School: International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)
Department: Department of Intelligent Operations and Marketing (IOM)
Location: Suzhou, China
Hours: Full-time
Desired start: February 2027 or earlier
About the Department
The Department of Intelligent Operations and Marketing at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) is a multidisciplinary and internationally oriented academic department spanning Marketing, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Project Management, and Information Systems.
Our teaching, research and external engagement reflect the increasingly interconnected nature of technology, markets, organisations and operations. We bring together colleagues working across disciplines to understand how organisations can use data, digital technologies, AI and information systems to create value, improve decision-making and transform business processes.
The Department is highly cosmopolitan, with colleagues from China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands and Canada, among other backgrounds. Our faculty publish in leading journals across our disciplines, including Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, MIS Quarterly, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, Information Systems Research, Journal of Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Business Ethics, British Journal of Management, Journal of Service Research, European Journal of Operational Research, European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, Journal of Management Information Systems, Journal of Retailing, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Risk Analysis, Journal of Travel Research, and Tourism Management.
Alongside research excellence, the Department places strong emphasis on meaningful engagement with industry, government, professional organisations and the wider business community.
The Position
The Department invites applications for faculty positions on the Practice Track in Information Systems at the levels of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Senior Associate Professor.
Candidates do not need to hold a PhD for appointment to the Practice Track. We normally expect candidates to have at least seven years of relevant industry or management experience, together with a strong record of professional achievement and the ability to translate professional expertise into high-quality teaching and external engagement.
The Practice Track is designed for experienced professionals who can bring substantial industry and management expertise into the University and create meaningful value for students, external partners and the School.
We welcome candidates from all industry backgrounds who have strong professional expertise relevant to Information Systems and related areas. We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in biopharma and the broader life sciences sector, as well as those from industries undergoing significant digital and technology-enabled transformation.
We are seeking individuals with strong professional backgrounds in Information Systems or related areas, including digital business, technology management, digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, business analytics, digital marketing, technology consulting and information technology.
We are particularly interested in practitioners who can contribute to areas such as agentic AI, AI-enabled organisations, data-driven marketing, cybersecurity, data analytics, data visualisation, digital transformation, digital platforms, business analytics and technology-enabled decision-making
We welcome both Information Systems specialists and professionals from adjacent disciplines, including marketing, provided that their expertise has a clear and substantive connection to information systems, digital technologies, data or technology-enabled business.
What We Are Looking For
Practice Track faculty are expected to build a strong profile around professional expertise, industry engagement and practical impact. We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute in the following areas:
Business Value
Candidates should be able to use their professional networks and expertise to develop meaningful relationships and opportunities with external organisations.
This may include:
- Developing partnerships with businesses, government organisations, chambers of commerce and professional associations.
- Developing executive education, consulting, horizontal projects, development projects and other external initiatives.
- Creating new clients, partners and external mentors through professional networks.
- Producing commercialisable outputs, tools or solutions that can be used by industry.
- Strengthening the School’s professional networks, reputation and external engagement.
Student Opportunity
Candidates should be able to create meaningful opportunities that connect students with professional practice.
This may include:
- Creating internship, work placement and employment opportunities through professional networks.
- Providing professional mentoring and career guidance.
- Developing company visits, live projects and industry-based learning.
- Bringing senior industry leaders, government representatives and other experts into teaching and student activities.
- Creating opportunities for professional certifications, recruitment and other career-facing activities.
Practice Impact
Candidates should demonstrate:
- Contribution to practice-based knowledge development, professional visibility or external engagement.
- Outputs such as teaching cases, business intelligence outputs, policy or industry reports, professional publications, media engagement, public-facing expertise or other forms of knowledge transfer.
- Evidence that professional expertise has been translated into value for students, external stakeholders, the Department or the School.
- Emerging or established recognition as a practice-oriented academic contributor within the School or relevant professional community.
Appointment Level
The appointment level will reflect the candidate’s professional experience, achievements, leadership and overall practice impact.
For appointment at more senior levels, we will expect a correspondingly stronger and more sustained record of industry engagement, external partnerships, student opportunities, practice impact and professional leadership.
Senior candidates should normally have demonstrated the ability to lead significant external initiatives, develop strategic industry relationships, generate opportunities for the School and contribute to its wider professional reputation.
The Practice Track is not intended to replicate the expectations of the Research Track. While applied research, scholarly work and publications are welcome, the primary focus is on the application, translation and mobilisation of professional expertise to create value for students, industry and the School.
Teaching and Student Engagement
Practice Track faculty are expected to make a substantial contribution to practice-informed teaching.
Successful candidates will use their professional experience to provide students with authentic exposure to contemporary organisational and business challenges. This may include live projects, case-based teaching, industry speakers, company visits, professional mentoring, internships, work placements, simulations, consulting projects and other forms of experiential learning.
International and Professional Experience
All candidates are expected to have professional and/or international experience relevant to their area of expertise. We particularly welcome candidates with experience working across different countries, markets, organisations or cultural environments, as well as those with established international professional networks. Candidates should have an exceptional level of English proficiency, as all teaching and academic activities are conducted in English.
What We Offer
XJTLU provides an internationally oriented academic environment in which experienced professionals can bring their expertise into higher education while maintaining strong connections with business, government and professional communities.
The Department offers a particularly strong environment for practitioners interested in the relationship between technology, data, AI, markets, organisations and operations. Its interdisciplinary structure provides opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in Marketing, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Project Management and Information Systems.
The Practice Track provides an opportunity to translate professional expertise into meaningful educational, commercial and societal impact, while helping students develop the knowledge, networks and practical capabilities required for successful careers.
Compensation & Benefits
SALARY: Competitive salary in the market
BENEFITS
- Allowance: XJTLU provide various month/annual/one-off allowances as
- Housing allowance
- Travel allowance
- Relocation allowance
- Etc.
- Commercial insurance: international insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (details refer to the University Policy)
- Paid holidays:
- Statutory Holidays (13 days)
- Annual Leave (34 days per academic year including university close days and annual leave)
- Family Matters Leave
- Paid Sick Leave
- Marriage Leave
- Paternity Leave
- Parental leave
- Etc.
- Working visa and residence permit in China:
- XJTLU sponsors working visa and residence permit in China for the staff.
Contact
Interested candidates are welcome to contact the Head of Department, Daniel Hampson (Daniel.hampson@xjtlu.edu.cn), or the Deputy Head of Department, Junyi Lin (junyi.lin@xjtlu.edu.cn) for further information. Informal enquiries may be addressed to HRBP of IBSS Ms. Yu Yan (Yu.Yan@xjtlu.edu.cn). Please quote the position and job ID in your enquiry.