Chair, Department of Biostatistics

Boston University School of Public Health

Chair, Department of Biostatistics

The Department of Biostatistics at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) invites applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair. The Chair will play a key leadership role in advancing the mission, operations, and service of the department, capitalizing on the momentum that has propelled BU into the ranks of the most highly regarded research universities in the world.

Ranked 6th among the best graduate schools of public health in the country by U.S. News and World Report, BUSPH is a leader in the academic public health community. The next chair will play a critical leadership role in the School and across the University as BUSPH seeks to strengthen and coordinate its research and education in biostatistics.

The Department of Biostatistics is one of the most interdisciplinary departments at BUSPH. The Biostatistics faculty are internationally recognized for their innovation in research and scholarship in a diverse range of areas of biostatistics including statistical genetics, clinical trials, surveillance, longitudinal studies, Bayesian statistics and risk prediction. Biostatistics faculty play leading roles in several large observational studies with genetic data such as the renowned Framingham Heart Study, and the Black Women's Health Study. Their work has contributed new knowledge in the fields of cardiovascular disease, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and arthritis, nutrition, healthy aging and extreme longevity. Many of these findings have been effectively translated into current clinical practice. BUSPH receives about $70 million in research funding annually and produces more than 1,100 peer-reviewed publications a year.

The Department of Biostatistics is comprised of 53 faculty – 30 of whom are primary and 23 of whom are secondary or adjunct faculty. Of the 30 primary faculty, 18 are full professors, 8 are associate professors, and 4 are assistant professors. The Department is home to 16 dedicated staff, including 6 support staff and 10 research staff and postdocs. The department has a large and successful graduate program (PhD and MS in Biostatistics), offered jointly with the BU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, an MS in Applied Biostatistics, and a Summer Institute in Biostatistics (SIBS) for undergraduates. In Fall 2021, the Department enrolled 55 MS students, 55 PhD students, and (in conjunction with other departments within the School) 185 MPH students. The department is supported centrally by more than 20 staff from various offices, including: the SPH research administration team and BU research administration team; SPH education office, registrar, career services, and graduate student life; The Activist Lab, which supports faculty practice activities; SPH finance and operations team; and SPH and BU development and alumni relations teams. The Department of Biostatistics’ operating budget is $3.1 million.

Reporting to the Dean of the School of Public Health, the Chair of the Department of Biostatistics will provide visionary and strategic leadership to the Department; recruit and mentor departmental faculty and staff; support and strengthen departmental research, teaching, and practice; enact the School’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; and strive to raise the national and global profile of the Department. The Chair will provide inspiration for the department; foster a culture of collaboration and engagement; guide and strengthen collaborations within the School and University as well as with external partners around the world; and efficiently manage the Department’s financial and personnel resources.

Candidates should hold a PhD, DrPH, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree; have attained the rank of full Professor or be eligible to be appointed at that rank; have been personally funded by an agency, foundation or other extramural source to undertake research in a chosen area of inquiry; be able to demonstrate scholarship through teaching awards, publications, and extramurally-funded research; and have held leadership or advisory roles in national and international professional organizations. The successful candidate must care about teaching, research and practice; enjoy mentoring and developing others; have a vision for connecting across units; and demonstrate unassailable personal and academic integrity, strong oral and written communication skills, and a focus on openness and transparency.

The full Position Profile can be found https://russellreynoldsassociates.sharefile.com/BUBiostatistics.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Interested candidates should submit confidentially (Adobe PDF files preferred) a curriculum vitae and letter of interest to BUSPH.Biostatistics@russellreynolds.com.The letter of interest should speak to your interest in and qualifications for the role, research interests, teaching experience/approach to mentoring trainees, and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

For fullest consideration, materials should be received as soon as possible and preferably by June 20.

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Boston University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.