Senior Associate Dean for Research

The University of Missouri School of Medicine

Senior Associate Dean for Research

A strategic futurist leader, with a national/international research network, driven to innovate and grow, with a focus on results describes the next Senior Associate Dean for Research (SADR) at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs/Dean, this leader will have a unique career opportunity to lead the growth of laboratory, clinical and health services research that will ultimately be translated into improving health and saving lives.

The SADR will create an environment that will offer faculty the opportunity to focus on scholarly and creative activities that significantly advance research programs and help them and their teams make notable contributions to their respective fields and to medicine. This individual will create strategic initiatives to drive creative and scholarly works; develop and identify opportunities for interdisciplinary research across the campus, including the UM System’s NextGen Precision Health Initiative; build collaborations across all disciplines; coordinate faculty recruitment in strategic areas of biomedical research; and drive strategic initiatives to further MU’s research mission as a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). 

The SADR will provide strategic, tactical, and operations leadership of the research enterprise in the School of Medicine and across the academic health system. Key performance responsibilities include: recruiting new faculty and supporting the infrastructure to enable faculty success in research as measured by grant funding and impactful research;  working with the campus Office of Research and Economic Development to identify and optimize resources needed for successful research (i.e., vivarium clinical research units, biorepository, bioinformatics, etc.); collaborating with research leaders on the MU campus, working across schools to ensure access to core facilities, shared research equipment, and jointly hire faculty; facilitating the startup and support for federal research and training grants; and strategic hiring into identified areas of strength and/or opportunity.  The SADR will also collaborate with department chairs to identify laboratory space and equipment for new faculty and will monitor the effective use of space, primarily using current funding as a metric, and reallocate as needed. 

Building on a doubling of AAU Phase 1 awards over the last four years, this leader will continue growing research along the entire translational continuum. MU School of Medicine has a strong partnership with MU Health Care, a $1.4 billion clinical enterprise that is collocated on the AAU member and flagship campus of the University of Missouri System in Columbia, MO.  We recently opened the 250,000 sq ft Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building with state-of-the-art laboratory, imaging, and clinical research unit space and launched the Mizzou Forward initiative that commits $1.5 billion towards research faculty recruitment. Under the direction of the EVCHA/Dean, the SADR will work closely with the Vice-Chancellor for Research and the Provost’s office and play an integral role in assisting the EVCHA/Dean and department chairs in recruitment, ensuring that research expectations and resources are aligned.

In addition to the recruitment of experienced and junior researchers, the SADR will act as the chief research ambassador, and proactively build alliances across departments, schools, colleges, corporations, and communities, have strong communication, facilitation, and team science skills, value diversity, and deliver results year after year.

The SADR will assist department chairs in monitoring faculty research productivity and provide annual metrics for faculty and departmental evaluations. The SADR will develop and administer pilot grant and bridging grant programs for the SOM.  The SADR will work closely with the Washington University ICTS (of which MU is a partner) and facilitate access to all research resources across the UM System and Washington University along with its other ICTS partners. When appropriate, the SADR will also assist the existing partnership with Washington University Siteman Cancer Center, an NCI-designated Cancer Center, to facilitate cancer-related research. The SADR will develop and maintain a system to make SOM faculty aware of external and internal funding opportunities and take responsibility to develop and maintain research education opportunities for faculty and staff.

The SADR will report to the EVCHA/Dean and will have as direct reports, associate research deans, the administrator director of the research office, and related administrative staff.

Founded in 1839, MU is a research one (R1) university and one of only 34 public institutions in the prestigious AAU. The state’s largest university, Mizzou offers more than 300 degrees and certificates to nearly 31,000 students, including nearly 6,000 graduate students and almost 1,200 professional students, and employs more than 13,000 people including more than 2,000 faculty. As a land-grant institution, Mizzou also maintains the state’s Extension and Engagement Program, providing access to the university’s resources and expertise in all 114 Missouri counties.

The School of Medicine has over 500 students, 450 residents and fellows, and nearly 1000 faculty members. MU Health is a robust, successful clinical and research medical enterprise, including the School of Medicine and the University of Missouri Health Care, the leading health care provider in mid-Missouri.

MU is increasing research expenditures and enhance economic development from discoveries and innovation. A robust infrastructure of core facilities and research centers exists, offering researchers shared resources to elevate their scholarship. This includes the 10-megawatt MU Research Reactor, the most powerful university research reactor in the United States.  In the past 5 years, 16 Mizzou startup companies were created with MU licensed technologies and companies signed 200 license and option agreements generating profound impacts on local and state economies.  The UM System’s number one capital priority is a research-intensive collaboration, the NextGen Precision Health initiative, that is focused on developing the breakthrough research needed to facilitate essential advances in neuroscience, cardiometabolic disease, infection disease, reproductive health, and cancer.

The City of Columbia, home of the University of Missouri, has been consistently rated as one of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States. This college city of 113,000+ residents has the best of both worlds – small-town convenience and warmth with urban sophistication and amenities. Located halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, the city boasts affordable housing, moderate cost of living, diverse cultural and economic opportunities, and excellent public schools.

Minimum Qualifications:

• MD, Ph.D., or equivalent with tenured faculty status.

Candidates will be evaluated on: 

• Experience as a research investigator who has or has had substantial NIH or equivalent federal funding.
• Extensive experience leading research in an academic or research institute environment.
• Research experience across the translational research spectrum.

Application Materials

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• A one-page summary of research administration and related accomplishments along
• A two-page plan describing how the key performance responsibilities of this position will advance UM’s research mission
• The University of Missouri values diversity and is committed to working towards achieving equity and inclusion within all its programs. Candidates applying for this position are required to provide a statement addressing how they would utilize their experience and knowledge to promote diversity and inclusion at the university and how that commitment would add value to the University of Missouri.
• Names and contact information for three references.

The University anticipates this appointment starting in the summer or early fall of 2022. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.