Director Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum, Professor
Position Overview
The University of Kansas seeks a director for the Biodiversity Institute (BI), which includes the KU Natural History Museum (KUNHM). The Biodiversity Institute and the Natural History Museum are a single unit of the Office of Research, and the director serves at the pleasure of the Vice Chancellor for Research. For day to day operations, the Director reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research. The Director holds a tenured joint appointment with the Biodiversity Institute and the Natural History Museum (0.8 FTE) and an appropriate academic department (0.2 FTE).
Founded in 1865, KU is an R1-rated research university with more than 40 graduate programs ranked by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Kansas enrolls 28,500 students and employs nearly 2,900 faculty members across five campuses (Lawrence, Kansas City, Overland Park, Wichita and Salina). The Office of Research oversees 10 university research centers, two state surveys, and about a dozen core laboratories.
As a premier international research university, KU is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that nurtures the growth and development of all. KU holds steadfast in the belief that a variety of values, interests, experiences, and intellectual and cultural viewpoints enrich learning and our workplace. The university actively seeks applications from members of groups underrepresented in higher education.
The KU Biodiversity Institute is an internationally recognized center for research and graduate education in systematics, evolutionary biology, paleontology, and archaeology. In addition to the collection and curation of recent and fossil animals and plants, the Biodiversity Institute is a world leader in the field of biodiversity informatics, including the development of global data architectures and platforms for the processing and research analysis of species data.
The KU Natural History Museum is the iconic public face of the Biodiversity Institute and serves public audiences including K-12 schools, families and adults, the university, and the informal science education community. The Natural History Museum shares, interprets, and educates diverse audiences about the natural world through engaging and innovative exhibits, programming, and projects.
The ideal candidate will contribute to the collective goals of the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum:
- To maintain and improve collections to meet the research, educational, and service needs of scientists, students, the public, and agencies of the public.
- To enhance research and graduate education programs so they represent the breadth, scientific rigor, and promise of systematic and evolutionary biology and archaeology.
- To increase participation in the relevant academic programs of the university, principally within departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geology, and Anthropology, and the Museum Studies Program.
- To continue developing public education and related services in ways that encourage the public’s understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
- To increase the understanding and support of the museum through public relations, membership, and development programs, and the activities of the Biodiversity Institute Advisory Board.
Job Description
The Biodiversity Institute consists of the divisions of Archaeology, Biodiversity Modeling, Botany (McGregor Herbarium), Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Informatics, Invertebrate Paleontology, Invertebrate Zoology, Mammalogy, Ornithology, Paleobotany, and Vertebrate Paleontology. These divisions collaborate with the departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geology, and Anthropology, and the Museum Studies Program in research, education, and public service programs. The Biodiversity Institute employs 20 (11.5 FTE) curators and research scientists, many of whom are on joint appointments in related academic departments, along with 19 adjunct, courtesy, and emeritus faculty. They collectively provide a rich intellectual resource for the museum’s 4 postdoctoral staff, 44 graduate students, and 50 undergraduate students. The Biodiversity Institute also employs 10 professional collection care and support staff (9.75 FTE); 6 public programs staff (6.0 FTE); and 5 administrative staff (5.0 FTE).
Responsibilities - Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum Director (0.8 FTE)
I. ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES (40%)
Provide leadership in strategic planning and organizational structure, to facilitate the execution of the BI’s mission. Administrative duties include preparation and evaluation of the budget; management and distribution of annual operating funds, endowment income, and other funds beyond state allocations; preparation of annual reports, mission statements and other documents requested by the Vice Chancellor for Research; recruitment and retention of top talent; and performance evaluation of academic and unclassified professional staff ensuring a community of collegiality and excellence. The director fosters the professional development of collections care; coordinates the activities among the divisions; presides over meetings of the advisory board; and represents the BI to the university community, the systematics community, external agencies, and the public.
II. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (20%)
Facilitate the education and research mission of the BI, and promote an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that nurtures the growth and development of students, staff, affiliates, and visitors. The director fosters the intellectual growth and development of graduate and undergraduate students associated with the BI, cooperates with degree granting departments, and enhances support of students. The director may sponsor graduate students and serve on graduate student committees. The director furthers the development of the BI as an international center for collections-based research, knowledge dissemination, and information technology by encouraging and advocating for high-quality research in systematic biology and related fields as well as obtains a broad understanding of the role of the BI in the university community and natural sciences. The position is expected to assess priorities of current research and the directions of future research for the unit. The director promotes the free interchange of ideas and provides intellectual leadership to the BI community and promotes appropriate use of the BI’s resources and information by governmental and private agencies. The director is encouraged to maintain an independent program of research and scholarly productivity.
III. EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS (10%)
Support the museum’s education, outreach, and exhibit programs. The director furthers the contribution of the KU Natural History Museum to the education and service missions of the BI and the broader university, and to the field of informal science education. The director advocates on behalf of the museum at the university level, in the state and region, and promotes collaboration with other KU entities and external organizations.
IV. COLLECTIONS DEVELOPMENT AND STEWARDSHIP (10%)
Encourage the advancement of state-of-the-art practices in the care of the BI’s collections to ensure the collections and their associated data are valued for research, education and service. The director promotes the visibility, engagement, and awareness of the value of the BI’s collections to campus, state, and international stakeholders. The director advances short- and long-term strategies for collections storage, access, and curation. The director promotes responsible collection growth and cultivates BI collections leadership in international cyberinfrastructures.
V. FUNDRAISING (20%)
Provide strong leadership and active engagement in strengthening the financial resources available, and in building a broad base of support for the BI and KU Natural History Museum within and outside the university. The director should be an effective advocate of the BI to university administration, KU Endowment Association, KU alumni, and outside the university. The director should aggressively pursue external funding from federal, state, and local government, community, and foundation-based sources. The director should encourage maximum use of the resources of the Biodiversity Institute Advisory Board and membership, and encourage an innovative, entrepreneurial approach in marketing the museum to the public.
Responsibilities - Faculty (0.2 FTE)
The director serves as a tenured, full Professor in the appropriate academic unit with a 20% appointment. Tenured faculty members are expected to meet satisfactory standards of performance in three areas of responsibility— teaching/advising, research, and service—and to carry out those responsibilities in accordance with the Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct. In a given year, contributions to research, teaching/advising, and service may be balanced, or added emphasis may be placed on one or more components.
Required Qualifications
Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) description of work experience and educational experiences in CV and (2) record of accomplishments and productivity addressed in the CV:
- Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university and eligibility for a tenured appointment at the rank of Full Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology or a related academic department.
- Experience serving as an academic leader and team builder, developing and enhancing research and educational relationships among faculty, staff, alumni and its affiliated units/partners.
- Demonstrated teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and commitment to teaching excellence.
- Demonstrated record of scholarly achievement in a field related to biodiversity, as demonstrated by refereed publications and/or research grants with the promise of continued activity.
- Demonstrated experience in the administration of an organization, including the management oversight of finances, personnel, and program development.
- Evidence of obtaining financial support through competition for public or private sources.
- Excellent communication skills as demonstrated through application materials and interviews.
- Experience working with multidisciplinary constituencies.
- Record of promoting diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
Preferred Qualifications
- At least five years administrative experience including budgeting, personnel management, and program development.
- Demonstrated vision for the future of collections-based research and the role of museums.
- Demonstrated knowledge of museum operations, including collection management, public education, exhibits, and research.
- Demonstrated professional association with the national and international museum community as evidenced by a record of service in a museum or through museum activities of an appropriate professional organization.
- Experience in graduate or undergraduate mentoring in a scientific discipline or museum studies program.
- Administrative experience in a comprehensive doctoral degree granting university, university museum, or other natural history museum.
- Administrative-level knowledge of subdisciplines of biodiversity informatics and the international biological museum data community.
- Record of entrepreneurial leadership.
Contact Information to Applicants
Cari Alfers, cariell@ku.edu
Additional Candidate Instruction
A complete application includes an online application, cover letter detailing your interest in the position and how it fits with your career goals, C.V. highlighting pertinent experience and contact information for three professional references. Only complete applications will be considered.
Please visit the detailed position posting to apply: