Endowed Full Professorship of Data Science and Data Engineering (full-time, open rank)

BECHER GmbH & Co. KG; Friedrichshafen; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family-friendly environment

Industry collaboration opportunities

Job summary

Zeppelin University invites applications for the Endowed Full Professorship of Data Science and Data Engineering at its Friedrichshafen campus. The position is open rank and funded by ZF Friedrichshafen AG to strengthen data-driven education across disciplines.

Candidates should hold a doctoral degree and have proven data science and data engineering expertise, with a record of independent research and potential industry collaboration.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline and a track record of independent research.
• Proven experience in data science and data engineering.
• Experience in securing third party funding and collaboration with industry.

Responsibilities

• Provide university-wide teaching in data science foundations, data engineering pipelines, cloud computing, and visualization.
• Supervise research, theses, and transfer activities with industry partners, contributing to internationalization.

Skills

Data Science

Data Engineering

Data Pipelines

Cloud Computing

Research Funding

Education

Doctoral degree (PhD) in CS / Math / Stats or related

Tools

Spark

Python/R

Job description

Zeppelin University (ZU) in Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance is a state-approved privately endowed university with BA, MA, and PhD programs in the fields of economics, politics and psychology. ZU is dedicated to multidisciplinarity, internationality and individuality in both research and teaching.

Zeppelin University invites applications for the position of a Endowed Full Professorship of Data Science and Data Engineering (Full Time, Open Rank) to be filled at the earliest possible date.

Zeppelin University (ZU) is establishing a new Endowed Professorship in Data Science & Data Engineering, as part of its strategic repositioning. This professorship, funded by ZF Friedrichshafen AG, serves as a key strategic pillar to strengthen evidence based, data driven education across all disciplines and to advance ZU’s profile at the intersection of technology, society, and responsible leadership.

Candidate Profile

You have proven experience in Data Science and Data Engineering. Your academic background is in computer science, mathematics, statistics, econometrics, or related fields. You are developing an interdisciplinary research agenda, covering topics such as:

• Data Engineering (e.g., data pipelines, workflow orchestration, and distributed data processing such as for instance Spark, streaming systems
• Data Platforms: cloud-native architectures, data lakes, data warehouses
• Data Management: data modelling, integration, governance, and metadata systems
• Applied Data Science: statistical modeling, exploratory data analysis, and visualization
• Reproducible Data Workflows: versioning, documentation, and research data management

You have experience in the successful acquisition of third party funding (research grants). Experiences in collaboration with industry would also be anadvantage.

Responsibilities

• As a professor of Data Science and Data Engineering, you will provide university wide teaching in foundational and advanced data driven methods, including Data Science Foundations (data handling, exploratory analysis, statistics), Programming for Data Analysis (e.g., Python/R data workflows), Data Engineering & Pipelines (ETL, data integration, distributed systems), Cloud Computing for Data Application, Data Visualization and Communication, Research Data Management and Reproducibility. You will supervise research, project, and thesis work across all study programs and the Graduate School. You will also contribute to transfer activities with industry and societal partners. A commitment to academic self governance, internationalization, and strategic development of Zeppelin University is also expected.
• You will work in close collaboration with the other chairs endowed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG – the Chair of Artificial Intelligence, and the Chair of Systems of Virtual Reality – which is a core element of the research and teaching strategy. XR applications generate extensive interaction and process data that require systematic analysis. In this context, the Chair of Systems of Virtual Reality will provide data sources, the Chair of Data Science & Data Engineering will supply necessary data infrastructures and methodological foundations, while the Chair of Artificial Intelligence will use these data for sophistical analyses and data modelling.

The position builds data foundation, provides data, infrastructure and pipelines, and data analytics. This creates a clear link to the ZF Endowed Chair of AI, which focuses on intelligent data analysis and responsible AI design. Together, the endowed chairs enable integrated research, joint teaching formats, and practice oriented transfer activities, forming a coherent interdisciplinary environment for innovation and scientific excellence.

By joining Zeppelin University, you will shape a new generation of leaders who combine analytical excellence, technological literacy, and societal responsibility. You will play a significant role in positioning the university for the digital age. You will teach courses that are characterized by small class sizes and close interaction with our highly motivated students. Working with ZU, you will enjoy one of the most beautiful and prosperous areas in Germany, the Lake Constance region, which offers a wealth of recreational opportunities. Lake Constance is located between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

To be eligible for the position, applicants must meet the requirements for appointment pursuant to

• 47 of the Higher Education Act of the State of Baden-Württemberg. In particular, they must hold a doctoral degree in the relevant discipline and demonstrate a track record of significant independent research contributions to the field.

Zeppelin University is an equal opportunity employer. The university is committed to fostering a family-friendly work environment and promoting gender equality in academia. We therefore especially encourage applications from female scholars. Applicants with disabilities who are equally qualified will be given preferential consideration.

CONTACT

Zeppelin Universität gGmbH | Am Seemooser Horn 20 | D-88045 Friedrichshafen

For any questions, please refer to the head of the selection committee, Prof. Dr. Martin Elff, [e-mail]