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2021 Chemistry Department Head Job Prospectus

College of Sciences
North Carolina State University
Raleigh NC | Summer 2021

The Opportunity

The Department of Chemistry in the College of Sciences at North Carolina State University (NC State) invites applications for the position of Department Head. The appointment will be at the level of a tenured full professor.

About the Department

The Department of Chemistry provides professional education for chemists at the undergraduate and graduate levels; teaches basic chemistry courses, which are needed by students enrolled in other department programs; advances the discipline of chemistry by conducting research; and serves the public by sharing information about chemistry through a variety of mechanisms and services.
The Department of Chemistry includes approximately 43 faculty, 160 graduate students and 240 undergraduates involved in basic and applied chemical studies. The department offers BA, BS, MS, and PhD degrees. Our principal concentrations include physical, analytical, organic, energy/materials, and inorganic. Our programs include many tracks in each of our program areas – and thus provides the opportunity for an education broader than the conventional bachelors degrees in more traditional departments. Although our faculty are heavily involved in research, all courses in our majors are taught by faculty and all faculty are involved in teaching. Involvement of undergraduates and graduate students in research is a major emphasis.

Aerial photo of the chemistry department members holding signs for chemistry symbols
The brickyard, seen from DH Hill library. Photo by Marc Hall
The brickyard, seen from DH Hill library. Photo by Marc Hall

The Position

The NC State Department of Chemistry seeks an innovative leader with a creative sustainable vision for a multidisciplinary chemistry department at a large land-grant university. The department head must be committed to helping shape and further the strategic goals of an active and renowned program known for high-quality research and education. The department head will provide visionary direction to the department and will embrace a collegial management and leadership style that utilizes input from faculty, staff, and students in making critical decisions.

Reporting to the Dean, the Department Head, serving as the department’s academic leader and administrative officer, will provide direction to the department and will be called upon to:

  • create an environment that facilitates an effective shared vision;
  • proactively lead departmental academic, research and outreach activities in the context of a broad vision of chemistry;
  • promote an inclusive and culturally competent environment with a strong commitment to recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students;
  • promote, recognize, and reward faculty research; excellence in teaching and mentoring; and excellence in outreach including communicating science to the public and enhancing K-12 science;
  • provide programs and opportunities for students to develop research and leadership skills;
  • effectively link programs within the department to the broader college and university missions;
  • foster a culture of high-impact interdisciplinary research and collaboration within the college and build partnerships and alliances across the university;
  • provide leadership in advancing departmental and college academic excellence within the university as well as relative to peer institutions;
  • provide leadership in developing external partnerships as well as fundraising in support of the department’s mission and goals;
  • continue a nationally and internationally recognized research program and to demonstrate strong abilities in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for chemistry.

Inclusiveness and diversity are integral to NC State’s commitment to excellence in research, engagement, and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience engaging with diversity through activities such as fostering an inclusive environment, working with students and employees from diverse backgrounds, and incorporating diverse perspectives in research.

Minimum Experience and Education

  • Candidates must possess a Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience in Chemistry or a related scientific field;
  • Professor with tenure with an outstanding record of accomplishment in research, teaching, supervision, and administration;
  • Strong candidates are expected to have had, and continue to have, an active and extramurally-funded research program.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills;
  • Must possess the effective communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills and a leadership vision that will advance the impact and reputation of the Department of Chemistry nationally and internationally;
  • Ability to work collaboratively and productively with a diverse body of stakeholders and interdisciplinary groups;
  • Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
  • A record of collegial and productive interactions with faculty, staff and students;
  • Demonstrated successful research mentorship of faculty and trainees;
  • Interest and enthusiasm for mentorship, particularly with regard to guiding junior faculty
    toward successful careers in research, teaching and service;
  • Experience and enthusiasm for innovative pedagogy and teaching excellence;
  • Demonstrated administrative skills and experience;
  • Understanding of the land-grant university system with the ability to build partnerships
    inside and outside of the University.

How to Apply?

Individuals interested in being considered for the position of Department Head, Chemistry are invited to submit an application at (https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/145451). Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2021; applications received by this date will be given full
consideration.

Complete application packages will include:

  • Statement of qualifications and vision for leading the Chemistry Department
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Contact information for a minimum of three professional references
  • Individual statement of teaching
  • Individual statement of research
  • Individual statement of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Please direct all nominations and inquiries to Dr. Lewis Owen at lewis.owen@ncsu.edu with the position’s title in the subject line.

The College of Sciences

The College of Sciences is NC State’s home for the physical, chemical, mathematical, statistical, biological and earth-system sciences. With more than 4,100 students and about $40 million in annual research expenditures, we’re one of the largest and most research-intensive colleges at the university. The College of Sciences is spread across several buildings on NC State’s Main and Centennial campuses. Administrative offices are located in the Bureau of Mines and Cox Hall buildings near the university’s Brickyard.
College of Sciences faculty and students are working across disciplines to solve society’s greatest challenges and make bold new discoveries. At the heart of a world-class College of Sciences are dedicated, inspiring faculty who lead the way in research and teaching. Our faculty are members of renowned societies like the National Academy of Sciences and American Association for the Advancement of Science and winners of many prestigious national and
international awards. Since 2004, we’ve had 32 winners of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, one of the nation’s top honors for young faculty. And each year, our scientists bring in tens of millions of dollars in funding for innovative research that sheds new light on science and how it can help us all. And they do it all while helping our students succeed by providing exceptional teaching, advising and mentoring.
NC State and the College of Sciences not only attract the best — we help them become better. Here, faculty find the resources they need to do extraordinary work. They have access to state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities and equipment and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. And with NC State’s Centennial Campus and proximity to the thriving Research Triangle Park, chances for industry partnerships abound. The college is committed to diversifying the science and mathematics pipeline and promoting science literacy nationwide.
It’s not all work and no play here, though. Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing urban centers in America. A top spot for young professionals and families, Raleigh is nationally recognized as a great place to live and a city on the rise.

North Carolina State University

At NC State, we create prosperity for North Carolina and the nation. We began as a land-grant institution grounded in agriculture and engineering. Today, we’re a pre-eminent research enterprise that excels across disciplines.
NC State is a powerhouse in science, technology, engineering and math. We lead in agriculture, education, textiles, business and natural resources management. We’re at the forefront of teaching and research in design, the humanities and the social sciences. And we’re home to one of the world’s best colleges of veterinary medicine.
Our more than 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn by doing. They pursue original research and start new companies. They forge connections with top employers and serve communities local and global. Through it all, they enjoy an outstanding return on investment.
Whether it’s Princeton Review ranking NC State among the nation’s best values for universities, Money magazine naming it the No. 1 best college for your money in North Carolina, or Kiplinger’s Personal Finance ranking NC State No. 9 among the best values in public higher education, the university has many reasons to be proud.
Each year, NC State adds $6.5 billion to the statewide economy, equivalent to creating more than 90,000 new jobs. That represents a significant return on investment for the citizens of North Carolina in the form of research advances, innovative technologies, successful companies, skilled graduates and new jobs waiting for them.
Our 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Together, they forge powerful partnerships with government, industry, nonprofits and academia to remake our world for the better.

Aerial View of Main Campus
NC State University Sign
Copper Wolf at Wolf Plaza
One of the copper wolves at Wolf Plaza. Photo by Marc Hall

Raleigh and North Carolina

North Carolina’s rapid growth makes the state a diversity leader and top spot for young professionals and families. Raleigh reflects statewide growth as a city on the rise:
• No. 13 best places to live (US News and World report, 2020-21)
• No. 2 among the large-size college cities to live in (WalletHub, 2020)
• No. 2 among the best big cities to live in (Money, 2018)
• No. 2 among the best places for business and careers (Forbes, 2018)
• One of America’s most digitally inclusive tech cities (Brookings, 2018)
• No. 2 hotspot for tech jobs (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 3 best city for young professionals (Forbes, 2016)
With Durham and Chapel Hill, the capital city anchors the Research Triangle, a national hotspot for high-tech enterprise. The region’s top companies — including IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, Biogen Idec and GlaxoSmithKline — rank among the country’s best employers, and the RTP region has recently been selected as the site for Apple’s new East Coast campus. NC State also maintains strong agricultural partnerships with Bayer, BASF and Syngenta, companies that lead the way in hiring new NC State graduates.
Celebrating its 134th year in 2021, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality.,Every day our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning, discovery and engagement available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.