Department Head, Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Employer
- Dept of Biology, Geology & Environmental Science; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Closing date
- Nov 12, 2020
View more
- Discipline
- Interdisciplinary/Other
- Career Level
- Faculty
- Education Level
- PhD
- Job Type
- Full-time
- Relocation Cost
- No Relocation
- Sector Type
- Academia
About the Position:
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) College of Arts & Sciences invites
applications for the position of Head of the Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental
Science (BGE) at the rank of associate or full professor. This is a tenure-track, 12-month position
with appointment to begin August 1, 2021. The field of specialization is open, but candidates
must have an earned Ph.D. in Biology, Geology, Environmental Science, or a related discipline
to be considered. Applicants must have administrative experience and demonstrate the ability to
support and integrate our large, complex, multidisciplinary department while promoting our
disciplinary identities and strengths. The successful candidate should be a forward thinker who is
able to motivate the department to pursue a long-term vision that will grow our strengths and
capitalize on our uniqueness. We are especially interested in candidates with strong
communication skills that will encourage open conversation within the department and facilitate
advocacy of departmental needs to the upper administration. Applicants should have a history of
teaching accomplishment and scholarly productivity and a sustained commitment to diversity,
equity, and inclusion in higher education with a focus on increasing the participation of
underrepresented students and faculty in the sciences. We encourage applications from members
of under-represented groups, including but not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQ+,
gender-nonconforming individuals, first generation college graduates, and people with disabilities.
About the Department:
The Department offers six B.S. degrees in Biology, Biology: STEM Education, Geology,
Environmental Geology, STEM Geology, and Environmental Science, as well as an M.S. degree
in Environmental Science. Our 35 faculty are actively engaged in teaching, research, student
mentorship, and service. We serve more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate student majors
and contribute substantially to the University’s General Education program. Facilities include
recently renovated classrooms and labs that support a variety of research activities, a Natural
History Museum including an herbarium, local field stations, access to high-performance
computational resources through our affiliation with the UTC SIM Center of Excellence in Applied
Computational Science and Engineering, and access to more than 500,000 holdings in the UTC
Library and other resources through an extensive interlibrary loan system.
With the support of a full-time administrative assistant, accounts specialist, and faculty associate,
the Department Head manages and leads the Department, teaches two courses per year in an
area of expertise, engages in and promotes scholarship and service, and maintains internal and
external collaborations and partnerships.
Additional information about the BGE Department can be found at https://www.utc.edu/biologygeology-
environmental-science/.
About the University:
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is the second-largest school in the University of
Tennessee System, serving a diverse student body of more than 11,000 undergraduate and
graduate students through five academic colleges. UTC offers a unique blend of private and public
school traditions and is a driving force for achieving excellence, embracing diversity, inspiring
positive change, and enriching the community. The UTC commitment—each and every day—is
to earn the trust and confidence of those we serve. Our goal is to make a difference in our
community and in the lives of our students.
About Chattanooga:
Chattanooga is a thriving urban community surrounded by mountains, lakes, and rivers that offers
both mid-size city amenities and a wide range of outdoor activities. It has been recognized as one
of the Best in the U.S. by Lonely Planet and Top 45 Places To Go by the New York Times.
Chattanooga is home to the Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Zoo, Creative Discovery
Museum, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, and numerous land trusts. The
Cumberland Trail runs nearby, and the surrounding region includes numerous state parks and
natural areas, the Cherokee National Forest, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The City
is known for trendsetting, collaborative economic development opportunities in areas of
conservation and sustainability. Chattanooga was also among the first US cities officially
recognized by US Ignite (us-ignit.org) as a Smart Gigabit Community. This designation indicates
a commitment by the community to leverage advanced science, mathematics, engineering,
computing and networking technologies to improve city processes and quality of life for all
citizens. In addition to its own amenities, Chattanooga is within a couple of hours drive to the
Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, and Knoxville metropolitan areas.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Ph.D. in Biology, Geology, Environmental Science, or a related discipline;
• Record of research, teaching, and service sufficient enough to be tenured in the
Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science at the full professor rank;
• Three years minimum of relevant administrative experience;
• Demonstrated and sustained commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher
education with a focus on increasing the participation of underrepresented students and
faculty in the sciences.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Administrative experience as a department head, director or similar position that includes
personnel and budget management and curriculum oversight;
• A record of success in supporting and advocating for departmental colleagues, including
tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, support and administrative staff, and
students.
Skills & Abilities:
• Outstanding leadership and consensus-building skills;
• Strong communication skills that will facilitate cooperation, collaboration, and advocacy;
• Ability to support and integrate a large, complex, multidisciplinary department while
promoting disciplinary identities and strengths;
• Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with donors, alumni, and the
professional community;
• Ability to engage in assisting the UTC campus to reach goals as specified in UTC’s
Strategic Plan.
Application Procedure:
Applicants should prepare to submit all the following information to our online application system,
https://ut.taleo.net/careersection/utc_faculty/jobdetail.ftl?job=20000000X1,
for consideration:
• CV, including up-to-date personal contact information;
• Letter of interest addressing how the applicant meets the qualifications for the position;
• Leadership statement describing the applicant’s ability to manage a large, complex
department;
• Diversity statement detailing evidence of the applicant’s value and commitment to
diversity, equity and inclusion;
• Statement describing the applicant’s teaching and research areas of expertise and
achievements;
• Names, titles, and email addresses for 3-5 professional references for confidential letters
of recommendation to be requested.
Review of applications begins Friday, November 6, 2020 and will continue until position is filled.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section
504/ADA/ADEA institution. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for
employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or
mental disability, or protected veteran status.
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