Description

Job Description

Director of Basic and Translational Research

(Ph.D. and/or M.D., Associate Professor or Professor, tenure track)

The University of Maryland Department of Neurosurgery is seeking an established, extramurally-funded researcher to join our team as the Director of Basic and Translational Research. The successful candidate will have a track record of innovation and discovery in basic and translational neuroscience and leadership in a related domain. The candidate, reporting directly to the Chair, should demonstrate a strong desire and vision to lead the Department's laboratory-based research program, closely aligned with the Department of Neurology and Maryland Institute for Neuroscience Discovery (UM-MIND). The Director is expected to contribute 10-15% effort in the role. Appropriate candidates will be eligible to be named the 'Thompson-Hevy Professor of Neurosurgical Research', a newly established endowment from an alumnus and grateful patient's family supporting this important position.

The Neurosurgery research program currently includes 8 NIH-funded research laboratories with 17 investigators, research associates and staff and more than 20 students and fellows. The laboratories are housed in three University of Maryland, Baltimore buildings (Bressler 8, MSTF 5/6, and HSF3 6/9) and have specific expertise in Brain Injury (e.g. stroke/TBI), Brain Tumor (e.g. glioma metabolism), Brain Drug Delivery (e.g. focused ultrasound, nanomedicine), and Neural Regeneration/Recovery (e.g. stem cell therapy). Funding for the program includes ~$10M per year in basic and translational science research grants and contracts, and $500K per year in Departmental endowment and other funds.

The role of Director is critical to the strategic vision and plan of the Department, which includes becoming a Top 10 neurosurgery research program in North America (currently #20 in the Blue Ridge rankings). As Director, the research program leader will work closely with the Neuroscience (Neurosurgery and Neurology) Research Administrative Team (3 experienced staff) utilizing the Enterprise Operating System (EOS) (https://www.eosworldwide.com) methodology to drive accountability and operational excellence in the research program. The ideal candidate will lead our high-performing, mission-driven research enterprise by fostering faculty and staff engagement, supporting and mentoring investigators, and aligning laboratory research resources and activities with departmental areas of excellence. While maintaining active extramural funding, the Director will champion efforts to secure sustainable funding, optimize time and resources for maximum impact, foster a positive and collaborative culture, promote interdisciplinary partnerships, engage in philanthropic initiatives, and elevate the visibility of the department's research portfolio.

UM-Neurosurgery seeks to solve complex neurological problems to improve the condition and health of our patients. We work each day to innovate and excel in the clinical practice, science, and education of neurosurgery. This core focus rests on a platform and within a culture where all members uniquely contribute and reach their full capacity for teamwork, impact, and fulfillment.

Our mission is supported by 4 Core Values:

Patients first, together!

Always do the right thing

Leave it better than you found it

Drive to Discovery and Mastery.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the Department's laboratory-based research programs
• Maximize funded research efforts and increase the success rate of grant applications
• Develop and implement research administration processes to support the program (e.g. have quarterly conversations with laboratory PIs, perform annual reviews with Chair)
• Foster a collaborative research environment and promote interdisciplinary research and team science across Institutes (e.g. UM-MIND, IGS) and Departments (e.g. Neurobiology, Neurology)
• Mentor and support faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students in their research activities
• Secure, manage, and diversify the research program funding portfolio with a focus on NIH and extramural grants
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and ethical standards
• Represent the Department at national and international research conferences, meetings, and philanthropic activities

Qualifications

The expected rank for this position will be Associate Professor or Professor (tenure track) depending on experience and qualifications, and the ideal candidate will possess a PhD or MD/PhD degree.

For immediate consideration, please submit a cover letter and a recent CV, including names and contact information of three references. For questions about the role, please reach out to Alex Palleschi, Associate Administrator, apalleschi@som.umaryland.edu.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law or policy.

All qualified applicants for this opportunity will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or protected veteran or disabled status. The UMSOM seeks candidates whose skills, personal and professional experiences have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to inclusive excellence and promote a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at UMSOM. Successful candidate must be able to create, support, and sustain an environment where mutual respect for diverse cultures, communication styles, languages, customs, beliefs, values, traditions, experiences, and other ways in which we identify ourselves, is the expectation.