Director – Core Research Facilities

Duties/Responsibilities

UIC Responsibilities (45%)

• Leading strategic, budget, and business plan development. Responsible for long-range planning for the UIC, including estimation of future budget and instrumentation needs. Review forecasts, performance trends, and usage targets to ensure that the UIC is forward looking and aligned with UNH research priorities. Work with faculty and staff to secure funding from internal and external sources to obtain new instruments and upgrade existing instruments. Ensure compliance with government and university regulations and guidelines.  

• Managing and supporting the professional development of UIC staff. Nurture an environment that promotes staff training, cross-training, and professional growth to ensure that UIC support stays on the cutting-edge of faculty needs. Set performance benchmarks, manage facility work schedules, and identify areas for improvement and annual performance evaluations.

• Building strong and sustained relationships with internal and external clients. Create pathways for faculty to provide input into the decision-making process for the UIC. Consult with UNH faculty and research staff on their research programs to anticipate needs for new instrumentation and to maximize use of current equipment. Develop knowledge and awareness of other laboratories and core facilities in the state and region, for purposes of forming partnerships, referral, relationships, information networks, etc. Build consistent outreach and engagement strategies to serve as a resource for state government and business and industry in New Hampshire and the region. Participate in local, regional, and national events that promote the UIC.

Core Research Facilities Network Responsibilities (45%)

• Assessment and Planning. The Director will chair an internal core research facilities committee to assess the current landscape of UNH core research facilities, reviewing relevant policies and procedures, documenting shared challenges and opportunities, benchmarking peer institutions, and gathering input from the UNH research community and external stakeholders. This work, to be conducted in the first year, will result in recommendations for the Vice President for Research & Innovation on implementing a more coordinated and efficient network of core facilities at UNH.

• Implementing a networked vision for core research facilities. In consultation with the VPRI office and other stakeholders, the director will lead the implementation of recommendations for a professionalized, state-of-the art centralized network of research core facilities. The director will provide administrative leadership and vision for the approach, which will include:

• Partner with UNHInnovation to support corporate engagement utilizing core facilities

• developing a process for selecting core facilities that will be included in the network.

• establishing metrics for the evaluation and assessment of individual core facilities and the network as a whole.

• supporting sustainability and business models for existing core services and priorities for future instrumentation and services.

• working closely with core facility directors and appropriate campus administrative units to develop competitive and consistent usage rates.

• where appropriate, standardizing procedures and shared management best practices

• increasing the visibility and utilization of UNH core research facilities.  

Other duties (10%)

• Contribute to leadership of the VPRI Office through participation in the Research Operations working group.

• Serve on appropriate hiring and advisory committees

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree and 10+ years of Business Management experience or Graduate degree in science or engineering with 6+ years of managerial and supervisory experience.

• Experience operating under government (OMB & FAR) regulations and requirements.

• Deep understanding of analytical instrumentation used in chemistry, the life sciences or engineering. 

• Leadership or administrative track record, ideally with prior experience in developing or managing core research facilities within a university environment.

• Experience developing cost models and business plans

• Track record of growing and managing business development and customer relationships 

• Experience developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships among stakeholders and partners on campus, and with external university, industry, government and/or non-profit sectors.

• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation and public speaking skills.

• Success in grant writing/proposal development and the acquisition of extramural funding.

Applicant Instructions: 

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents)

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter

• Contact Information for 3 Professional References

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.