Executive Director Research - Alabama Water Institute - 518297
Company: The University of Alabama
Location: Tuscaloosa
Posted on: March 18, 2023
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Job Description:
Pay Grade/Pay Range:Non Classified - Grade NA
Department/Organization:701101 - VP Research
Normal Work Schedule:Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:45pm
Job Summary: The Executive Director, Research is responsible for
oversight, supervision, management, and coordination of activities
within a large research center. This includes supervision of
personnel, budgeting & accounting, administration of programs &
activities, evaluation of personnel & programs and reporting. The
Executive Director, Research will also serve as a scientific and/or
research ambassador and will be responsible for developing new
consulting and research opportunities.
Additional Department Summary:The University of Alabama (UA) seeks
a visionary Executive Director for the Alabama Water Institute
(AWI). The Executive Director reports directly to the Vice
President for Research & Economic Development and serves in a
full-time, 12-month, administrative position. Due to the wide scope
of responsibilities, UA invites strong candidates with various
backgrounds and experiences from academia, government, non-profit,
and/or industry to apply. Depending on background and experience,
the Executive Director may be a Senior Research Professional (staff
position) and/or an adjunct or tenured faculty member in an
appropriate academic department at UA, subject to UA's standard
review practices. UA, having doubled in size since 2002, is one the
nation's fastest-growing flagship universities. In December 2018,
the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
designated UA as a Very High Research Activity Doctoral University,
formerly called "R1," a designation assigned to the nation's
highest level of research activity for institutions that grant
doctoral degrees, placing UA among the most elite research
universities in the U.S. The Carnegie designation followed
unprecedented investment in the campus and in new faculty. Since
July 2015, UA President, Dr. Stuart R. Bell, has overseen a $1.16
billion investment in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55
million gross sq ft of space, and the recruitment of over 250 new
research-intensive faculty and research professional staff. The
progress of UA's research and economic development enterprise over
the past four years has been extraordinary. Total externally
sponsored awards to UA increased by 113%, and total R&D
expenditures increased by 105%. In the past three fiscal years,
total annual funding from industry partnerships has increased by
500% from about $3 million to more than $15 million. This growth
rate strengthens UA's position as the fastest growing in the
Southeastern Conference and in the top 10 for all 146 R1
institutions. In April 2022, AWI led a consortium to win a
competitive five-year $360 million Cooperative Institute award from
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) titled,
"Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology
(CIROH)," representing the largest externally sponsored award in
UA's history. CIROH's research themes include improving water
resources prediction capabilities; advancing community water
resources modeling; innovating hydroinformatics tools and data
science applications; and integrating social, economic, and
behavioral science in water resources prediction. Also in 2022, the
Global Water Security Center, under AWI's umbrella, secured $4
million in new funding through the Department of Defense and worked
with major science agencies to develop cooperative agreements. AWI
coordinates across disciplines to maximize benefits of
water-related core facilities and research centers at UA. Current
affiliated centers include the Centers for Complex Hydrosystems
Research, Freshwater Studies, Sedimentary Basin Studies, Water
Quality Research, Remote Sensing Center, and the Global Water
Security Center. Faculty from multiple UA departments are
affiliated with AWI. UA's campus is also home to two federal
facilities with primary emphasis in water research and operations.
The National Water Center (NWC) within NOAA's Office of Water
Prediction, collaboratively develops and delivers
state-of-the-science national hydrologic analyses, forecast
information, data, decision-support services, and guidance to
support and inform essential emergency services and water
management decisions. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is
currently building a state-of-art Hydrological Instrumentation
Facility (HIF) on UA's campus. USGS supports water-resource
monitoring and evaluation efforts by providing quality-assured
hydrologic equipment and instrumentation to the USGS, federal,
state, and local agencies, academia, and private industry. The
strong presence of NOAA-NWC and USGS-HIF on UA's campus provides an
unprecedented opportunity for collaboration and partnership.
Strategic Plan for the Alabama Water Institute UA is committed to
premier water-related research and education. AWI's goal is to
become a world-class interdisciplinary water research institute
that develops path-breaking, holistic, and environmentally friendly
solutions to ensure people and ecological systems in our community,
state, nation, and around the world are water secure, with access
to clean water, and are resilient to extreme events. UA researchers
promote water research in areas of remote sensing, biodiversity of
aquatic systems, water quality, water and wastewater treatment,
groundwater assessment, flood and drought forecasting,
hydro-informatics, and disaster planning and engagement. Partnering
agencies include NOAA, USGS, Army Corps of Engineers, NASA,
National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the
Alabama Geological Survey. With government relationships and
numerous private sector partnerships, AWI improves existing centers
by encouraging effective multi-disciplinary collaboration and by
exploring opportunities to develop new water-related centers.AWI's
current strategic plan, encompassing years 2021 through 2026, has
the following four strategic research themes:1. Modeling and Remote
Sensing - Develop and improve modeling and remote sensors to
broaden research in water resource management, hazard assessments,
and communications.2. Integrated Water Resource Assessment -
Develop basic understanding needed to inform programs and policies
to reduce impact on water quantity, water quality, threatened and
endangered species, health, and ecosystem function.3. Management of
Water Hazards - Develop and improve predictive tools that reduce
risk and increase resilience of agricultural, industrial, public
water supplies, and natural ecosystems to stressors.4. Water
Security and Risk Communication - Create research opportunities to
communicate water, science, and risk impacts on society. The
Executive Director will have the following responsibilities:---
Provide a vision for collaborative water research through effective
leadership that embraces the full range of disciplines represented
by AWI.--- Develop and elevate AWI's national and international
profile. --- Coordinate closely with federal water agencies. ---
Partner with UA staff and the Vice President for Research &
Economic Development to identify, promote, and contribute resources
to strengthen AWI and manage its portfolio. This includes
identifying and supporting opportunities for research within
existing funding streams and through multi-disciplinary
collaboration and partnerships across UA and beyond.--- Work
closely with existing affiliated centers to ensure their growth and
success.--- Stimulate the development of new research centers
consistent with the AWI research focus and leverage unique research
resources within UA.--- Foster and support high quality research
and scholarly activities within AWI by ensuring a stimulating,
collegial, and well-managed environment. --- Collaborate with
academic units to attract, retain, and develop faculty and staff
who will promote academic and research excellence and will
contribute to the successful development of AWI. --- Manage
resources effectively to ensure AWI is self-sustainable.--- Engage
a range of internal and external stakeholders to identify research
opportunities and partnerships. --- Assess gaps and meet the need
for common resources and facilities across AWI-affiliated
centers.
Required Department Minimum Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:Preferred Qualifications of the Executive
Director In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the
preferred candidate will have one or more of the following: ---
Evidence of national and/or international reputation in one or more
of the scientific disciplines represented by AWI. --- Successful
and sustained record of achieving prominent levels of
research-based funding as a Principal Investigator. --- Existing
externally funded research in areas of science represented by AWI
and the desire to maintain funding while serving in the Executive
Director position. --- Experience developing and leading successful
partnerships with multiple academic institutions, industry, state
and federal governmental agencies, and foundations. --- A record of
pursuing and supporting technology transfer and licensing, and
economic development activities.
The planned start date is April 1, 2023 but is negotiable. Only
applicants currently legally eligible to work in the United States
will be considered. This is an open, national, and rolling search.
Review of applications will begin immediately as they are received.
Candidates meeting all the required qualifications may be contacted
immediately for inquiry and interview. It is possible that a
preferred candidate may be selected as other applications are still
being received. Therefore, the most serious and qualified
candidates are encouraged to submit their application as soon as
possible. To receive the fullest and timely consideration,
applications should be submitted prior to February 28, 2023;
however, the position will remain open until filled. Applications
submitted after February 28, 2023, will be reviewed and considered
if the position remains unfilled. Application materials should
include: 1) a full and updated resume, 2) cover letter summarizing
interest in the position and how the minimum qualifications and any
preferred qualifications are met, and 3) a list of four references
with full contact information. However, references will only be
contacted after written consent of the candidate.
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final
candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background
investigation and information obtained from social media and other
internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the
background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a
candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a
prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an
individualized review of the prior conviction or negative
behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal
Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer
status without regard to race, color, religion, national origin,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
pregnancy, age, genetic or family medical history information,
disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally
protected basis, and will not be discriminated against because of
their protected status. Applicants and employees of this
institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on
several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the
Law"
Keywords: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa , Executive Director Research - Alabama Water Institute - 518297, Executive , Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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