Arts & Sciences is seeking to fill the position of faculty Director of the newly reconfigured Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR). Eligible candidates for the position will be tenured faculty members in an A&S discipline; preferably, they should hold the rank of Professor, but advanced Associate Professors will also be considered. The ideal candidate will be a scholar with a strong record of mentorship of undergraduate research and an innovative vision of the role of undergraduate research and experiential learning at Washington University. The new Director will be a strategic, inclusive thinker with an appreciation for diverse forms of research practice across the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences as well as in the other undergraduate schools, and with an eye toward the possibilities for an expanded mission of the OUR in alignment with the A&S and university strategic plans. Additionally, the new Director will be a leader who can promote and effect lasting change at Washington University so that meaningful research and related experiential learning opportunities are made available to undergraduate students from all backgrounds, particularly those who belong to historically excluded groups. The Director will be supported by increased organizational resources, including full-time staff in Assistant Director and Program Manager roles as well as coordination with and administrative support from the College Office. The individual will retain a primary academic appointment in a home department but will report to the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs regarding responsibilities in the OUR.

The faculty Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research at Washington University in St. Louis is charged with executing its mission to provide meaningful faculty-mentored research experiences to undergraduate students from all disciplines and schools.

Duties include: 
•    Setting strategic vision and goals for the OUR in conjunction with the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs 
•    Ensuring alignment with current and emerging priorities of A&S (including the A&S Strategic Plan) and of the university
•    Serving as an advocate for undergraduate research on campus; representing, in conjunction with the Assistant Director, the OUR in an official capacity at university and external events
•    Building and collaborating with a faculty advisory committee to enhance the undergraduate research experience
•    Working with University Advancement and potential donors to identify potential areas of funding
•    Working with the Assistant Director to identify large-scale grants and other external funding opportunities that will advance the core mission of the OUR; serving, with the support of OUR staff, as PI for external grant applications 
•    Obtaining institutional support for research experiences for undergraduates
•    Cultivating, in conjunction with the Assistant Director, relationships with A&S departments and faculty across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and identifying opportunities for mutual collaboration
•    Liaising with the Provost's office, other schools, and high-level university stakeholders; building connections with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Career Development and Education and Career Center
•    Consulting on the development and execution of an assessment plan for the OUR
•    Cultivating and maintaining relationships with national research sponsors and colleagues at peer institutions as well as with funding agencies, and other organizations
•    Consulting on the development of and execution of programs and events
•    Interacting, in conjunction with the Assistant Director, with prospective students and families
•    Providing guidance to and mentorship of staff in the full-time positions of Assistant Director and Program Manager
•    Managing, in conjunction with the Director of Finance and Operations in the College of Arts & Sciences, the OUR’s budget and operations

Interested candidates should send a CV and a brief statement of interest to Jenny Givens (givens@wustl.edu) by Monday, October 24.  Applicants should feel free to tell the search committee anything about themselves that they think may be relevant, but the committee is especially interested to know why they are interested in the position and why this is the right time for them to take on this leadership role.

Recommendations for potential candidates are welcome and encouraged; please send nominations to Kit Wellman (kwellman@wustl.edu).

Search Committee
Kit Wellman, Philosophy, chair 
Priya Anand, Arts & Sciences student
Denise Head, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Erik Herzog, Biology
Mairin Hynes, Physics
Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo, College of Arts & Sciences