The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) invites applications for a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as the inaugural Executive Director for the newly launched Master of Applied Economics and Data Science (MEDS) program, housed within the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS). This full-time, non-tenure-track position will be held by a Practice Professor to be appointed in the Department of Economics in the School of Arts and Sciences. It is ideal for an individual with a strong academic, industry, and/or policy background in economics and data science.

Position Overview 

The Executive Director will provide oversight to the MEDS program, helping to guide the curriculum, mentoring students, and fostering collaborative partnerships between academia and industry. The objective of the program is to foster students’ knowledge and skills in three primary areas: developing and implementing economic models for decision making, extracting information from data using state-of-the-art econometric and machine learning techniques, and acquiring proficiency in relevant software. The successful candidate will be skilled in economics or data science (preferably both), with academic credentials and a proven track record of integrating research and practice. The position is for three years and is renewable based on successful review.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the development, implementation, and continual improvement of the MEDS program in collaboration with the MEDS Faculty Director (a tenured Professor of Economics who provides high-level guidance and development, particularly regarding the curriculum), the MEDS faculty advisory committee (composed of several tenured Professors of Economics who offer advice and serve as a sounding board), and LPS.

• Administering the MEDS program, including student recruitment and admissions, advising, and academic support.

• Teaching two semester-long courses per academic year in the MEDS program.

• Mentoring students and providing advice on capstone research projects, facilitating their professional development as future leaders in the field.

• Fostering relationships with the industry, policy, and non-profit communities to ensure that the MEDS program remains responsive to their needs.

• Contributing to the MEDS research environment on topics related to economics, econometrics, data science, and/or machine learning, via a combination of publications, presentations, and participation in Departmental events.