Chair of the Department of Chemistry

Chair of the Department of Chemistry

(Administrative-Research Position)

at the University of South Florida in Tampa

The University of South Florida, one of the three preeminent research universities designated by the state of Florida and located in the heart of Tampa Bay, is accepting applications and nominations for the position of Chair of the Chemistry Department. The Chair is a 12-month administrative appointment accompanied by a tenured faculty appointment with the rank of full professor and full University benefits. The Chair is expected to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the administrator while maintaining an active and productive research group.

Complete information is available in the Search Profile at http://www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/USF-Chem.pdf

The Opportunity

With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota, the University of South Florida (USF) serves nearly 51,000 students and offers undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral-level degrees. High-impact, global research is central to the mission and goals of USF. In 2018, the University ranked 25th among public universities for research spending, according to a report by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and 42nd in the nation overall among public and private universities. With a total research expenditure of $568 million in 2016-2017, USF is at the forefront of research in medicine, science, engineering, and the arts.

Dedicated to empowering USF students to prosper, USF has been recognized nationally for its achievements in closing the gap between white and black student success. Forty-one percent of enrolled students are African American, Black, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, or multiracial. The enrollment has 145 countries represented, with international students comprising 10 percent of the total student population.

Student success is reflected in the numbers. During the 2017-18 academic year, the USF System was home to 63 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees, including Boren, Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater. In 2017, the University was the number one producer of Fulbright Scholars in the nation.

The Chair of the Department of Chemistry offers an opportunity for an active researcher-administrator to lead nationally recognized academic programs in a cutting-edge research institution, which is rapidly becoming a global leader in higher education.

Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry is housed within the College of Arts & Sciences,  which is under the leadership of Dean Eric M. Eisenberg, Ph.D. One of the largest academic units within Academic Affairs, the Department of Chemistry has 40 faculty (28 tenured/tenure track, 8 permanent instructors, and 4 core facility managers).

Serving more than 3,500 undergraduate majors, the Department offers two Bachelor of Arts and four Bachelor of Science degrees. The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry is certified by the American Chemical Society.

Graduate degree programs include the Ph.D., Master of Arts, and Master of Science. Of the 140 graduate students in Chemistry, 132 are in the Ph.D. program and 8 in the master’s degree programs. Research opportunities are available across the chemistry spectrum, including areas of departmental emphasis in Biomolecular Transformations and Analysis, Drug Discovery, Chemical Education, Computation and Modeling, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Catalysis, Porous Materials, and Polymers Chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry has experienced enormous success over the past decade in graduate research, infrastructure development, high-profile research, SCH production, and STEM graduate production at both the undergraduate and graduate student levels. This success is the result of the College’s and Academic Affairs’ investments in the Department, as well as thoughtful department planning by the faculty and senior departmental leadership.

Significant equipment is dedicated to research. The department has eight high-field superconducting NMRs, including an 800 MHz, two 600 MHz, two 500 MHz, two 400 MHz, and a 250 MHz magnet. There are also cores dedicated to x-ray crystallography, proteomics, and chemical purification, analysis, and screening that house HRMS, preparative and analytical HPLC/MS, and a robotic liquid handler.

With annual research award dollars and expenditures of $4 million and a facilities and administrative (F&R) return rate of 35 percent, the USF Department of Chemistry’s National Research Council (NRC) ranking is in the top 50 of public Association of American Universities (AAU).

The Department of Chemistry is organized into four areas of strategic emphasis: Functional Porous Materials, Drug Discovery, Discipline-based Education Research, and Chemical Catalysis, which align with the United Nations’ global sustainability goals.

The interdisciplinary nature of these research focus areas is evident in the Department’s broad research portfolio and well-established collaborations with academic units across campus, including the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the Colleges of Engineering, Public Health, Pharmacy and Medicine, the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, and the Florida Center of Excellence Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation.

Visit the Department of Chemistry website at

https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/chemistry/

The Position

The College of Arts & Sciences at the University of South Florida-Tampa seeks a world-class scholar and strategic leader to serve as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry. A start date of August 1, 2019, is preferred.

Reporting to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, the Department Chair is responsible for leading the faculty in the development of research, teaching, and public service. This administrator also engages with industry, private foundations, and alumni to advance the success and excellence of the department. 

The Department Chair will receive a significant amount of resources from the Provost, including multiple new hires.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Lead the department in developing and implementing a compelling vision for Chemistry at USF.
  • Provide primary oversight for all administrative and budgetary decisions of the department.
  • Further the scholarly excellence of the department with the goal of becoming one of the top 50 programs nationally.
  • Foster, advocate, and promote cutting-edge, innovative undergraduate and graduate curricula as well as multidisciplinary research collaborations through effective leadership and management.
  • Promote an inclusive and engaging environment for all departmental faculty and staff, grounded on effective mentoring and academic and professional development.
  • Foster existing and establish new long-term connections with industry.
  • Foster a culture of active alumni engagement with the department that celebrates its graduates as the stewards of its long-term excellence.

Position Qualifications

Applicants must have an earned Ph.D. in chemistry or closely related field, a scholarly record commensurate with the level of a full professor, and a world-renowned reputation in research. Applicant must have an active research grant, preferably with NIH or NSF, that can be transferred to USF.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Internationally recognized scholar in any of the sub-disciplines of chemistry as evident from high impact publications, citations, and h-index
  • Full professor from an academic chemistry department within a major research university (AAU or equivalent)
  • Administrative/leadership experience as a Chemistry Chair or Vice Chair at a major research university
  • Well-funded through any of the major federal funding agencies (i.e., NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, etc.)

Preference will be given to individuals who:

  • have been involved in fostering and promoting cutting-edge, innovative undergraduate and graduate curricula as well as multidisciplinary research collaborations
  • have engaged in collaborative multidisciplinary research in at least one of USF Chemistry’s focus areas:Functional Porous Materials, Drug Discovery, Discipline Based Education Research, or Chemical Catalysis or closely related areas
  • have fostered a culture of active alumni engagement at his/her home institution
  • have been involved in entrepreneurial activities that have relied upon lab or those of collaborators and/or fostered long-term connections with industry at his/her home institution
  • have a well-articulated and data-driven vision to boost departmental excellence as measured by rankings and student success
  • foster productivity and excellence through a culture of inclusivity and collaboration

University of South Florida

Established in 1956, the University of South Florida is one of the largest public universities in the nation and among the top 50 universities, public or private, for federal research expenditures. USF is one of only four Florida public universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the top tier of research universities. It is one of 49 public research universities nationwide classified as both a Doctoral University with “Highest Research Activity” and as a “Community Engaged” institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The USF System includes three institutions, each separately accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: USF - Tampa, USF - St. Petersburg, and USF - Sarasota-Manatee. The USF System was formed to bring its three institutions together, so that collectively and collaboratively they could serve the region and beyond in optimal ways, resulting in a stronger presence and a distinctiveness that provides an unstoppable competitive differentiation. Because of this strategic alignment, the USF System transforms its annual budget of $1.5 billion into an economic impact of $4.4 billion.

USF offers more than 240 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialty, and doctoral levels though 14 colleges. The dynamic teaching and learning environment inspires innovation, creativity, and collaboration.

More than 2,000 distinguished scholars, researchers, and expert teachers, nearly all holding Ph.D.s or the highest degrees in their fields, make up the USF faculty. In 2017, USF faculty were awarded 101 highly prestigious awards.

USF ranked 4th worldwide for organizations with the most Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) named in 2017, a rank USF has held for the past four years. As of 2018, USF has a total of 60 AAAS Fellows among its faculty, including three in the Department of Chemistry.

The University is the founder and home of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a non-profit member organization spanning more than 250 U.S. universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes. The USF Chapter of the NAI has over 450 USF faculty, staff, students, and alumni members, who collectively hold more than 2,400 U.S. patents.

In 2015, USF was named an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, in recognition of its strong commitment to economic engagement. It is one of only 64 universities nationwide and one of only three in Florida to receive the designation.

Visit the University of South Florida’s website at www.usf.edu.

Tampa Bay, Florida

The Tampa Bay metro area is a vibrant, sprawling, and diverse region that encompasses three cities – Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. With nearly 3 million residents, the area offers all the amenities of a large metropolitan area. Along with a high quality of life, the area has low unemployment, mild winters, beautiful Gulf coast beaches, professional sports, moderate cost of living, and quality schools. Florida also does not have a state personal income tax.

Tampa is one of the best large cities to live in, according to a 2018 ranking from WalletHub. Whether looking for family fun, outdoor recreation, historic places, or great food, the Tampa Bay area has it.

Application and Nomination Process

Confidential inquiries are welcomed, and nominations are invited.

To apply - Application packet must include: 1) Cover letter articulating your vision for this position; 2) Curriculum vitae. 3) Teaching statement and research plan, and 4) At least five references with full contact information, including e-mail addresses (references will not be contacted without applicant’s consent.)

Information regarding additional required materials will be provided upon receipt of the application packet.

Submit application materials to USF-CHE@myersmcrae.com by April 22, 2019, for best consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Submit nominations to USF-CHE-nominate@myersmcrae.com with full contact and e-mail information for the nominee.

Emily Parker Myers, CEO, and Jennifer Barfield, Senior Vice President, of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, are assisting with this search.

USF is an equal opportunity, equal access academic institution that embraces diversity in the workplace. Under Florida law, employment applications, resumes and additional applicant documentation are subject to public record.

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting

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