Position Description

Overview:

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DMS) at Utah State University (USU) invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Statistics, with a starting date of August 1, 2026. We seek applicants with research interests in any area of statistics, whether theoretical or applied, who are enthusiastic at the prospect of teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and who are eager to contribute to a collaborative departmental culture. Our thriving M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Statistics and Data Science provide exceptional opportunities for faculty to engage graduate students in impactful research while also preparing them for successful academic and industry careers.  

As Utah’s only standalone Statistics Ph.D. program, DMS offers unique opportunities for faculty to both sustain world-class research and to engage deeply in graduate and undergraduate training. DMS is also one of the founding members of USU’s Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Center, and  a joint administrator of the B.S. in Data Science with the School of Computing, both of which provide new faculty an instant network of collaborators from across the University. As an R1 institution, USU is large enough to effectively support world-class research programs, yet small enough to promote individual faculty member development. Both the Ph.D. and M.S. programs attract strong applicants who go on to successful academic and industry careers.  Please see the department jobs website to view other available faculty and post-doc positions in the department.

USU is located in Logan, Utah, a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 1.5 hours north of Salt Lake City, and just minutes from the Cache National Forest. Its location puts us close to Utah’s vibrant tech economy, as well as recreation opportunities in Utah’s abundant national and state parks and monuments.

Responsibilities:

This position is 50% research, 45% teaching, and 5% service. Successful candidates will:

• Establish and sustain an independent, visible research program, including active mentoring of graduate and undergraduate researchers.
• Teach core undergraduate and graduate courses in statistics and data science, fostering student engagement and success.
• Contribute to a collegial and collaborative departmental culture through effective communication, teamwork, and service.
• Build partnerships across campus and beyond to expand research and educational opportunities.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in statistics, biostatistics, data science, or a closely related field
• Documented research excellence, or evidence of potential for excellence, in research. Examples of evidence may include peer-reviewed publications, publications under review, experience writing and/or receiving grants, and participation in funded research projects.
• Documented teaching effectiveness, or evidence of potential for effectiveness, in teaching. Examples of evidence may include quality experience as an instructor of record or teaching assistant, and experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate students.
• An ability to immediately teach some subset of the following courses (see USU catalog for details): STAT 5100/6100: Modern Regression Methods, STAT 5200/6200: Design of Experiments, STAT 5645/6645: Mathematical Methods for Data Science, STAT 6710/6720: Mathematical Statistics I & II.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated excitement and commitment to consistently engaging graduate and/or undergraduate students in meaningful research opportunities.
• Evidence of collegiality and capacity to collaborate both within the department and across disciplines at USU, including but not limited to: Pure and Applied Math, the School of Computing, the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Center, the Institute for Land, Water and Air, and the Ecology Center.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement in teaching and creating meaningful, relevant, and engaging graduate and undergraduate courses.

College/Department Highlights:

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics is committed to delivering advanced quantitative and analytic skills for professionals in education, industry, and research through classroom instruction as well as practical and research experiences. The Department is one of the largest departments at USU, with over 50 faculty members, 60 M.S. and Ph.D students, and 300 undergraduate majors. The College of Arts and Sciences and USU’s Research Office make significant investments in faculty development, including startup packages, faculty seed grants, and proposal development assistance.

Applications received by December 1 at 5pm MST will be guaranteed to receive full consideration, with the position open until filled. For more information please contact:

Brennan L. Bean, Associate Professor
Statistics Search Committee Chair
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Email: brennan.bean@usu.edu

Required Documents:

1. Curriculum vitae (Upload at the beginning of application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”)
2. Cover letter (Upload in Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-5”). Your cover letter should be no more than one page and should address, at a minimum, the following questions:
   
   • What interests you in this position specifically, as opposed to similar positions at other universities?
   • How do you anticipate your research interests complementing the existing research interests in the department. What potential for collaboration, if any, do you anticipate with other faculty members?
   • If your Ph.D is in something other than statistics, how does your previous experience qualify you for a position in statistics?
3. Research Statement (Upload in Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-5”). Your research statement should be no more than three pages and should address, at a minimum, the following questions:
   
   • How would you describe your research program in terms broadly understandable by faculty in both mathematics and statistics?
   • How will students be incorporated into your research program, and in what ways will you mentor them toward developing independence and long-term success?
4. Teaching Statement (Upload in Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-5”). Your teaching statement should be no more than three pages and address, at a minimum, the following questions:
   
   • What philosophies guide and motivate your teaching?
   • What evidence do you have of your ability for effective teaching and mentoring? Please provide examples of how you engage students and communicate complex ideas effectively.
   • Which of the following core statistics courses (see minimum qualifications) do you feel immediately able to teach and why?
5. Three letters of recommendation (to be submitted via MathJobs link below), with at least one addressing the applicant's teaching experience and potential.

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

All application materials, except for reference letters, must be provided through the USU Jobs site: https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/9608/assistant-professor-in-statistics/job