Department Head, Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science

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.