Professor and Department Head, Entomology

Overview

Virginia Tech seeks applications and nominations for the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, a tenured twelve-month academic and administrative appointment. The Department has nationally and internationally recognized programs in research, extension and education. Faculty research and teaching interests encompass broad areas of entomology including vector borne diseases, vector and pollinator ecology and biology, insect toxicology, invasive species, biological control, aquatic entomology, genomics and systematics, and pest management in forest, agronomic, horticultural and urban systems.

The faculty has a strong track record of competitive funding from NIH, NSF, USDA, USGS and various state and industry sources.

The Department on the main campus in Blacksburg has 23 tenured or tenure track faculty members, 16 A/P faculty and 20 salaried staff. In addition, 5 tenured or tenure‑track faculty members are located at off campus Agricultural Research and Extension Centers (ARECs). Approximately 50 graduate students are enrolled in the Department's MS or PhD programs, and 37 undergraduates are enrolled in the Department's minor degree program.

The Department also supports the undergraduate teaching curricula of other departments on campus, including Biology, Biomedical Sciences & Veterinary Sciences, Forestry, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, and the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Departmental resources include laboratories, greenhouses, an insect quarantine unit, an insect museum, and field research facilities on or near campus.

Research and extension are also conducted across the Commonwealth and at the ARECs around the state. Efforts to develop improved monitoring systems and sustainable pest management solutions are integral to these diverse programs. Extension and outreach programs target growers, commodity groups, regulatory agencies, industry, and the public.

The Department Head will provide visionary leadership in establishing priorities for the department in the context of the strategic initiatives and stakeholder needs of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. They will maintain a commitment to shared governance and collaboration with on and off campus faculty; foster interdisciplinary and interagency cooperation; actively participate in student recruitment and education and in recruitment of new faculty and staff;

encourage professional development, evaluation, and promotion of faculty and staff; prepare and manage departmental budgets; coordinate the deployment of new faculty and staff into modern laboratory facilities; foster and promote an environment conducive to faculty obtaining new grants, contracts and gifts. In addition, the Department Head will be responsible for building on a collegial culture of collaboration with other departments, colleges and university centers/institutes, governmental agencies, alumni, and commodity groups.

It is strongly desired that the successful candidate participates in teaching, research, and/or extension activities.

Candidates must have:

• An earned doctorate in entomology, biology, ecology or related discipline (interdisciplinary training or experience desirable)
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage resources and a commitment to financial transparency
• Credentials sufficient for appointment as a tenured full professor, including an internationally recognized level of academic achievement, active research program and demonstrated record of successful grantsmanship
• Team building skills with evidence of effective group leadership at a departmental level, including strong record of graduate student training
• Demonstrated effectiveness in personnel management, interpersonal communication, and consensus building
• Demonstrated experience in assessing priorities and the implementation of strategic planning in a multidisciplinary environment
• An understanding of and commitment to the three missions of a land‑grant university
• A commitment to Virginia Tech's principles of community

• Experience in higher education or research administration
• Experience at a land‑grant university
• Demonstrated ability to secure extramural funding and manage complex enterprise‑level projects

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.