Director, School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (COS) at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida invites applications for the Director of our new School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS). Launched in 2023, ECOS is a partnership between the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Florida Atlantic’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Comprised of a broad array of existing disciplines and units, ECOS was created to integrate Florida Atlantic’s environmental research, teaching, and community engagement to create a comprehensive environmental hub at the university. ECOS serves as an umbrella for graduate degrees in Environmental Science and Marine Science and Oceanography. The school also serves as a connector for numerous pre-existing educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels and as a platform for engaging external partners from the private sector, government, and non-governmental organizations. Faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from across Florida Atlantic may join ECOS as affiliate members, which provides access to timely information, events, seed funding, and other collaborative opportunities. The new Director of ECOS will continue to coordinate and expand environmental initiatives and programming across Florida Atlantic University.

Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Science, the Director of ECOS will lead the interdisciplinary school and hold a tenured faculty position in the College of Science. The Director will work closely with the Dean of the College of Science and the Executive Director of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, as well as ECOS-affiliated faculty to develop the mission, vision and strategic plan for new and rapidly expanding environmental research, teaching and community engagement at FAU. This position will engage key internal and external stakeholders to determine the needs relative to ECOS’ mission and assist in the effective integration of objectives and resources to advance environmental, coastal, and ocean sustainability at the University. This position will work to advance the University’s investment in environmental research by helping to grow current initiatives, as well as to develop new endeavors with existing as well as newly recruited FAU faculty who wish to affiliate with the new School. The Director will also identify and pursue opportunities for research collaboration and educational relationships with regional, national, and international partners including, but not limited to, relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of strategies to promote excellence in environmental research at FAU.
• Provide leadership for ECOS’ research, education, and engagement initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative environment across diverse disciplines.
• Lead strategic planning, manage finances and personnel, and establish ECOS as a nationally and internationally recognized school supported with extramural funds.
• Raise the visibility of ECOS and create new synergies and partnerships to support its mission.
• Maintain a robust research and education program as a faculty member.
• Work closely with the hiring units in the recruitment and selection of key faculty and research positions in the environmental sciences.
• Work closely with the FAU Office for Advancement to play a central role in the coordination and implementation of strategies to attract philanthropic gifts and promote donor engagement to support the continued success and expansion of ECOS.
• Serve as the ECOS liaison to internal and external constituents and support the development of outreach activities related to environmental, coastal, and ocean sustainability at FAU.

Requirements:

• A Ph.D. from an accredited institution in one or more of the environmental sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, geoscience, marine science, oceanography, etc.).
• A record of distinguished research, publications, scholarly activities including teaching and mentoring, as well as academic service, appropriate to qualify the candidate for appointment as a tenured full professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.
• A record of research leadership and administrative experience in higher education that includes mentoring and faculty development, budgeting, assessment, and demonstrated achievement in research project and program development.
• Sustained contribution to the sciences evidenced in sustained productivity in funded research and publications.
• Sustained experience as principal investigator on externally funded environment-related research projects.
• Unquestioned integrity and the highest ethical standards.

Preferred:

• Advanced knowledge of the current state of one or more areas of environmental research, as well as experience and engagement in current trends in the environmental sciences.
• Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively within and outside the College and University.
• An understanding of challenges and key issues that confront academic objectives in research as well as undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral education.
• A strategic vision on how to lead and propel ECOS to local, state, national, and international prominence in research, along with demonstrated experience in the use of innovative and entrepreneurial approaches.
• Management skills that include collegiality and respect along with excellence in problem solving, an ability to establish effective partnerships in an academic environment, and the capacity to advance strategic initiatives and achieve targeted goals.
• The ability to communicate effectively in a culturally and ethnically diverse community.