Department Head, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Job Description

The Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech seeks a creative and visionary leader for the position of Department Head. The department has three major missions common to land-grant institutions: (1) deliver excellent professional and graduate veterinary medical education, including intern and residency training, (2) provide veterinary service to local clients and the referral veterinary community through exceptional patient care, and (3) advance medical knowledge through research and scholarship.

The Department Head will provide leadership and management of all departmental academic, research, and service activities. This entails mentorship of faculty and staff, administrative responsibility for planning, fiscal management, human resource development, and communication. The Department Head is also expected to advance the research, teaching, and clinical service missions of the department, nurture interdisciplinary collaboration, and work toward the strategic goals of the department, college, and university. The Department Head is expected to foster scholarship and to integrate the clinical and research missions. In addition to departmental leadership responsibilities, the Head is expected to contribute personally to at least one of the core mission areas (teaching, service, research/scholarship) of the Department. The Department Head will be part of the College’s leadership team and serve on the College’s Executive Board.

The department has 37 full-time and 5 part-time faculty members as well as four additional faculty FTE within the department that are currently vacant. The College has successfully implemented a new curriculum through all 4 years of the DVM program and has a vibrant veterinary teaching hospital with primary care and a full range of specialty services. The faculty pride themselves in the quality of clinical service they provide and the compassionate care for their patients and clients. In addition to the Blacksburg campus, a 16,000 sq foot Animal Cancer Care and Research Center opened in August 2020 in Roanoke, Virginia, immediately adjacent to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. The Animal Cancer Center is part of the Fralin Biomedical Research Center and includes a state-of-the-art linear accelerator (Varian Edge) and advanced imaging equipment including ultra-high field strength MRI, PET, and CT imaging. The facility will also offer general surgery referral services and have the space for other specialty services to rotate as needed/desired. In addition, the College is planning hospital renovations and expansion that will provide additional capacity for expanded clinical services for the next 20-25 years.

The position is currently only open to internal applicants at this time.

Required Qualifications

• DVM or equivalent degree
• Diplomate of an AVMA or European recognized specialty college
• Demonstrated achievement in teaching, service, and research/scholarship
• Administrative experience, exceptional communication skills, and leadership qualities that
facilitate and encourage engagement and faculty development
• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration
• Professional achievement sufficient to be eligible for promotion to the rank of professor
(tenured or clinical track) in the department
• Commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in an academic environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degrees (MS, PhD)
• Direct experience with veterinary medical education
• Interest and/or experience in research mentoring of students
• Willingness and ability to work in a high-tech environment consistent with computer-aided
instruction and distance learning

Pay Band

Faculty

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience

Review Date

January 8, 2021

Additional Information

The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

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, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran 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.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact April Hylton at aghylton@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: November 24, 2020
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