Chemical and Biological Engineering - Department Head

Chemical and Biological Engineering - Department Head

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE) and the Styslinger College of Engineering at The University of Alabama invite applications for the position of Department Head of the UA Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The anticipated start date for the position is Fall 2027 or earlier. This opportunity presents the chance for a dynamic and visionary leader who has a demonstrated record of success as an outstanding scholar, researcher, teacher, and mentor to join our Styslinger College of Engineering and our Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering during a period of record growth and success, with opportunities and significant resources at their disposal to help grow and shape the program into one of the leading departments of chemical and biological engineering in the nation.

The Styslinger College of Engineering has experienced tremendous growth in its faculty, facilities, student populations, and research enterprise over the past decade. The Styslinger College of Engineering currently has more than 4,800 undergraduate students and almost 800 graduate students, making it one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation. The ChBE department currently offers one undergraduate degree, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and three graduate degrees, an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering.

The department has embarked on a multi-year effort to significantly expand its faculty size to help better serve its students and educational mission and to add both depth and breadth to the range of research activities represented across the department and its faculty. The department and its faculty and students recently moved into their new departmental home suite in the Shelby Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) which is situated in the heart of The University of Alabama campus and the center of the UA engineering complex.

This new home provides brand new spaces, including a new central departmental administrative suite, that will allow the department and its programs to continue to thrive and grow while also providing a cohesive space to build community across the department amongst its faculty, staff, and students.

The pace of growth and change in the department is both brisk and invigorating. The next Department Head for Chemical and Biological Engineering will have a tremendous opportunity to help shape the future of the department and to work with the leadership of the Styslinger College of Engineering to deploy the significant resources of the College and university toward the goal of making the department one of the preeminent chemical and biological engineering departments in the country.

The Head of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is the academic and administrative leader of the department. The expectation is that this individual will serve as Department Head for a minimum of 5 years, and renewal of the position beyond that time frame is possible. The Department Head is part of the Styslinger College of Engineering (SCoE) senior leadership team, serving as a member of the Dean's Advisory Council for the College.

The Department Head is directly supported by two additional faculty members who are appointed by the Department Head as Associate Department Heads for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies. The Department Head and department are supported by a professional staff team which includes an Administrative Assistant to the Department Head.

The Department Head we seek will have an exciting opportunity to play a central role in a dynamic and fast-growing education and research enterprise. Successful candidates will be expected to contribute to the life of the department, college, and university through research, teaching, and service contributions consistent with the Department Head responsibilities. Candidates who have an accomplished track record in research and graduate education are strongly encouraged to apply, as candidates are expected to have a desire to continue to set an example for the department and its faculty by continuing to advise both graduate and undergraduate research students supported by an extramurally funded research program.

Since the Department Head will serve as and be appointed also as a tenured faculty member, it is expected that they will maintain a high-quality, high-impact, scholarly productive research program, teach at the undergraduate…