Department/Organization
704102 - Office for ASSIST
Rank
Associate/Full Professor
Position Summary
At The University of Alabama, our commitment to research excellence is at the heart of our academic mission. As a premier R1 research institution, we are aggressively executing our Research 2030 Strategic Plan to scale our research enterprise, expand our global footprint, and significantly increase annual research expenditures. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of transformative innovation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and groundbreaking discovery across all academic fields and…
departments. The Division for Research plays a pivotal role in this growth. Through our Integrated Venture Development (IVD) unit, we provide the foundational resources, strategic runway, and intentional guidance necessary to empower our faculty, staff, and students as they pursue complex scholarly endeavors. To lead this charge, we are seeking a visionary, peer-level leader to serve as the Director for Research Engagement. This unique 50% faculty appointment is designed for an active, highly respected scholar who possesses deep credibility "in the trenches" of academic grant-seeking. The successful candidate will be a collaborative, multidisciplinary generalist with a proven track record of securing and executing major, center-scale federal programs (such as DoD, DoE, NIH, or NSF initiatives). Overseeing the Research ASSIST Office, this leader will champion an end-to-end institutional framework focused strictly on proactive research development rather than administrative compliance. They will build a trusted, visible ground game across campus, working non-invasively alongside Deans, Center Directors, and Institute Directors to build consensus and cross-functional teams.
Detailed Position Information
The ideal candidate will bring a proven and active history of leadership as a Principal Investigator or Co-PI, with a demonstrated track record in securing, executing, and scaling major federal grants and center-level programs across agencies such as the DoD, DoE, NIH, or NSF. They must possess exceptional success in building proactive, multi-year relationships with national laboratories, federal funding agencies, and industrial consortia to advance institutional research agendas. Furthermore, this leader must be a true champion for multidisciplinary advocacy, showing a deep capacity to understand, respect, and support diverse fields of scholarship while exhibiting a genuine commitment to advancing the entire university enterprise across both STEM and non-STEM disciplines.
Interpersonal excellence, tactical diplomacy, and high emotional intelligence are absolutely paramount for this role, as the Director will need to navigate deep institutional complexities, bridge administrative silos, and seamlessly coordinate across diverse colleges. We are looking for someone who can establish an active, trusted "ground game" with faculty peers, building administrative consensus and mutual respect without imposing top-down compliance burdens. This requires elite written and verbal communication skills, characterized by transparency, reliable accessibility, and an open, approachable communication style that resonates across all levels of university leadership and operational staff.
Finally, the successful candidate must exhibit strong operational resilience and the adaptability required to thrive in a highly dynamic, fast-paced research environment. They should demonstrate patience, reliability, and emotional stability when balancing the competing priorities of diverse stakeholders under pressure. This role demands advanced strategic planning skills paired with the realistic foresight to manage constrained operational resources, pace deliverables, and establish multi-year, "long-runway" planning. Ultimately, we are seeking a motivational leader with a collaborative demeanor who naturally inspires and mentors faculty, builds effective research teams, and acts as a cultural catalyst for cross-disciplinary team science
Minimum Qualifications
Tenured Associate Professor or higher academic rank, with preference given to candidates at the Full Professor level. Terminal Degree.
Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated track record of securing competitive external funding from multiple federal, state, industry, or other external funding agencies.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
All applicants need to upload a current CV/resume, a cover letter and a list of references.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
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 any 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. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
Organization
The University of Alabama embodies an academic community that demands excellence in teaching, research and service and provides an inclusive, nurturing environment for the discovery of knowledge and the development of well-rounded leaders. Founded in 1831 as Alabama's first public college and known as the Capstone of Higher Education, UA provides a premier undergraduate and graduate education built upon global engagement, high-quality scholarship, outstanding teaching, and diversity and inclusivity throughout the community.
Our Mission
The University of Alabama will advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the state, the nation and the world through the creation, translation and dissemination of knowledge with an emphasis on quality programs in the areas of teaching, research and service.
Our Vision
The University of Alabama will be known as the university of choice for the best and brightest students in Alabama, and all students who seek exceptional educational opportunities. The University of Alabama will be a student-centered research university and an academic community united in its commitment to enhance the quality of life for all Alabamians and the citizens of the nation and the world.
Our Core Values
The University of Alabama is committed to:
- Undergraduate education that produces socially-conscious, ethical and well-rounded leaders who are grounded in their subject matter and capable of controlling their own destinies.
- Graduate education that is deeply vested in subject matter knowledge, professional content, research skills and creative activity.
- Public outreach and service that is held in the highest regard and fosters impactful public engagement to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Alabama, the nation and the world.
- Campus life that embodies collaboration, collegiality, respect and a culture of inclusivity.
Our Strategic Goals
- Provide a premier undergraduate and graduate education that offers a global perspective and is characterized by outstanding teaching, high-quality scholarship and distinctive curricular and co-curricular programs. Increase the University’s productivity and innovation in research, scholarship and creative activities that impact economic and societal development.
- Enrich our learning and work environment by providing an accepting, inclusive community that attracts and supports a diverse faculty, staff and student body.
- Provide opportunities and resources that facilitate work-life balance and enhance the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty and staff.
