AcademicProgramsOnline.org

Background: 

The Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science (MIDS) program prepares students of diverse ages and backgrounds for careers in data science.  MIDS is designed to be a home for creative problem-solvers who want to use data strategically to advance society. We aim to cultivate a new type of quantitative thought leader who uses computational strategies to generate innovation and insights that impact society.  We believe such leaders need to be experts in not only technical domains, but also interdisciplinary collaboration and team-based science.  We also believe that great teams are not accidental, but rather, are the product of great value-driven leadership.  As a result, Duke MIDS combines rigorous computational and technical training with field knowledge and repeated practice in critical thinking, ethics, teamwork, communication, and collaborative leadership to generate data scientists who can add value to any field.  We are committed to giving our students innovative, world-class training in all of these skills in a supportive team environment that emphasizes growth mindsets and the learning that comes from making mistakes.  Since best practices for training Master-level students in these skills are not yet established, developing the MIDS leadership and teamwork curriculum will require experimental evidence-based approaches, rigorous evaluation, and data-driven iteration.

Occupational Summary:  

This appointment will be an integral part of the MIDS leadership team, and will lead the MIDS impact evaluation and research strategy, organization, and execution.  This position will collaborate with the MIDS Director to set the vision for the MIDS program impact curriculum, and will direct the implementation of that shared vision.  MIDS’ philosophy is that effective teamwork and leadership are required to have impact.  Thus, the position will oversee the educational research related to, and instruction of, the teamwork and leadership curriculum for the MIDS program, will be responsible for evaluating the role that curriculum has on MIDS students’ impact on society, and will be responsible for designing and executing cohort-building programming that results in a family-type atmosphere characterized by psychological safety and appreciation of differences.  The position will also be responsible for developing creative new ways of collecting impact data that reflect the program’s holistic priorities, and suggesting and executing process changes that maximize MIDS’ progress towards those priorities.  Since the best practices for these topics are not necessarily known, especially in the context of Data Science Master programs, the position should integrate ideas and evidence from the educational and occupational literature when developing curricular and evaluation items.  The position will report to the MIDS Director and will work collaboratively with other associate directors and professors on the MIDS team to ensure teamwork, leadership, and cohort-building research is integrated throughout MIDS programming, but will be expected to function very independently and proactively. 

Work Performed: 

• Direct a world-class research- and evidence-based teamwork and leadership curriculum for the MIDS program that connects the technical and analytical skills of data science with the human side of innovative change work, and develop all related protocols, procedures, and operating policies. 
• Manage and research projects aligned with helping students identify and cultivate their own ethical values, and with helping students learn how to apply those values to professional data science situations.
• Design and teach workshops dedicated to the skills that support effective teamwork and leadership specifically in data science contexts.
• Research and evaluate competitive advantages of new trends in leadership and team building, and make recommendations based on this research that will support the program.
• Develop and coordinate the arrangements for cutting-edge teamwork and leadership programs, including speaker series and workshops.
• Research, create, implement, and evaluate innovative cohort-building activities that incorporate evidence-based practices.
• Provide one-on-one leadership consults for MIDS graduate students.
• Coach MIDS teams in teamwork skills throughout their first year courses and second year Capstone projects.
• Provide personalized consultations for MIDS student teams.
• Maintain relationships with outside educational and professional organizations and agencies to support Duke impact programming.
• Direct the management, coordination, and execution of the collection of impact data from students, partner organizations, and stakeholders, and provide timely reporting in order to provide research-based decision-making information to the program leadership.
• Serve as the main point of contact to shape external evaluations and ensure alignment on impact metrics and methods used for gathering data.
• Engage with MIDS faculty to help them envision and embed creative methods for impact measurement and development into their courses.

The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required. The position will be expected to take on other duties and special projects as assigned, and perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.   

Education/ Experience:  A Master degree and/or PhD is strongly preferred. 

Required Skills:  This role requires exceptional emotional intelligence, sound judgement, the ability to coordinate detailed logistical planning, and strong verbal and communication skills.  The position must be able to interact with both internal and external partners with the utmost professionalism.  A successful candidate will also demonstrate the ability to set strategies and make sound decisions independently, to work effectively under pressure, to meet deadlines, and to thrive in a fast-paced environment with changing situations.  The successful candidate should either have experience working with data scientists, or be able to demonstrate an ability and willingness to become an expert in data science culture quickly.  In general, the candidate will be expected to continue developing new skills and knowledge throughout the position’s tenure; enthusiasm about life-long learning is required.

Candidates who will be most successful in this role will be those who excel at co-creating strategic visions, and who are able to design and implement their own strategies for new ideas and initiatives while collaborating closely with others.  Experience that would be particularly valuable for this appointment includes: leadership or teamwork coaching, executive directorship of non-profits who evaluate their impact, program evaluation, educational research project management or sourcing, and student mentorship.