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The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), one of the nation’s premier research universities, seeks its next Dean of the College of Engineering.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) offers a rigorous, hands-on curriculum that prepares graduates to become tomorrow’s leaders. Located in Huntsville, Alabama, which has been named one of the best places to live by U.S. News & World Report, UAH attracts students from 49 states and 56 countries. Among this year’s 8,362 students, the incoming freshman class entered with an average ACT score of 27 and a GPA of 3.97. Graduates go on to achieve average early-career earnings of $73,000 and mid-career earnings of $132,000, exceeding state and national averages.

UAH offers 115 degree programs, ranging from the bachelor’s to the doctoral level, across six academic colleges: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; Business; Education, Sport, and Human Sciences; Engineering; Nursing; Science. In addition, the university has an Honors College and a Graduate School. UAH’s vibrant campus life features nearly 200 student organizations, about 15 fraternities and sororities, and 15 NCAA athletic teams.

UAH’s nearly 500-acre campus anchors the second-largest research park in the U.S., with 17 high-tech research centers and labs contributing to the university’s $154.5 million in annual research expenditures. The university maintains strong partnerships with several federal organizations on Redstone Arsenal and multiple businesses in Cummings Research Park.

With more than 3,000 enrolled students (with about 18% at the graduate level) in five academic departments, the College of Engineering is UAH’s largest college, offering the resources of a major public research and space grant university, with unparalleled access to Huntsville’s engineering and technology ecosystem. Students in the college engage in rigorous classroom learning, complemented by experiential opportunities, laboratory research, internships, and co-op placements with leading government and industry partners. Participation by UAH’s engineering students in the NASA Human Exploration Challenge has been a constant for decades. UAH is the only university to win the first-place prize five times in the competition’s 31-year history. The college is also very engaged in encouraging a passion in engineering for K-12 students, as it offers engineering summer camps for grades 5-10 and hosts the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair for grades 6-12.

Reporting directly to the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, the dean will act as the lead academic and administrative officer for the college. The dean devises and executes strategic planning and visioning for the college and fosters an organizational culture that enables the recruitment and retention of talented faculty, staff, and students. The dean is responsible for the quality of academic programs and managing the fiscal, human, and physical resources and facilities of the COE. As the main spokesperson for the college, the dean will build deeper connections internally with leaders across the university and alumni, and externally with industry and government officials. This will ensure close alignment around academic and industry needs for a rapidly growing metropolitan community.

The new dean will be joining a well-regarded college that has a solid foundation, values collaboration and communication, and prides itself on a talented and ambitious faculty, staff, and students who are all committed to making an even greater impact in the community and beyond. The dean will be expected to build on the strong academic offerings within the college; the deep talents and enthusiasm of faculty, staff, administrators, and students; their impressive reputation with industry partners; and the outstanding potential for increased fundraising support from industry and alumni to continue the college on its impressive trajectory. In doing so, the dean will address the following opportunities and expectations.

• Articulate a Vision and Strategy
• Promote Academic Excellence across All Programs
• Recruit and Retain Distinguished Faculty
• Advance Scholarship and Research
• Engage Stakeholders and Develop Resources and Opportunities

More information, including an institutional profile with a full list of qualifications and qualities sought in the next dean, is available at the link above.

How to Apply

Applications should consist of a substantial letter of interest, a CV, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to:

UAHDeanCOE@academicsearch.org

The position is open until filled but only applications received by Monday, March 16, 2025, can be assured full consideration. The University is being assisted by Academic Search. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting Senior Consultant Chris Butler at Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org. Further information about the University of Alabama in Huntsville is available at https://www.uah.edu/.

All offers of employment will be contingent on the candidate’s ability to provide documents which establish proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States. All positions at The University of Alabama in Huntsville are deemed security sensitive requiring background checks and verification of all academic credentials.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an equal opportunity employer (EOE), including an EOE of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.