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The Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, seeks a visionary leader for the position of Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering effective Fall 2024. The Department currently has 12 tenured/tenure-track faculty and 2 teaching faculty and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as a graduate certificate in Freight Transportation.
The successful candidate will lead the Department and be active in research, teaching, and outreach. The Chair provides academic and administrative leadership to the Department, including maintaining a dynamic research and teaching environment. The Chair also serves on the College’s executive committee and will support college leadership in developing and supporting college initiatives. Duties and responsibilities include administration of the department; stewardship of department resources; curriculum development; program promotion; course scheduling; faculty and staff recruitment, development, and evaluation; staff supervision; student recruitment; budgeting and planning; outreach and fundraising; and development of external relationships.
The department places high value on creative, interdisciplinary research leading to a strong, externally funded research program with national and international recognition.
• An earned Ph.D. in Civil Engineering or a closely related field
• A distinguished, nationally recognized academic career and record of professional accomplishment
• A strong record of sustained scholarship and publication in leading peer-reviewed journals
• Background in one of the following areas: Environmental Engineering, Transportation, or Structural Engineering
• Managerial/supervisory experience
• A record of mentoring faculty, instructors, and staff
• Knowledge of higher education issues at the national and global level
• Successful development of innovative programs and outreach initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse department faculty to advance academic programs
• Demonstrated ability to perform outreach and fund-raising activities in the corporate community
• Familiarity with ABET Accreditation
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead successful research programs
The University of Memphis is the largest public university and engineering program in western Tennessee with an enrollment of about 22,000 students. It is one of two flagship Carnegie R1 public institutions in the State of Tennessee. The Herff College of Engineering at The University of Memphis is nationally ranked in both its undergraduate and graduate programs.
For the last 50 years, the Department of Civil Engineering has positively impacted the Memphis area, the region, and the nation with innovative research and high-quality graduate and undergraduate education. The department has strong support from alumni and corporate partners and is well-regarded in the community.
The Department of Civil Engineering research awards exceeded $8.6M in fiscal year 2023 with substantial growth occurring over the past ten years. Research thrusts in the department align with stated campus investment areas of Infrastructure Resilience, Transportation, Water Resources, Earthquake Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Additionally, the Department is home to five research centers: the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER), the Center for Disaster Recovery and Resiliency (CDRR), the Center for Transportation Innovation, Education, and Research (C-TIER), the Center for Innovative Research in Bridge Engineering (CIRBE), and the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center (SETWC).
Applicants must submit their application through https://workforum.memphis.edu. Applications must include a letter detailing personal qualifications and experience related to the position, a comprehensive curriculum vitae, a statement on (1) leadership, (2) teaching philosophy, and (3) research, and contact information (name, mailing address, phone number, and email address) of three to five professional references. Screening of applications will begin on November 30, 2023, and may continue until the position is filled. Please contact Dr. Stephanie Ivey (ssalyers@memphis.edu) if you have any questions.
The University of Memphis is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We urge all qualified applicants to apply for this position. Appointment will be based on qualifications as they relate to position requirements without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class.
