Description
The Opportunity: Arizona State University is looking for a dynamic, future‑looking director for the School of Earth and Space Exploration, concurrently appointed as a tenured professor. The director will lead and grow a faculty of 56 tenured/tenure‑track, 17 career‑track faculty, and 27 academic professionals, overseeing undergraduate and graduate programs and advancing interdisciplinary research across astrobiology, astrophysics, cosmology, geosciences, and planetary sciences.
The School is known for its high research expenditures, state‑of‑the‑art facilities, and active participation in NASA missions. The new director will build on this foundation to expand student access, recruitment, and community impact while maintaining a culture of collaboration and academic excellence.
Primary Responsibilities
- Provide intellectual leadership and commitment to the growth of education and research programs within SESE.
- Collaborate with university leadership, faculty, and staff to develop a collective vision and implement a strategic direction aligned with institutional priorities.
- Foster a school culture that integrates and supports tenure/tenure‑track faculty, career‑track faculty, research staff, staff, early‑career researchers, and students.
- Leverage and manage resources to fuel SESE’s aspirations, including growth of world‑class research, student access, partnership development, and fundraising.
- Build networks internally and externally to expand SESE’s impact.
- Oversee operation and management of undergraduate and graduate programs, enhancing student access, experience, and success.
- Identify new opportunities to grow enrollment in immersive and online programs.
- Ensure alignment with the ASU Charter.
- Recruit, retain, and support excellent faculty, staff, and early‑career researchers.
Required Qualifications
- Earned doctorate in a field related to SESE disciplinary strengths (e.g., astrophysics, chemistry, education, engineering, geology, physics, or planetary sciences).
- Record of distinguished scholarly research, instructional experience, and professional accomplishments meriting appointment as a full professor with tenure.
- Demonstrated record of effective and impactful administrative leadership.
Desired Qualifications
- Creative, bold, and innovative thinker, connector and relationship builder with orientation to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work.
- Extensive research experience and scholarly achievement in one of the SESE disciplines.
- Established record of research funding and knowledge of funding sources.
- Experience developing and implementing a strategic plan that fosters academic and research excellence and growth.
- Team‑based, collaborative and collegial leadership style with strong communication across disciplines.
- Successful fundraising and advancement experience.
- Spokesperson for SESE and understanding of its interests.
- Experience managing undergraduate and graduate programs.
- Experience creating and implementing immersive and online program offerings.
- Experience with budgeting and resource allocation.
- Instructional excellence and evidence‑based teaching practices for immersive and online learning.
- Strong communication and problem‑solving skills, integrity, honesty, transparency.
- Experience recruiting, retaining, supporting faculty and staff, including career development, promotion, tenure, and mentoring.
- Entrepreneurial approach toward public‑private partnerships.
- Commitment to ASU Charter principles.
Application Instructions
Submit the following materials in Word or PDF:
- Curriculum vitae.
- Letter of interest addressing the leadership opportunities and qualifications.
- Contact information for four references.
Send materials to by January 5, 2026.
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