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

SCHOOL DIRECTOR & PROFESSOR

Classification Minimum Requirements

• An earned doctorate in civil, coastal, environmental, oceanographic engineering, or a closely related field.
• A distinguished record of scholarship, education, mentoring, and professional contribution that merits 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 organizational cultures and developing faculty, staff, and emerging leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate a compelling strategic vision to advance the reputation and ranking of the department by translating that vision into clear priorities, strategic investments and measurable outcomes.
• Is skilled in the development and expansion of sponsored research programs, including fostering collaborative research and advancing high-impact programs.
• Excellent communication, judgment, integrity, and relationship-building skills; ability to communicate and 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.

Job Description

The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida invites nominations and applications for the position of 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 will provide strategic, intellectual, and administrative leadership for an internationally visible research and education enterprise. The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and an effective organizational leader with a strong record of externally funded research who can substantially improve the department’s recognition and ranking, develop a clear vision for international impact and connect the department’s strengths to consequential opportunities for Florida and the world. The selected leader will join the Dean’s leadership team and will be expected to advance both the School and the college, contribute to university priorities, and engage constructively with the state, nation, and profession.

The Director will have the opportunity to shape the future of a multidisciplinary School that integrates expertise across civil, coastal, environmental, sustainability and resilience related engineering and science disciplines; strengthen a culture of collaboration and excellence; elevate the School’s national and international visibility; and position ESSIE to address some of the most consequential civil, coastal, and environmental challenges facing Florida, the nation, and the world.

The Opportunity

ESSIE brings together the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (https://essie.ufl.edu/cce/) and the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences (https://essie.ufl.edu/ees/), creating a distinctive academic community that connects built and natural environments.

The School includes approximately 65 faculty and 966 students, with approximately $19 million in annual research expenditures and $22.6 million in research awards. Its research and educational activities extend well beyond traditional disciplines to pioneer research, education, and environmentally responsible engineering technologies that advance innovative solutions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of communities, infrastructure and environmental resources. Through a nexus of the civil, coastal, environmental and oceanographic programs, ESSIE fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, science, policy and practice.

The School houses and manages a robust network of researchers, research centers, and core facilities (https://essie.ufl.edu/about/research-centers-facilities/), providing exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, external partnerships, technology development and high-impact research. These assets represent a major institutional strength and will be central to advancing the School strategic vision and impact under its next Director.

The Director will join ESSIE at a moment of significant opportunity. Urgent challenges and emerging opportunities in infrastructure systems, climate resilience, environmental systems, environmental health engineering, artificial intelligence and automation, advanced materials, mobility, and data-driven engineering are creating new possibilities for research, education, and societal impact. At the same time, UF’s breadth, scale, land-grant mission, statewide presence, and interdisciplinary research ecosystem provide an exceptional platform for building ambitious programs and partnerships.

The Director will be expected to articulate a compelling vision for its future and translate that vision into measurable outcomes that strengthens ESSIE’s reputation and impact, at the state, national and global levels.

Leadership Priorities

The Director will work with faculty, staff, students, College leadership, alumni, and external partners to advance a focused set of strategic priorities. In collaboration with center directors, facility managers and faculty, the Director will help leverage ESSIE’s extensive network of research centers and facilities to attract and strengthen external funding, partnerships, and workforce development opportunities.

• Provide visionary and strategic leadership. Develop and communicate a bold, forward-looking vision for ESSIE that builds on its existing strengths while identifying emerging areas in which the School can achieve distinctive national and international leadership. Translate that vision into clear priorities, measurable goals, strategic investments, and sustained execution.
• Forge a transdisciplinary, cutting-edge research environment by facilitating active collaboration among researchers and units. Provide strategic guidance in identifying and pursuing emerging research opportunities across disciplines. School-wide priorities and the long-term success of ESSIE should guide decisions regarding investments, opportunities, and resources. The Director will encourage ambitious interdisciplinary research, enable faculty to pursue large and complex sponsored programs, strengthen connections among ESSIE’s departments, centers and facilities, expand collaborations with UF institutes and centers, and develop strategic partnerships with federal and state agencies, industry, communities, and other universities.
• Recruit, develop, and retain talent. Lead efforts to recruit, develop, and retain outstanding faculty and staff and foster an environment in which people at all career stages can thrive. The Director will promote effective mentoring, professional development, recognition, succession planning, and leadership development while maintaining high expectations for excellence. The Director will also work with College leadership to identify opportunities for strategic faculty growth in areas that strengthen the School’s long-term research and educational mission.
• Advance educational innovation and student success. Provide leadership for undergraduate, graduate, and professional education across ESSIE. The Director will support continuous improvement and accreditation; encourage curricular innovation; expand experiential, field-based, interdisciplinary, and research-centered learning opportunities; strengthen graduate education and mentoring; and prepare students to lead in a rapidly changing engineering profession.
• Expand external engagement and advancement. Serve as a visible and persuasive ambassador for ESSIE. The Director will cultivate strong relationships with alumni, industry, government agencies, professional organizations, communities, donors, and other external partners. The Director will work closely with College leadership and advancement professionals to expand philanthropic support and develop partnerships that advance the School’s strategic goals.

Expected Salary

Commensurate with Education and Experience

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in civil, coastal, environmental, oceanographic engineering, or a closely related field.
• A distinguished record of scholarship, education, mentoring, and professional contribution that merits 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 organizational cultures and developing faculty, staff, and emerging leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate a compelling strategic vision to advance the reputation and ranking of the department by translating that vision into clear priorities, strategic investments and measurable outcomes.
• Is skilled in the development and expansion of sponsored research programs, including fostering collaborative research and advancing high-impact programs.
• Excellent communication, judgment, integrity, and relationship-building skills; ability to communicate and 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.

Preferred

• 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.
• The 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 a related discipline.

Special Instructions to Applicants

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue to receive applications until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted through UFCareers at: https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/listing/ (Search Job 541813). Complete applications must include the following files in PDF format: (1) A cover letter describing the candidate's interest in the position, relevant academic leadership experience, and scholarly background; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of five professional references; (Additional required documents should be uploaded as one PDF to the “other documents” section in the application.); (4) a leadership vision statement of no more than 3 pages detailing your leadership approach, a preliminary vision for the department, and two or three strategic priorities the candidate would explore with the community. Competitive candidates are expected to clearly complement the overall mission of the department and the college. The anticipated start date for this position is August 16, 2027. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by December 1, 2026. Please direct questions about the position to Senior Associate Dean John M. Shea, Faculty Search Chair, email: jmshea@ufl.edu or Professor Nina Stark, Faculty Search Co-Chair, email: nina.stark@essie.ufl.edu

About the University of Florida and the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

The University of Florida is the flagship institution of the State University System of Florida, a member of the Association of American Universities, and consistently ranked among the nation’s leading public universities. UF is currently ranked as one of the top 10 best public universities, 8th according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report of Best Colleges and is recognized by Forbes as one of 10 public “New Ivies” for producing exceptional graduates. With 16 colleges, more than 150 research centers and institutes, and over 60,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UF is one of the largest universities in the nation. UF offers broad opportunities for interdisciplinary work across engineering, medicine, agriculture, the sciences, and other fields. In FY2026, University of Florida research spending reached a record $1.34 billion. UF is also home to HiPerGator, the fastest AI supercomputer in higher education. The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering has over 400 faculty members and combines disciplinary depth with cross-cutting institutes, centers, shared facilities, industry partnerships, and a statewide mission.

For more information about college initiatives, visit eng.ufl.edu

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

Health Assessment Required

No

Advertised: 23 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close: Open until filled