The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) at the University of Washington seeks an Associate Dean for Research to provide leadership for the College’s research program.  

The College of Arts & Sciences sits at the heart of the University of Washington. As the UW’s largest college, Arts & Sciences produces more than half of all bachelor’s degrees on the Seattle campus. A third of our 22,000 students are the first in their families to attend college. Faculty in our 39 academic departments are dedicated to helping students think critically, communicate clearly, and engage diverse perspectives respectfully. In Arts & Sciences, our discoveries in learning, teaching, and research engage us with our local, national and global communities — and with each other. Located in a dynamic, diverse, pacific-rim city, faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are among the University of Washington’s most active and accomplished across the creative, scholarly and research enterprise. The college is home to 8 MacArthur Fellows, 21 National Academy of Science members, and 33 American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellows, among others.  The College aspires to becoming an international leader in research and creative work that is both basic and applied, that cuts across the disciplinary domains it houses, and to provide the support its faculty require in order to engage in university initiatives and external collaborations. 

Reporting to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, the Associate Dean for Research is the College’s chief research officer and a member of the CAS executive leadership team. The Associate Dean for Research is responsible for the strategy, operations, and implementation of the college’s sponsored (grants, contracts, fellowships) research program, which in FY23, totaled over $120 million across its four divisions—Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. The Associate Dean for Research works closely and collaboratively with faculty, department chairs, and staff to support all aspects of the research enterprise across all four of the college’s divisions, and along with the Dean represents the college with internal and external constituencies. The Associate Dean for Research will also be a tenured member of the faculty with an appointment as a full professor in an appropriate department.  The tenured faculty position will be ongoing in the College and will hold a 9 month service term (September 16 – June 15, annually) at 100% FTE.  The Associate Dean for Research position will be a 5-year term appointment with the possibility of renewal following review, and will be compensated for the full 12 months during the term of the appointment.  We welcome applicants from any disciplinary background represented within the College of Arts & Sciences. The Associate Dean for Research will be expected to embrace the intellectual diversity represented in the college, and to support faculty in all four of the college’s divisions.  The expected start date for this position is July 1, 2024, or as soon thereafter as possible. All University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research, and service.

Specific responsibilities of the Associate Dean for Research include: mentoring faculty (especially junior faculty) on research career issues; providing leadership and oversight for the research mission in the college; overseeing the research budget and its programs; evaluating research center opportunities; managing college-level indirect cost recovery; collaborating with the appropriate dean’s office staff on space/facilities issues as they intersect with research needs; building additional infrastructure in the college to support the research mission across all four divisions; organizing workshops to support faculty research efforts across the four divisions; evaluating grant cost sharing opportunities and presenting the evaluation to the Associate Dean for Administration and the Dean; engagement with the college’s  research centers; fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary research between departments and between the College and other schools and colleges at UW; Supervising staff who manage aspects of research administration including compliance and financial issues (this includes, but is not limited to, interacting with the VPR, OSP, and the IRB on behalf of the College); working with the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration to create research financial projections for management and planning purposes; implementing research aspects that align with CAS priorities and strategies; serving as the college’s primary liaison to the Vice Provost for Research; working with other campus research leadership on strategic research partnerships. 

The ability to elevate the research enterprise in CAS, including a focus on faculty research training and grantsmanship, is critical to this position. CAS leaders have strong team leadership and communication skills as well as excellent interpersonal abilities. They are innovative and creative and this position will be critical in creating new ideas for success in a changing landscape of research funding. This position will mentor faculty across all four divisions in the college and creating new research opportunities through networking.  To do so, a successful applicant will have excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills, an ability to develop and implement strategies to address long-term opportunities and the capacity to be a forceful advocate for the CAS, its faculty and academic programs.  The College has a strong commitment to equity, justice and inclusion and the highest personal integrity and the successful applicant will embody that dedication.

Washington State Law requires that this ad list a binding salary range. The base salary range for this position will be $17,250 - $22,667 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. The Associate Dean appointment will also carry a *$1,500 per month administrative supplement for the duration of the term appointment. 

*Administrative supplements are at the discretion of the Dean and may be changed or removed.  

The successful candidate will have an earned doctorate, or foreign equivalent, and an outstanding research record commensurate with appointment at the level of full Professor at UW; Experience managing large research programs such as centers, departments, and large and complex research grants; Familiarity with federal grant finance and compliance issues; Experience evaluating research proposals.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and their CV to Isaacson Miller. Priority will be given to applications received by May 1, 2024.  For questions about the search, please contact Joanna Cook.