Vice President for Research

Kansas State University (K-State) seeks an experienced, accomplished and creative leader with a strong record of research and scholarly activities and a commitment to economic development to serve as its next Vice President for Research (VPR).

Kansas State University is a comprehensive, research, land-grant institution serving students and the people of Kansas, the nation, and the world. Since its founding in 1863, the university has evolved into a modern institution of higher education, committed to quality programs, and responsive to a rapidly changing world and the aspirations of an increasingly diverse society. Research and other creative endeavors comprise an essential component of K-State's mission. All faculty members contribute to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge, applications and products. These efforts, supported by public and private resources, are conducted in an atmosphere of open inquiry and academic freedom.

Kansas State University and its nearly 1,500 faculty educate more than 20,000 total students and provide some of the best global food systems and biosecurity research in the world. The university is progressing toward its goal of becoming a premier public research university. The university has nine academic colleges and offers more than 250 majors and options. The Graduate School offers more than 159 graduate degrees and certificates in multiple disciplines. The Princeton Review recognizes the university as one of the nation’s best colleges and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities designated Kansas State University as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. Commonly referred to as K-State, the university is proud of its welcoming environment and considers all K-Staters as family.

Reporting to the president and working in close collaboration with the provost, deans and center directors, the VPR serves as the university’s chief research officer, providing leadership and expertise in fostering a campus environment that promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts and produces high quality research, scholarly, and creative activity and discovery across the university's four campuses and nine colleges and various research centers. In addition, the VPR provides leadership for the acquisition of research funding, the planning and development of academic research space, patenting, commercialization, the incubation of new companies and recruiting of corporate research partners, and public outreach. The VPR will be a key leader in support of K-State's deep commitment to developing economic prosperity locally, regionally and across the state in fulfillment of its land-grant mission and in alignment with the Kansas Board of Regents plan, Building a Future: Higher Education's Commitment to Kansas Families, Businesses and the Economy. K-State's next VPR will contribute to the university's strategic plan, K-State 2025, and the further development of a dynamic, entrepreneurial and innovative intellectual and scholarly environment. Furthermore, the VPR will be a highly accomplished researcher with a track record of successful, transparent and collaborative leadership of a complex research organization and possess the interpersonal, managerial and communication skills necessary to build and operate an effective research and economic development enterprise. The incoming VPR should have demonstrated skills and experience to work productively and in partnership with internal and external colleagues and stakeholders, including regional, state and national government agencies, national labs and private funders. The VPR will contribute to the university's persuasive voice and leadership across the state and in the nation's capital.

The ideal candidate should have a distinguished research record, respect within their discipline, and demonstrated experience and success attracting support for the institution's research agenda. The VPR will have knowledge of and a deep commitment to research compliance and integrity and possess the ability and acumen to help translate research for societal gain, transfer technologies for commercial applications, and enhance workforce development for economic growth. Ideal candidates will be qualified to hold an appointment at the rank of full professor with tenure at Kansas State University. For more information, please visit www.wittkieffer.com.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. WittKieffer is assisting Kansas State University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by Friday, February 19, 2021. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer and Julia Venetos

KansasStateVPR@wittkieffer.com

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States

 at the time of employment.

 

Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and actively seeks diversity among its employees. In connection with your application for employment, Kansas State University will procure a Background Screen on you as part of the process of considering your candidacy as an employee.