Position Description
The Dissertation Chair in the PhD in Applied Data Science program guides doctoral candidates through applied empirical research, leading committee oversight and ensuring methodological rigor from initial proposal through final defense. This is a part-time, adjunct faculty position in SMCS.
Position Responsibilities
- Faith-Grounded Mentorship & Care: Integrate Christian faith and servant leadership into dissertation supervision by modeling grace, patience, and intentional care, fostering a growth-minded, supportive learning environment tailored to working adult learners.
- Research & Writing Mentorship: Provide structured, actionable feedback on student drafts via collaborative digital tools (e.g., Google Docs), strictly adhering to a one-week turnaround to maintain momentum.
- Committee Leadership: Help students assemble a qualified doctoral committee consisting of the Chair, at least one additional Eastern University faculty or staff member, and an optional external subject-matter expert.
- Ethical & Methodological Governance: Ensure research designs adhere to quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods rigor, and mandate that any project involving human subjects completes Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval prior to data collection.
- Academic Guidance: Demonstrate intentional care, empathy, and patience throughout the dissertation journey, fostering an encouraging, supportive learning environment tailored to working professionals.
Qualifications
- Candidates must have a commitment to excellent teaching in a Christian context.
- Education: An earned doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Analytics, or a closely aligned field.
- Experience: Demonstrated track record of scholarly research, industry practice, or doctoral-level instruction and advising.
- Skills: Expertise in empirical research methodologies, strong written critique capabilities, and familiarity with online/hybrid doctoral mentoring.
