Assistant Chair

Rice University•Houston, TX

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Located in an urban environment on a 300-acre tree-lined campus, Rice University leverages its advantageous position to pursue pathbreaking research and create innovative collaboration opportunities that contribute to the betterment of our world. BioSciences at Rice is home to undergraduate and doctoral degree programs in Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. We investigate fundamental properties of living organisms and their impacts on the future quality of life on Earth. The academic chair role focuses on oversight of graduate and undergraduate program administration and recruiting. This position leads the Graduate Program Administrator and Undergraduate Program Coordinator, ensuring consistency and continuity across recruiting, enrollment, orientation, commencement, student records, payroll tracking, fellowships, awards, and curriculum support. Graduate recruiting requires active coordination with faculty committees, data-driven reporting, and leadership during periods of high workload. This position also provides leadership for major academic and departmental events, including the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium, departmental symposia, workshops, faculty receptions, recruiting weekends, awards ceremonies, and orientation and commencement events. While staff and faculty coordinators handle logistics, the assistant chair oversees planning, scheduling, budgeting, faculty participation, and program coherence to ensure events align with departmental goals. Additional responsibilities include faculty and committee support, negotiation and coordination of graduate teaching assignments, maintenance of departmental records and history, and assistance with reports, presentations, grant proposals, and writing projects. Teaching and service contributions include co-instructing the graduate seminar, advising on curriculum and policy, supporting summer research programs, and serving as a judge or substitute instructor as needed. The role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to interact effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders across all levels of the university. The ideal candidate is an experienced academic administrator with a strong record of overseeing graduate and undergraduate programs, particularly in recruiting, enrollment, and student support. They bring the ability to manage complex, overlapping workflows; provide effective supervision and backup to program staff; and collaborate closely with faculty, committees, and senior leadership on budgeting, awards, and teaching assignments. The candidate demonstrates leadership in planning and coordinating academic events while also offering reliable faculty and student support. A commitment to teaching, student mentorship, and program improvement, paired with strong organizational and communication skills, is a plus.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
4+ years of experience
Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills, including conflict resolution
Excellent planning and organizational skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Strong expertise in business and management, computer applications, and databases
Strong knowledge of industry standards and/or regulatory requirements
Subject matter expertise for area(s) of responsibility

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences or related field
A commitment to teaching, student mentorship, and program improvement, paired with strong organizational and communication skills, is a plus.

Responsibilities

Directs staff and provides leadership to achieve the goals and vision of the organization and the day-to-day operations
Develops and implements strategic plan(s) for functional area(s) managed
Supervise Graduate Program Administrator for BCB and EEB programs, ensuring consistency, updates, and assistance during high workload periods, enrollment, orientation, commencement, student records, timeline events, payroll data, fellowships, and awards in collaboration with the chair and executive admin.
Supervise Undergraduate Program Coordinator for BIOS and NEUR programs, providing guidance on course schedules, announcements, orientation, commencement, curriculum support, and program updates (BS-MS-PhD requirements, learning objectives)
Lead and support department-wide academic events, including Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium, faculty receptions, scientific symposia, workshops, and awards ceremonies; responsibilities include scheduling, abstract selection, budget oversight, venue coordination, and faculty/student recruitment as needed
Central role in coordinating graduate and undergraduate recruiting activities, including interview schedules, faculty involvement, reporting applications, and ensuring smooth operation of recruitment events
Works with leadership to develop and implement a strategic plan for the functional area managed
Advises leadership on specific recommendations for current operations and future development
Serves on and supports multiple committees, including Graduate Recruiting, Faculty Awards, Graduate Advising, and the Bioscience & Health Policy Steering Committee
Manages negotiation of graduate teaching assignments, acting as liaison between the chair and faculty, ensuring timely communication from faculty and staff, and confirming final announcements to student TAs and instructors
Maintains departmental records, photo repository, website, and social media; assists with outreach and initiatives to improve undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral programs
Interprets, implements, and ensures compliance with university regulations, policies, and procedures
Recommends and/or formulates internal administrative policies, guidelines, and procedures
Responsible for overseeing the finances for the area of responsibility, as well as monitoring and analyzing an annual student budget
Represents the organization's business operations and administrative affairs within the organization, and/or to outside constituencies
Performs all other duties as assigned
Co-instructor for BIOS 581/582 Graduate Seminar in Biochemistry & Cell Biology with the department chair; serves as course advisor on the Bioscience and Health Policy faculty steering committee
Assists with Summer REU programs, serves as a judge for student poster sessions and symposia, and acts as a temporary substitute instructor when needed