DIVISION HEAD, BIOSTATISTICS
Search launches in March 2018 and remains open for applications until filled.
The School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Minnesota seeks a Division Head, to be appointed at the rank of full Professor, for its Division of Biostatistics. The position requires a well-established researcher, collaborator, and mentor who can be a visionary leader with the skills to strengthen and further develop our successful teaching and research programs.
The Division, one of four in the SPH, focuses on the critical statistical methods employed in scientific health-related research, from designing studies to analyzing and comprehending data. Our 27 tenured, tenure-track, and contract faculty, 54 staff, and over 80 students are engaged in research in genetics and ‘omics, causal modeling, medical imaging, data science, survival analysis, meta-analysis, machine learning/data mining, and clinical trials design, among other areas. The Division is located in a large Academic Health Center and includes the Coordinating Centers for Biometric Research (CCBR), which operates statistical and data coordinating centers for a number of large national and international NIH-sponsored clinical trials. Many faculty have joint appointments with the Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC), a consulting group linked to the University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and to the University’s Masonic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Faculty of the Division of Biostatistics are principal investigators and co-investigators on over 100 biostatistics research or collaborative projects, bringing in over $150 million in 2016-17. The Division has doctoral, masters, and graduate certificate programs, and has a large on-line and in-person service teaching program. Graduate students are supported through T32 training grants, fellowships, and research and teaching assistantships (http://www.sph.umn.edu/academics/divisions/biostatistics/).
Reporting to the Dean of the School of Public Health, the Division Head will:
• be the chief administrator of the Division and a member of the SPH Executive Team, developing the Division’s strategic vision and resources to achieve its missions in collaboration with a Division executive team and with SPH and community leadership;
• strengthen a collegial and collaborative culture that is inclusive, diverse, and supportive for faculty, staff, and students;
• recruit excellent faculty, particularly those from under-represented backgrounds;
• organize and provide exceptional mentoring to junior and newly promoted faculty;
• work collaboratively with SPH leadership to supervise, prepare, implement and monitor the Division budget, which encompasses all funding sources and ensures compliance with grant, legislative, and institutional guidelines as well as effective management of Division resources;
• advance and contribute to the Division’s diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research, teaching, and service;
• support and expand activities with community, industry, and government partners;
• actively seek philanthropic opportunities and partnerships.
Required Qualifications: Candidates must have a PhD or ScD in Biostatistics, Statistics, or a closely related field and credentials commensurate with appointment as a tenured full professor in the Division and School. They should have a nationally recognized record of scholarship, including securing funding; demonstrated excellence in mentorship, leadership, and management; and experience in teaching and/or mentoring in a diverse academic environment.
Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will be a global thinker who is intellectually curious about advancing the science of biostatistics and its applications in public health and medicine. We seek a candidate who can articulate a vision for enhancing the research and educational missions of the Division nationally and internationally, and who has knowledge, skills, and managerial experience needed for guiding our organization.
The School of Public Health is committed to supporting an inclusive community and holistically assesses the qualifications of each applicant. In pursuit of this goal, we consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, and experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to academic success. Because the SPH and the Division seek to increase the diversity of its faculty, we particularly welcome applicants from groups that have been historically underrepresented in our discipline, including racial/ethnic groups and/or LGBTQIA.
This national search will continue until the position is filled. Initial review of applicants will begin the week of April 16, 2018. To apply for the position, please submit: a cover letter that provides an overview of your qualifications and describes your contributions to fostering diversity in your institution and your ideas for fostering diversity in our Division; your CV including publications, funding, and teaching/advising/mentoring; and a list of at least three references (submit on-line at https://z.umn.edu/jobopening322561). Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications and background. Questions about the position can be directed to the Search Committee Co-Chairs, Lynn Eberly (leberly@umn.edu) and Tim Beebe (beebe026@umn.edu) or to Interim Division Head Wei Pan (panxx014@umn.edu). Questions about the employment web site or the application process can be directed to Tracey Kane (kane@umn.edu).