SCHOOL DIRECTOR & PROFESSOR, Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

About The Position

The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida seeks a Professor and Director of the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE). Reporting to the Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, the Director provides strategic, intellectual, and administrative leadership for an internationally visible research and education enterprise. The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and organizational leader with a strong record of externally funded research, capable of strengthening the School’s recognition and ranking, articulating a vision for international impact, and connecting the School’s strengths to consequential opportunities in Florida and worldwide. The Director will join the Dean’s leadership team, advance the School and College, contribute to university priorities, and engage with the state, nation, and profession. ESSIE integrates the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering and the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. It includes approximately 65 faculty and 966 students, with approximately $19 million in annual research expenditures and $22.6 million in research awards. Its multidisciplinary research and education connect civil, coastal, environmental, sustainability, resilience, and oceanographic disciplines, with work spanning engineering, science, policy, and practice. The School also manages a network of researchers, research centers, and core facilities that support interdisciplinary collaboration, external partnerships, technology development, and high-impact research. The Director will lead the School in addressing challenges and opportunities in areas including infrastructure systems, climate resilience, environmental systems and health engineering, artificial intelligence and automation, advanced materials, mobility, and data-driven engineering. The role includes developing a strategic vision and translating it into measurable outcomes that strengthen ESSIE’s reputation and impact at state, national, and global levels. The Director will foster collaboration and excellence, elevate national and international visibility, and position ESSIE to address major civil, coastal, and environmental challenges. The Director will provide strategic leadership; foster transdisciplinary research and large collaborative sponsored programs; strengthen connections among departments, centers, facilities, and university units; and develop partnerships with agencies, industry, communities, and universities. The Director will recruit, develop, and retain faculty and staff, support mentoring and leadership development, and work with College leadership on strategic faculty growth. The Director will also lead undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, support accreditation and curricular innovation, expand experiential and research-centered learning, strengthen graduate education and mentoring, and promote student success. As an ambassador for ESSIE, the Director will cultivate relationships with alumni and external partners and work with College leadership and advancement professionals to expand philanthropic support and strategic partnerships.

Requirements

Earned doctorate in civil, coastal, environmental, or oceanographic engineering, or a closely related field.
Distinguished record of scholarship, education, mentoring, and professional contribution meriting appointment as a tenured full professor at the University of Florida.
Evidence of successful leadership in a research-intensive university or comparably complex organization, including building collaborative, high-performing cultures and developing faculty, staff, and emerging leaders.
Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate a strategic vision and translate it into clear priorities, strategic investments, and measurable outcomes to advance a department’s reputation and ranking.
Skill in developing and expanding sponsored research programs, fostering collaborative research, and advancing high-impact programs.
Excellent communication, judgment, integrity, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated commitment to student success and to a scholarly and working environment where people with varied backgrounds and perspectives can contribute and thrive.
Experience with external engagement and development, such as industry partnerships, alumni outreach, and fundraising.

Nice To Haves

Experience recruiting, mentoring, evaluating, and retaining faculty and staff across career stages and appointment types.
Experience developing multidisciplinary initiatives, major collaborative proposals, centers, institutes, or other large-scale research activities.
Experience building productive industry partnerships, including sponsored research, consortia, or public-private collaborations.
Experience using industry engagement to strengthen education, experiential learning, workforce preparation, and research opportunities.
Ability to identify emerging funding opportunities and organize faculty and external partners around them.
Experience working with College and University leadership and across academic units.
Experience in advancement, philanthropy, alumni engagement, or development of external resources.
Professional leadership and service in civil, coastal, environmental, oceanographic engineering, or a closely related field or discipline.

Responsibilities

Develop and communicate a forward-looking strategic vision for ESSIE and translate it into priorities, measurable goals, strategic investments, and sustained execution.
Strengthen the School’s reputation, ranking, national and international visibility, and impact.
Foster transdisciplinary research and collaboration among researchers, departments, centers, facilities, institutes, and other units.
Provide strategic guidance in identifying and pursuing emerging research opportunities.
Enable faculty to pursue large and complex sponsored research programs and strengthen high-impact research initiatives.
Develop strategic partnerships with federal and state agencies, industry, communities, other universities, and external partners.
Recruit, develop, and retain outstanding faculty and staff; promote mentoring, professional development, recognition, succession planning, and leadership development.
Work with College leadership to identify strategic opportunities for faculty growth.
Lead undergraduate, graduate, and professional education across ESSIE; support continuous improvement, accreditation, curricular innovation, experiential and interdisciplinary learning, graduate education, and student mentoring.
Serve as an ambassador for ESSIE and cultivate relationships with alumni, industry, government agencies, professional organizations, communities, donors, and other partners.
Work with College leadership and advancement professionals to expand philanthropic support and develop partnerships that advance the School’s strategic goals.
Join the Dean’s leadership team, advance College and University priorities, and engage constructively with the state, nation, and profession.