professor in the Mathematical Statistical Sciences, or Data Science (Statistical/Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence) or a Professor or Associate Professor with extensive research and supervision in the statistical computational sciences and statistical modelling. The successful candidate will take a leading role in shaping and advancing the Department’s data science and applied statistics programs. The appointee will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and to offer specialized R training.

Main Objectives

All academics are responsible for disseminating knowledge (teaching and learning), creating knowledge (research), and engaging in community engagement, recognising differences in executing these responsibilities within the various departments and faculties.  Professors and Associate Professors are expected to be actively involved in the development and advancement of the discipline through a high level of professional and scholarly engagement. Academics are also expected to assume administrative, management, and/or leadership duties at the departmental, faculty, and/or university levels.

 A Professor and an Associate Professor are to provide academic leadership in the following areas: teaching and learning, research and community engagement, and contribute towards the institution's governance. This professor's leadership contribution should be evidenced at the departmental, faculty, and institutional levels.

The Requirements

• A PhD either in the Mathematical Statistical Sciences or Data Sciences (Mathematical or Statistical) or Mathematics (Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence), or a senior academic with a PhD and a distinguished track record of publication and supervision of research in the Statistical Computational Sciences and Applied Statistical Modelling.
• Teaching experience in some of the following disciplinary areas of Statistics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels: Distribution theory; Multivariate Analysis; Generalized Linear Models; Classification; Statistical or Machine Learning; Bayesian Statistics; Financial Statistics; Stochastic Processes; Time Series Analysis; ; Fixed and Mixed Effects Modelling; Generalised Additive Models; Non-linear Models; Data Science and Spacial Statistics. Strong computational proficiency in R is essential.
• A sustained commitment to academic excellence and leadership is essential. A sustained contribution to academic and professional communities with associated high-quality research published in reputable journals and extensive participation in conferences and a well-developed scholarly network is required.

Professor:

• Extensive teaching experience
• Research supervision of PhD and Masters degrees to completion.
• Track record of research publication.
• International profile in your discipline.

Associate Professor

• Considerable teaching
• Research supervision of Masters and preferably PhD degrees required.
• Track record of research publication.
• National and emerging international profile in your discipline.

Application Process

It is essential that prospective candidates read the Academic Role Profile for further information and ensure that all relevant documentation is submitted.

The following documents are required:

• A comprehensive CV and relevant qualifications which should include the following: -
  • Reasons for leaving your current and previous jobs.
  • Referees who are and/or were your direct line manager, their title, name, designation and contact information which should be at least their contact number and email address.
• A strong and succinct motivation which tells us your interest in the post and suitability relative to the job requirements, including how you can contribute to the department.

Please note, no hand-written applications will be considered. Failure to submit all documentation will result in an application being disqualified.

Any questions or enquiries regarding the submission of an application can be submitted to [email protected].

Selection Process (provisional date, subject to change):

• Short-listing meeting scheduled for the 21 July 2025
• The selection process that will be followed for this post will include an assessment and/or presentation and an interview.
• Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the interview date.

Remuneration per annum

Rhodes University offers competitive remuneration.

All applications will be treated in strict confidence. This post is advertised as a permanent post, but the University may opt to appoint on a fixed-term contract of not less than three years. The University reserves the right not to proceed with the filling of the post. An application in itself does not entitle the applicant to an interview.  Employment checks will be conducted on recommended candidates.

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