Dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

Job description

Posting Details
Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.



Advertising Copy The Search
The University of Vermont invites applications for the position of Dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences ( CEMS ).

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated leader to shape the future of the College embedded within a Carnegie R1 designated University.

CEMS is a community of problem solvers, inspiring each other to build true world solutions that will lead to healthy, sustainable societies.

The College offers modern facilities, focused energies, and unique interdisciplinary partnerships that span the campus, the state, and the region.
UVM seeks a distinguished scholar and educator with a record of academic and administrative excellence, leadership in institutional planning, and enrollment management.

Experience with curriculum innovation, program assessment, fiscal management, policy and technology development, and promoting the values enshrined in UVM’s “Our Common Ground” (https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground) are preferred.

The Dean must exhibit a balanced appreciation for engineering, computer science, mathematics, and physics, an aptitude for creating interdisciplinary collaborations across the University, and the desire to collegially promote UVM’s collective goals.

A record of fundraising, philanthropic development, and securing other forms of external funding is highly desired.

A doctorate in an appropriate discipline and a stellar record of teaching and scholarship, as evidenced through promotion to full professor (or attributes enabling appointment as a full professor at UVM ), are required.

For information regarding nomination or expression of personal interest, please consult the section entitled Procedure for Candidacy.
UVM , located in Burlington, VT, is a Carnegie R1 designated public research university that offers a challenging academic experience and has a strong record of student success.

UVM celebrates its interdisciplinary community of scholars, scientists, and learners with seven undergraduate colleges in addition to the Patrick Leahy Honors College, the Graduate College, the Larner College of Medicine ( LCOM ), and Professional and Continuing Education.
As part of this educational and research ecosystem, CEMS includes the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/cee) , Electrical and Biomedical Engineering (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/ebe) , Mechanical Engineering (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/me) , Mathematics & Statistics (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/mathstat) , Physics (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/physics) , and Computer Science (https://www.uvm.edu/cems/cs) .

The faculty and programs are highly collaborative, with established connections to virtually every other college at the University.

The College is home to 1,400 undergraduates, 260 graduate students, 70 tenured/tenure-track faculty, 40 lecturers and senior lecturers, 30 research faculty and associates, and 30 staff.

In addition, CEMS houses several research centers: the UVM Transportation Research Center, the Center for Resilient Energy and Autonomous Technologies in Engineering ( CREATE ), the Center for Biomedical Innovation, and the Vermont Space Grant Consortium.
Enrollments have stabilized in the last five years after a period of strong growth and are anticipated to grow again at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

CEMS is on a sound financial footing; its budget and fundraising success have enabled continual strategic growth and investment.

The new Dean will be responsible for ensuring the successful completion of the ABET accreditation process in 2027 in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

The new Dean will be expected to shepherd the growth, manage finances strategically, develop new revenue, recruit and support distinguished faculty, and build innovative academic programs.


Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership
The following priorities have been identified for the incoming Dean:


Articulate a Vision and Strategy

The Dean will join UVM under new presidential leadership, and the Dean will have the opportunity to develop a compelling vision and corresponding strategic plan consistent with the University’s pending new plan, and with the College’s commitment to research and teaching excellence and practical impact.

It is imperative that the next Dean articulates and disseminates the College’s strengths to attract and retain the highest quality students who will transition into engaged alumni.

The College will benefit from highlighting its outstanding academic programs that position graduates for success in the STEM workforce, in collaboration with regional industry partners and trade associations.

The Dean will evaluate the College’s current organizational structure and resources, making appropriate changes to support its continued growth and success.
Promote Academic Excellence across All Programs

The Dean will engage faculty in assessing the curriculum and current programmatic strengths to address current demand and emerging needs of STEM fields.

This includes exploring opportunities to expand and enhance industry partnerships, technology development, and interdisciplinary programs with other UVM colleges or institutions in the region.

It is expected that the Dean will lead collaboration across departments and programs to ensure cohesion and to leverage intra- and extramural collaborations.

The Dean will also identify opportunities to increase student enrollment, increase the College’s revenues and funding, and identify areas where technology can enhance productivity and lead to innovative teaching methods.


Recruit and Retain a Distinguished Faculty

CEMS faculty are accomplished in their areas of expertise and continually strive for success at all levels.

The Dean will continue developing a faculty of distinction, establishing the highest standards in faculty recruitment, appointment, tenure, and promotion to enhance consistent excellence in teaching and research.

This will include identifying recruitment needs to support curriculum changes and program expansion at the junior, mid-level and senior faculty levels, and retaining and recruiting faculty with strong records in STEM education and research.

The Dean will support the ongoing professional development of the faculty, by mentoring early career faculty and emerging academic leaders, and encouraging faculty engagement in curriculum evaluation and program development.


Advance Scholarship and Research

Building upon the College’s current research activity, the new Dean will lead further expansion of research productivity and funding, consistent with an R1 institution.

UVM achieved Carnegie R1 status in 2025, a designation earned by less than 3 percent of U.S. higher education institutions.

The Dean will identify opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with industry partners and other external organizations, fostering the development of synergistic relationships that will advance UVM’s research enterprise.

Engage Stakeholders and Develop Resources and Opportunities

As a public research and land-grant university, UVM is committed to providing regional, national, and international leadership in STEM fields through CEMS .

As the voice and advocate of the College for an array of audiences, the CEMS Dean must be engaging and able to foster commitment to UVM’s sustained success.

The Dean is responsible for bringing prominence to CEMS and for developing beneficial collaborations, opportunities, and resources.

They will advocate within and beyond UVM for the many societal benefits of CEMS’ educational, research, and service programs.


As leader of the research enterprise, the Dean will ensure effective infrastructure and engage in strategic planning to enhance the breadth, depth, and impact of CEMS activities.

Opportunities exist for significant expansion of extramural support for research in the College.

The Dean will emphasize the importance of graduate students to advance the research agenda and advocate for the entire research spectrum — from basic to applied research, and the translation of technologies into commercial assets.

The Dean must also appreciate how single investigator projects and multi-investigator transdisciplinary initiatives both contribute to the University’s overarching research mission.
The Dean’s interactions involve a wide range of constituencies within and beyond the College; these include the administration, deans, faculty, students, foundations, government and funding agencies, industry partners, trade associations, civic leaders, donors, and alumni.

The Dean serves as the principal architect for building and maintaining relationships with various partners to develop research opportunities and academic initiatives, to enhance revenue streams, and to stimulate economic growth and workforce development in the state and beyond.

The Dean will support current partnerships within New England, especially its northern tier, and Canada, and is expected to develop new partnerships to advance the mission of the College.


Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities
UVM seeks a visionary scholar with impeccable credentials to lead the College into the future.

The background, skills, and qualities the successful candidate will offer, ideally, are these:


Leadership


+ Academic accomplishment: A record of instruction, scholarship, and research excellence that merits appointment as a tenured professor in one of the departments of the College.

+ Commitment to excellence: Sincere and intense appreciation for excellence in research and scholarly endeavors, and a record of recruiting and developing people and programs of the highest quality.

+ Strategic vision: Ability to engage the community in crafting a compelling vision that builds on completed work, and then to create an environment that enables the College to achieve that vision.

+ Collaborative leadership: A collaborative and relationship-based leadership style; experience that brings people together to solve challenges while empowering others.


Management


+ Management experience: A history of administrative leadership; strong human resources and financial management experience as well as being adept at conflict resolution and negotiation.

+ Inclusive Excellence: A commitment to advancing inclusive excellence, particularly with respect to students, staff, and faculty; a track record of individual action and institutional leadership to advance inclusive excellence in all its forms.

+ Breadth: Familiarity with challenges and opportunities associated with colleges of engineering, physics, computer science, and mathematics; natural and instinctive curiosity about widely diverse intellectual and creative endeavors.

+ Fundraising: The capacity to attract external resources to the College through fundraising initiatives.

+ Progressive management style: Experience leveraging the talents of faculty and staff to design and implement initiatives that enrich the University community.

Evident commitment to contemporary research-based management strategies that enable faculty and staff to achieve their full potential within the university community.

A leadership style that evinces respect for others and demonstrates focus on clearly defined goals over a significant period of time.

A capacity to delegate to others.



Communication and Interpersonal Skills


+ Emotional Intelligence: Ability to negotiate and work with others; an inclination to circulate, listen, learn and to be a visible presence on campus; adeptness at working with faculty, students, staff, and the media, as well as high-level corporate, university and government leaders; exceptional listening skills; understanding of the intersection between emotions, motivations, and behavior.

+ Commitment to student success: Strong commitment to student success, demonstrated by advocacy for adequate resources, including human resources, to support innovative teaching and academic mentoring.

+ Commitment to mission: The ability to thrive in the UVM environment through passionate advocacy for the College; identification with its mission and a deep understanding of the role of the College and University in the broader higher education landscape.

+ Personal qualities: Unquestionable personal integrity; strong self-awareness; inspiring and energetic with the ability to earn the trust of faculty, staff, and students, and to work collegially with the President, the Provost, the other Deans, and the senior leadership team; the ability to empathize with others; resilience under pressure; a sense of humor and progressive outlook that is a balance of optimism and realism.


Role of the Dean of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Appointed by the President, reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President, the Dean of CEMS is its chief executive and academic officer.

The Dean will establish the standard for intellectual accomplishment by the College faculty and provide strategic vision and operational leadership for all academic and scholarly programs in the College.

The Dean will foster an environment supportive of the faculty, students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders.

They will assure that the College serves its students by providing exceptional academic programs and scholarly distinction, and will promote achievement through intercultural excellence in faculty, student, and staff recruitment.

To execute these responsibilities, the Dean will collaborate with the President, the Provost, CEMS Department Chairs and the campus leadership team.

The Dean will be, in general, a conspicuous advocate for the College to garner resources and support that will ensure success.

This will include execution of UVM’s Incentive-Based Budgeting model ( IBB ) and development and maintenance of facilities.
To fulfill these responsibilities, the Dean will be supported by a leadership team that is comprised of two Associate Deans, six Department Chairs, and a range of directors, managers, and assistants.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Provost and Senior Vice President

Partners with: Deans of other UVM Colleges and Schools
Provost’s Operational Management Team

Direct Reports: Associate Deans
Department Chairs
Director of Operations
Director of Student Services

Senior Financial Manager
Senior Outreach Professional
Communications Professional
(functional) Major Gifts Officer

Relates to: President’s Cabinet
Council of Deans

CEMS Board of Advisors


To learn more information about the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences visit:

https://www.uvm.edu/cems


Procedure for Candidacy


Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited.

Applications should be submitted through the University’s online recruitment site: https://www.uvmjobs.com/postings.

Nominations and inquiries should be sent to CEMS .Dean.Search.2025@office.uvm.edu (CEMS.Dean.Search.2025@office.uvm.edu) .

Candidates should provide:
1.

A letter of application addressing the central themes described in this leadership profile, including advancing the College’s mission in education, service, scholarship, and research.

2.

A professional CV

3.

The names and contact information for three references.

References will only be contacted with prior notice to the candidate.

4.

A separate statement on how, as Dean, you would advance Our Common Ground Values (https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground) at UVM and among the populations we serve.
Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2025, and will continue until an offer is made.

Applications received by September 30, 2025, will receive priority consideration.

Employment is subject to a successful Background Check.


UVM is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.


Anticipated Pay Range
$337,000 – $357,000.

Compensation is competitive and will be commensurate with both experience and achievement, and includes a highly competitive array of benefits.


Job Location Burlington, Vermont, United States

Job Open Date 07/08/2025

Job Close Date

Category




Position Information




Posting Number F3416PO

Department CEM Dean's Ofc/54000

Advertising/Posting Title Dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

FLSA Exempt

Position Number 005578

Employee FTE 1.0

Employee Term (months) 12




Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).




+ Please specify here where applicable.

Enter NA if not applicable.


(Open Ended Question)


+ How did you hear about this employment opportunity?



+ Chronicle of Higher Education

+ HigherEdJobs

+ Inside Higher Ed

+ LinkedIn

+ Seven Days

+ UVM Employee (Please specify below)

+ UVM Employment Web Site

+ Vermont JobLink (Department of Labor)

+ Other (Please specify below)




Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents

+ Curriculum Vitae

+ Cover Letter/Letter of Application

+ Other Document (1)

Optional Documents

Required Skill Profession

Other General