Director, University of Florida Water Institute

Classification Title:

Director, University of Florida Water Institute

Job Description:

Administrative responsibilities of the Director include: i) program development and coordination; ii) liaison with cooperating units within UF, state, federal, and international government agencies, and professional and non-governmental organizations; and iii) development, promotion, and coordination of funding opportunities for UF faculty. The Director may conduct research at a level commensurate with effective discharge of duties related to the Institute. The Director serves a 12-month tenured appointment in an academic unit at the University of Florida appropriate to the appointee’s discipline and reports to the UF Vice President for Research.  The initial appointment is five years with the opportunity for additional terms.  Base funding for administrative and programmatic support of the institute is provided by the university.

The UF Water Institute, founded in 2006, brings together talent from across the University and builds internal and external partnerships to address urgent water research challenges, implement innovative interdisciplinary academic programs, and provide state-of-the-art expert assistance and educational programs for external stakeholders. The vision of the Water Institute is to be a global leader in developing knowledge and novel solutions for a sustainable and equitable water future. Its mission is to build a diverse community that conducts interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach activities to understand and solve complex water challenges from local to global scales.  Water Institute affiliate faculty represent diverse disciplines across the geological, chemical, biological, life and social sciences, engineering, law, and humanities. The Water Institute has emerged as a leader in coordinating interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach programs focused on water science and sustainability in the context of economic, cultural, and environmental change.

Florida’s burgeoning population and rapidly changing climate interact to increase the vulnerability of its water resources to a wide range of stressors, providing the Water Institute an ideal laboratory to direct innovation for state, national, and global water futures.  Water Institute programs, based in the state and around the world, develop new knowledge about water science and sustainability and provide transferrable solutions to global water problems. Since its inception, the Water Institute has developed a broad portfolio of projects addressing complex water issues funded by major national agencies including NSF, USDA, DOE, USGS, NOAA, Florida state agencies including Water Management Districts, the Legislature, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Environmental Protection, Tampa Bay Water Authority, and multiple private foundations. The Water Institute hosts a well-attended biennial solutions-oriented symposium and a Distinguished Scholar Seminar Series. The Water Institute leads the campus-wide, certificate granting Hydrologic Sciences Academic Concentration, recognizes faculty and students through their Faculty Fellow and graduate student awards, and directs the Water Institute Graduate Fellows program to craft interdisciplinary cohorts of PhD students tackling diverse water science challenges.

UF has outstanding faculty expertise in water across many colleges that are brought together through the Water Institute to create opportunities for synergy and leadership in Florida and globally.  Additional resources at UF promote exceptional research, teaching, and outreach capabilities – including high-speed computational capabilities (i.e., HiPerGator), laboratory and field research facilities throughout the state, and the comprehensive nature of a land-grant institution, which includes medical and law professional schools.

The University of Florida, a public land-grant institution, is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), and one of the five largest universities in the nation with 38,000 undergraduate and 10,000 graduate students. UF research expenditures were $1.25 billion in FY2023, placing the university among the nation's leading research institutions. UF is among the nation’s most academically diverse universities, with 16 colleges offering 100 undergraduate degree programs, 200 graduate programs, and 30 combined degree programs. UF is a perennial national leader in attracting outstanding students, faculty, and staff, as well as in commercializing research in technologies and companies.  

Expected Salary:

Commensurate based on experience, education, and qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

Candidates should have an earned doctorate

Preferred Qualifications: Excellent communication skills will be necessary for interacting with the broad array of Water Institute stakeholders and partners