Virginia Commonwealth University
Associate Dean for Research and Innovation - College of Engineering
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23214
Overview
The College of Engineering (CoE) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), located in Richmond, VA, invites applications for an Associate Dean for Research and Innovation. VCU is a public research university dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. It is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation and has a broad research portfolio across disciplines. VCU Engineering leads interdisciplinary research collaborations with industry, community, and academic partners and hosts centers such as the Medicines for All Institute and the Convergence Lab, and contributes to initiatives like the Central Virginia Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. Position Summary
The CoE at VCU seeks an innovative and visionary leader to serve as the
Associate Dean of Research and Innovation . This position is critical in advancing the college’s research agenda, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, and strengthening partnerships with industry, government agencies, and academic stakeholders. Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Engineering, the Associate Dean will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of engineering research and ensuring its alignment with the institution’s strategic goals. Key Responsibilities
Develop and implement a plan to enhance the school’s research capacity and funding. Actively seek and secure external research funding from government agencies, industry partners, and foundations through grant writing, proposal development, and relationship building. Foster interdisciplinary research collaborations both within and beyond the college. Enhance innovation and creative works, patents, and promote and support incubators, startups, and other lab-to-market commercialization activities. Provide leadership and mentorship to faculty, staff, and students engaged in research activities. Oversee research infrastructure, including laboratories, facilities, and equipment, ensuring optimal utilization. Ensure the impact and dissemination of research: Promote the dissemination and impact of research findings through conferences, publications, and community engagement. Foster a culture of innovation within the College by facilitating collaboration between researchers, industry partners, and entrepreneurs to translate research findings into practical applications. Ensure compliance with ethical and regulatory standards for all research activities. Represent the school in university-wide and external committees related to research. Represent the College at selective conferences, industry events, and government meetings to promote research capabilities and build partnerships. Provide leadership, data, procedures, and administration for college initiatives identified by the Dean and the College strategic and action plans; maintain coordination with the Dean’s leadership team. Qualifications
A Ph.D. in engineering or a closely related field. A distinguished research record, including publications in high-impact journals and external funding. Demonstrated leadership experience in an academic or research setting. Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills; experience developing and leading large research programs, centers, or institutes of national importance with external funding. Experience in raising externally sponsored research and innovation projects for groups of faculty or researchers, beyond individual PI projects. Experience working with national funding agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoD, DARPA, ARPA-E) is preferred. Experience in building and managing collaborative research partnerships is highly desirable. Experience in patents and commercialization of engineering products, incubator programs, and startups; entrepreneurial mindset to expand creative work and commercial productivity. Experience establishing research space and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and align with college and university priorities. Commitment to an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility among faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds. Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their application, including a cover letter highlighting qualifications and vision for the role, a comprehensive curriculum vitae, and the names and email addresses of five professional references. Reference letters will be requested by the search committee for candidate finalists. Only complete electronic materials submitted via the VCU Jobs Website will be accepted. This position is open until filled. Position is expected to start in Summer 2025. For additional information, please contact the Chair of the search committee, Gary Tepper, Ph.D., email: gctepper@vcu.edu. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer. Position Type:
Teaching & Research Faculty Full time equivalent:
100 Rank:
Professor Months:
12 Department:
Dean's Office - College of Engineering Contact Information: Contact Name:
Chair of the Search Committee Contact Email:
gctepper@vcu.edu
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The College of Engineering (CoE) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), located in Richmond, VA, invites applications for an Associate Dean for Research and Innovation. VCU is a public research university dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. It is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation and has a broad research portfolio across disciplines. VCU Engineering leads interdisciplinary research collaborations with industry, community, and academic partners and hosts centers such as the Medicines for All Institute and the Convergence Lab, and contributes to initiatives like the Central Virginia Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. Position Summary
The CoE at VCU seeks an innovative and visionary leader to serve as the
Associate Dean of Research and Innovation . This position is critical in advancing the college’s research agenda, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, and strengthening partnerships with industry, government agencies, and academic stakeholders. Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Engineering, the Associate Dean will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of engineering research and ensuring its alignment with the institution’s strategic goals. Key Responsibilities
Develop and implement a plan to enhance the school’s research capacity and funding. Actively seek and secure external research funding from government agencies, industry partners, and foundations through grant writing, proposal development, and relationship building. Foster interdisciplinary research collaborations both within and beyond the college. Enhance innovation and creative works, patents, and promote and support incubators, startups, and other lab-to-market commercialization activities. Provide leadership and mentorship to faculty, staff, and students engaged in research activities. Oversee research infrastructure, including laboratories, facilities, and equipment, ensuring optimal utilization. Ensure the impact and dissemination of research: Promote the dissemination and impact of research findings through conferences, publications, and community engagement. Foster a culture of innovation within the College by facilitating collaboration between researchers, industry partners, and entrepreneurs to translate research findings into practical applications. Ensure compliance with ethical and regulatory standards for all research activities. Represent the school in university-wide and external committees related to research. Represent the College at selective conferences, industry events, and government meetings to promote research capabilities and build partnerships. Provide leadership, data, procedures, and administration for college initiatives identified by the Dean and the College strategic and action plans; maintain coordination with the Dean’s leadership team. Qualifications
A Ph.D. in engineering or a closely related field. A distinguished research record, including publications in high-impact journals and external funding. Demonstrated leadership experience in an academic or research setting. Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills; experience developing and leading large research programs, centers, or institutes of national importance with external funding. Experience in raising externally sponsored research and innovation projects for groups of faculty or researchers, beyond individual PI projects. Experience working with national funding agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoD, DARPA, ARPA-E) is preferred. Experience in building and managing collaborative research partnerships is highly desirable. Experience in patents and commercialization of engineering products, incubator programs, and startups; entrepreneurial mindset to expand creative work and commercial productivity. Experience establishing research space and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and align with college and university priorities. Commitment to an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility among faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds. Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their application, including a cover letter highlighting qualifications and vision for the role, a comprehensive curriculum vitae, and the names and email addresses of five professional references. Reference letters will be requested by the search committee for candidate finalists. Only complete electronic materials submitted via the VCU Jobs Website will be accepted. This position is open until filled. Position is expected to start in Summer 2025. For additional information, please contact the Chair of the search committee, Gary Tepper, Ph.D., email: gctepper@vcu.edu. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer. Position Type:
Teaching & Research Faculty Full time equivalent:
100 Rank:
Professor Months:
12 Department:
Dean's Office - College of Engineering Contact Information: Contact Name:
Chair of the Search Committee Contact Email:
gctepper@vcu.edu
#J-18808-Ljbffr