Head, Department of Engineering
About The Position
The Department of Engineering at James Madison University (JMU) invites applicants to join our community and support our project-intensive undergraduate engineering curriculum. We are seeking to hire an Academic Unit Head to start in July 2026. The Head of the Department is responsible for the academic unit's program administration and strategic leadership, and reports to the Dean of the College of Integrated Science and Engineering. This position is a 12-month, tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment at the rank of Full Professor or Associate Professor. The JMU Department of Engineering is a community of educators who support each other in achieving broad success in teaching, scholarship, and service. The department offers an ABET-accredited BS degree in engineering with new concentrations in civil and environmental, geo-environmental, and electromechanical systems. Anchored in the liberal arts through the university's general education program, JMU's engineering major is characterized by experiential learning of engineering in team-based settings, and the major culminates in a two-year-long engineering project experience. The department currently has fifteen full-time faculty members representing multiple engineering disciplines, seven support staff, and approximately 750 students. Its strengths include dedicated faculty and staff, an engaged and invested student body and alumni, strong administrative and lab support, and well-equipped laboratories and design studios. JMU prizes collaboration among departments and provides unique opportunities for interdisciplinary, team-based teaching and scholarship, with a strong focus on undergraduate research opportunities. More information about the department and undergraduate engineering curriculum may be found at https://www.jmu.edu/cise/engineering/index.shtml.
Requirements
- Each candidate will be evaluated based on their qualifications in relation to the department's needs, but should demonstrate an aptitude for academic leadership within an undergraduate Engineering context.
- Successful candidates will hold a PhD in an engineering discipline or a closely related field.
- Successful candidates will have experience commensurate with the rank of Associate Professor or higher in the Department of Engineering, meeting our standards for accomplishment in service, scholarship, and high-quality teaching.
Responsibilities
- Implement the department's strategic vision in the evolving landscape of higher education
- Advocate for the department, both internally at JMU and externally to industry, prospective students, academic peers, etc.
- Manage and conduct academic administration including course assignments and scheduling, annual faculty evaluations, and departmental budget.
- Foster departmental cohesion focused on building consensus within the faculty from various engineering backgrounds.
- Work effectively with college and university leadership in a collaborative and constructive way.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Industry
Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
