Director of Industry Partnerships

Reports To: Dean, College of Science and Engineering

Job Status: Exempt

A Moment of Real Momentum

Houston Christian University's College of Science and Engineering (COSE) is at an inflection point. ABET-accredited programs in Cyber Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science are drawing strong student demand. A brand-new Smith Engineering, Science, and Nursing Building opens in Fall 2026. Graduate programs in AI, Cybersecurity, and Data Science are expanding. And Houston — the most diverse major city in America — continues to grow as a global hub for energy, healthcare, aerospace, and technology.

COSE needs a connector — someone who can take this momentum into Houston's employer community and return with internships, jobs, sponsorships, and partnerships that transform student outcomes.

The Role

The Director of Industry Partnerships is the primary bridge between COSE and the Houston-area employer community. This is a relationship-driven, results-oriented role for someone who thrives on building trust with industry leaders, understands how engineering and computing talent is developed, and genuinely cares about student success. The Director develops and manages a portfolio of employer relationships that produce internship placements, first-destination jobs, sponsored projects, and long-term institutional partnerships.

The position reports to the Dean of the College of Science and Engineering.

What You Will Do

Build and Manage Employer Relationships

Develop and sustain a growing network of Houston-area and national employers in engineering, computing, cybersecurity, healthcare technology, energy, and related fields. Cultivate relationships with HR officers, hiring managers, and executive sponsors at target companies and agencies. Position HCU COSE as the preferred source for ethical, technically rigorous, faith-formed engineering and computing talent.

Secure Internships and Employment Opportunities

Drive measurable outcomes: internship placements and full-time job offers for undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Engineering and Computing. Manage the full cycle from employer prospecting and cultivation to offer and placement, tracking and reporting outcomes consistently.

Execute Employer Engagement Events

Collaborate with COSE faculty, staff, and HCU's broader career services team to plan and deliver employer-facing events — career fairs, information sessions, on-campus interviews, guest speaker visits, and industry meet-and-greet events that showcase student talent.

Develop Industry Sponsorships and Partnerships

Create structured opportunities for companies to invest in COSE through sponsored senior design projects, externships, laboratory development, curriculum partnerships, industry-recognized certification programs, and co-curricular competitions (robotics, cybersecurity challenges, etc.). Build and formalize an Industry Partnership Program that scales these relationships over time.

Engage Professional Societies and Business Organizations

Represent COSE at meetings of relevant professional and technical organizations, including IEEE, SWE, ACM, CYBER.SEC.CON, API, and SIM Houston. Engage actively with Houston-area chambers of commerce and regional business organizations — including the Greater Houston Partnership, Fort Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce, Asian Chamber of Commerce Houston, and the Greater Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — to expand COSE's visibility within the broader business community and develop relationships with employers across all sectors of the regional economy. Build HCU's reputation in these communities as a preferred source of technically rigorous, ethically grounded engineering and computing talent.

Track and Report Outcomes

Own the data: maintain accurate records of employer engagement activity, internship participation rates, and first-destination employment outcomes. Connect with engineering and computing alumni to gather career data and leverage their relationships to support employer development. Share relevant outcomes data with Alumni Relations to support broader university goals.

Support Student Career Readiness

Collaborate with faculty and staff to strengthen students' professional readiness, including networking skills and understanding of employer expectations in technical fields.

What We Are Looking For

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline, Business, Entrepreneurship, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated experience working in industry, with a track record of building and maintaining professional relationships
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate a compelling vision for engineering and computing education

Preferred:

• Master's degree in STEM, Business, or a related field
• Prior experience in technical sales, business development, or customer relationship management
• Familiarity with the Houston employer landscape, particularly in engineering, computing, cybersecurity, energy, or healthcare technology sectors
• Experience with CRM tools and structured pipeline management
• Background in or exposure to higher education, workforce development, or industry advisory programs

Personal Attributes:

• A self-starter who is comfortable working without a roadmap and building programs from the ground up
• A natural networker who builds authentic relationships and follows through consistently
• Commitment to HCU's Christian mission and the ability to represent the University's values in professional settings
• Genuine investment in student success and enthusiasm for connecting young professionals with meaningful career opportunities

Why This Role Matters

COSE graduates enter fields — cybersecurity, electrical engineering, computer science, AI, data science — that are growing faster than nearly every other sector. Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center (the world's largest healthcare complex), major energy companies, NASA's Johnson Space Center, and a rapidly expanding technology ecosystem. The employer opportunity for a skilled, mission-aligned relationship builder is exceptional.

COSE also offers something few universities can match: graduates who are technically rigorous and professionally formed around a clear ethical framework — qualities that resonate strongly with employers in healthcare, defense, and critical infrastructure.

About HCU and COSE

At HCU, our Christian liberal arts, professional, and graduate programs have equipped students to lead, collaborate, and discover out of a deep sense of purpose for more than 60 years. We are driven forward by our central confession, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and defined by our “Ten Pillars” core convictions. From this foundation we guide students confidently into discerning discovery, preparing them to think biblically, critically, and holistically about how to engage the world. We aspire to care for every student by meeting their academic, spiritual, and social needs with mentorship and support. At HCU, we are cultivating a culture of excellence that will mold a new generation of leaders in their communities, standard-setters in their professions, and fruitful disciples in their churches.

HCU is set in the heart of one of the most diverse and fastest-growing cities in the nation—and our growth and diversity match the dynamism of the city we call home. We continue to break records with our incoming freshmen class sizes, our graduate programs have more than doubled in the past decade, and we are significantly expanding our online programs as well.

HCU offers 100+ programs, including four doctoral degrees and multiple ABET-accredited engineering programs. COSE holds the distinction of offering the only BS degrees in engineering-based cybersecurity programs in the Houston metro area, and is home to growing MS programs in AI, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and Computer and Information Sciences.

HCU is committed to maintaining a faculty and staff who share an active Christian faith. Candidates should be prepared to affirm the University's “Ten Pillars” core convictions as a condition of employment.

Houston Christian University is an equal opportunity employer.

**Disclaimer**

Background checks are performed for every new hire. If your application is selected to continue in our hiring process, you will be required to submit a background check form authorizing this screening. If you decline, your application may be denied. By proceeding with the online application, you understand and accept this process. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check and confirmation of the position's budget.