INTRODUCTION

The University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for an outstanding leader and mentor to serve as Director/Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SoCEE, https://cee.engr.uconn.edu/), within the College of Engineering (CoE) at UConn’s Storrs Campus.

UConn SoCEE provides outstanding undergraduate, graduate, and professional training and is rapidly expanding its international reputation through numerous well-funded research programs led by world-class faculty, consisting of 23 Tenured/Tenure Track faculty members, 4 full-time teaching faculty, and 10 full-time research faculty. The school currently administers two ABET-accredited B.S. programs (Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering), and three PhD and MS graduate programs in Structural Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Transportation and Urban Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Our ABET-accredited programs include a wide variety of design-oriented courses that integrate real-world problems and culminate in the capstone design course.

The SoCEE at UConn is home to several prominent research centers, including the Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI), the Eversource Energy Center, Technical Assistance for Brownfields (TAB), Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ-TCTAC), and the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT), all led by faculty within the School. These centers are instrumental in advancing research, fostering innovation, and developing strategic partnerships across academia, industry, and government. In 2020, the SoCEE launched the NSF-funded INCLUDE program to integrate the philosophy of inclusion in every aspect of our programs, embracing neurodiversity and encouraging every student to cultivate their unique strengths and create their own identity as an engineer. The School Director/Head will play a critical role in supporting and enhancing diversity initiatives and centers' activities, ensuring impactful education, research, and collaborative initiatives. The Director is expected to actively engage with these centers and programs to foster excellence in education, facilitate faculty involvement, support new areas of growth, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration that aligns with the school’s mission of addressing global challenges through engineering solutions.

The successful candidate will be a senior faculty with strong management skills, a driving collaborative spirit, a shared vision for research and teaching excellence, and a demonstrated capability to lead a highly impactful, extramurally funded research programs. This person will have an outstanding record of professional accomplishments commensurate with an appointment at the rank of Professor, with the opportunity for tenure at hire. Essential characteristics also include a demonstrated ability to engage in a collegial departmental environment and to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. The successful candidate should be an experienced mentor and manager with proven interpersonal skills, a visionary leader who can elevate the reputation of the School, and someone who can continue to identify, attract, recruit, and retain talented students, faculty, and staff. We encourage applications from individuals with backgrounds typically underrepresented in civil and environmental engineering and the School.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. An earned doctorate in Civil or Environmental Engineering or a related discipline.
2. A distinguished scholarly reputation and record of research accomplishments, which lead to achieving the rank of full professor by the time of appointment.
3. Demonstrated excellence in teaching and/or educational innovation.
4. A clear and innovative academic vision for the school that encompasses its undergraduate, graduate, and professional educational enterprises.
5. A clear vision of emerging research opportunities and an established track record of leadership in major efforts in research and/or education.
6. Previous experience working with faculty, students, staff, administration, and alumni.
7. Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills focused on interactions with faculty, staff, administration, students, and industry.
8. Experience managing a significant budget in a setting with many competing objectives.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Experience working in or collaborating with public and private entities.
2. Commitment to supporting the growth and development of students, faculty, and staff.
3. Dedication to an environment that supports the diversity of population and perspectives.
4. Experience in identifying and recruiting talented faculty and support staff.
5. Experience serving as a school/department advocate with institutional and/or external organizations.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 10-month, tenured position at the rank of Full Professor with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2025. Applicants must meet University requirements for appointment at the rank of Full Professor, with tenure. The successful candidates' primary academic appointment will be in the College of Engineering at the Storrs campus. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to UConn Jobs at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs Search #498762 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter,
• Full curriculum vitae including a complete record of federal funding and journal publications,
• Leadership statement: a two-page statement highlighting the candidate's leadership philosophy, past leadership experiences, and leadership vision,
• Research and scholarship statement (innovative concepts that demonstrate vision for future research initiatives, experience in proposal development, successful and diverse grant funding, mentorship of graduate students, etc.),
• Vision for the future of teaching in higher education (including teaching philosophy, teaching experience, commitment to effective learning, concepts for new course development, vision for innovation and future direction in teaching methods and modalities, etc.),
• Commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research, pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, etc.),
• Name and email addresses for five references.

Applicant screening will begin immediately. Applications received before January 20, 2025, will have priority consideration. Applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.

For more information regarding the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UConn, please visit https://cee.engr.uconn.edu/. For questions regarding this position, prospective applicants should contact Jessica Zoldak (Jessica.Zoldak@uconn.edu). 

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce.  The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner.  This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all.  We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same.  All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

 The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.