Job Details

Vice President of Research

New Mexico Tech (NMT) seeks a visionary leader for the position of Vice President of Research (VPR). The VPR will be a skilled, entrepreneurial, and astute administrator with significant experience in leadership, prioritization, and collaboration within a complex, interdisciplinary research environment focused on science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurism, and mathematics (STE²M). The VPR plays a crucial role in shaping the future of research and innovation at the institution, driving growth, excellence, and impact across diverse STE²M disciplines; championing NMT as a driver for the betterment of the institution, state, nation, and beyond; and serving as the chief promoter and main facilitator of STE²M research, innovation, and creativity at NMT.

The VPR oversees a current external funding portfolio of $300M, with annual research awards approaching $50M. The VPR reports directly to the President and is a member of the President's executive cabinet. The VPR is the most senior direct manager of numerous STE²M centers, some of which perform classified projects. As a member of the NMT senior leadership team, the VPR guides institutional strategic planning and fiscal stewardship for research and sponsored program development. The VPR also connects faculty, staff, and external entities to enable transdisciplinary research opportunities and campus-wide initiatives to enhance one of NMT's roles as a STE²M driver for the state, nation, and world.

The successful candidate will have:

• Earned doctorate from an accredited institution with qualifications for a tenured, full professor appointment in a department represented at NMT.
• Proven track record of securing funding, ideally STE²M funding, from a variety of sources, including federal/state government agencies, foundations, and industry.
• Understanding of federal and state appropriations processes, budgeting in a complex environment, grants and contracts administration, and strategic planning.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial controls, and fiscal accountability for a large, complex, matrixed organization.
• Strong interactions with government agencies and the corporate sector, with knowledge of national and international research agendas.
• Knowledge of intellectual property, technology transfer, patents, and the ability to balance academic research excellence with technology transfer.
• Extensive background in forming successful partnerships with other universities, government agencies, and research institutions both nationally and internationally.
• Experience with federal and state audit control guidelines and with research compliance and institutional adherence to rules, regulations, policies, and standards of conduct that govern research.

Preferred qualifications:

• Current holder of, or eligibility for, Dept. of Defense or Dep.t of Energy clearance.
• Eligible to obtain up to a TS/SCI Security Clearance.

At the pinnacle of STE²M education, research, and innovation since its founding in 1889, NMT offers degrees and certificates from associate to doctoral levels, houses numerous pioneering research centers, and is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution. A small but mighty campus of 1,565 degree-seeking students in fall 2023 (1,112 undergraduates and 453 graduate students), New Mexico Tech collaborates and offers expertise to industry partners, national labs, government agencies, the White House, and academic institutions. NMT research spans hydrology and astrophysics, petroleum recovery and explosives engineering, atmospheric physics and materials engineering, cybersecurity and management, and more.

A learn-by-doing campus, NMT equips classrooms with state-of-the-art technology, allowing faculty, staff, and students to conduct real-world, collaborative research that addresses industry needs and pioneers new advancements. Students regularly participate in rigorous experiential learning, challenging fieldwork, and demanding internships with top firms. They also excel at prestigious national competitions, such as Mini Baja and NASA Lunabotics.

NMT alumni secure influential positions with major employers such as Abbott Laboratories, Apple, Bank of America, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Honda, Intel, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Raytheon, Sandia National Laboratories, and many more giants in the field. NMT alumni salaries are higher than those of competitor schools.

Over the decades, faculty have contributed significantly to areas such as atmospheric electricity, atmospheric physics, and groundwater hydrology. Current faculty are also making impactful contributions in bioinspiration in aerospace and drone technologies, mammalian DNA repair, and cybersecurity, among others.

NMT research divisions work on seminal projects that expand the reach of science and technology. Renowned facilities include the Energetic Materials Research Testing Center, Petroleum Recovery Research Center, Magdalena Ridge Observatory, Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, and the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, among others.

NMT boasts more than 60 patents and patents pending worldwide, including innovations like the nicotine patch. Each year, NMT's faculty, staff, and students garner over $130 million in grants and contracts; non-taxpayer research expenditures average $75,000 per student; and the average research per faculty member is $800,000. This level of research output is what a 30,000-person research campus strives for and takes enormous pride in.

NMT has trained more than 700,000 workers in Homeland Security, police, and other security-related agencies. New Mexico Tech also conducts top-secret research and serves the nation through training and research programs that involve the Dept. of Defense, Air Force, Army, and other branches of U.S. military.

Majestic mountains overlook NMT's beautiful, rural, 320-acre campus. Facilities also include a manicured 18-hole golf course (open to the public). Its Macey Center hosts a well-attended performing arts series along with an art gallery. The NMT student esports and rugby club teams recently won national championships. There are outdoor adventures galore nestled amid nearby breathtaking mountains. Big-city attractions in Albuquerque are a quick 75-mile drive north. Santa Fe is 139 miles away from Socorro.

NMT regularly ranks high as a top public college in the West (U.S. News & World Report), public universities for percentage of bachelor's students who earn a doctorate (National Science Foundation), and as one the best Hispanic-serving universities in America (Niche.com).

How to Apply

Greenwood Asher & Associates is assisting New Mexico Tech in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Confidential inquiries, nominations and application materials should be directed to Greenwood Asher and Associates. For a full application package, please submit a cover letter and CV. Submission of application materials as separate PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made.

Please direct inquiries, nominations and application materials to:

Denice Perdue

Senior Executive Search Consultant

deniceperdue@greenwoodsearch.com

Lauren McCaghren

Senior Executive Search Consultant

laurenmccaghren@greenwoodsearch.com

New Mexico Tech (NMT) is an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action institution that is committed to providing equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment for all people. This policy applies to students, employees, applicants, vendors, visitors, and guests. NMT prohibits discrimination and harassment based on the following protected characteristics: race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental handicap, serious medical condition, spousal affiliation, gender identity, genetic information, pregnancy, and veteran status.