Director of the Center for High Tech Materials

The University of New Mexico (UNM) seeks a dynamic, innovative, results-oriented, and proven leader for the position of Director of the Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM), one of UNM’s premier strategic research centers. The selected candidate will report directly to the Vice President for Research (VPR) and will be a tenured faculty member of either the College of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering.

CHTM is an internationally recognized center of excellence in photonics, quantum science and engineering, and microelectronics with a global reputation for inventing disruptive nanoscale technologies. CHTM is a highly advanced interdisciplinary science and engineering research organization with capabilities in nanoscale synthesis, fabrication, characterization, prototyping and manufacturing as well as theory, modeling and simulation matched by few universities. CHTM boasts a creative and entrepreneurial faculty across multiple departments at UNM, including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Chemical and Biological Engineering, many of whom are actively engaged in interdisciplinary graduate programs such as Optical Science & Engineering, Nanoscience & Microsystems, Biomedical Engineering, and a proposed Quantum Science & Engineering program. To facilitate and execute research and superb educational opportunities in opto-electronics, optics, materials science, and microelectronics, CHTM occupies a state-of-the-art, 60,000 ft² primary facility, which includes a fully equipped 3,500 ft² class 1000/100 cleanroom, as well as several satellite and affiliated facilities. CHTM provides outstanding scientific and technical expertise and cutting-edge instrumentation and facilities to its partners and collaborators at UNM, private industry, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Sandia National Labs and Los Alamos National Laboratories, including the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT). It also has a stellar record of technology commercialization and promotion of economic development within New Mexico. For a full description of CHTM and its activities, please visit http://www.chtm.unm.edu.

The University of New Mexico is classified as a Carnegie Doctoral/Research R1 University-Very High Research Activity and is also a Hispanic Serving Institution. UNM’s eleven colleges and schools serve a diverse student population of over 27,000 at its main campus in Albuquerque. UNM provides an excellent environment for research-university education and training and produces a unique demographic of superbly trained researchers to our nation.

The successful candidate will:

• Prepare and implement a strategic vision and plan for CHTM
• Enhance CHTM’s portfolio of external funding by facilitating and catalyzing the acquisition of grants and contracts awarded to the CHTM faculty researchers.
• Supervise CHTM staff, projects, facilities, and activities, including those that pertain to research administration functions and compliance with University, State, and Federal policies and regulations
• Fully integrate CHTM’s research mission with graduate and undergraduate educational programs across UNM
• Establish active collaborative research partnerships both within the University (e.g., other departments, centers, and institutes) and with strategic partners outside the university (e.g., national laboratories, industry partners, economic development agencies)
• Represent the CHTM to the University and external communities at all levels
• Participate in OVPR’s Research Council to help develop and implement OVPR initiatives and provide input and feedback to the OVPR leadership team
• Mentor early career investigators, post-docs, and students in developing research programs that fit within the CHTM mission
• Prepare, oversee, and serve as responsible agent for the CHTM budget, including oversight on sponsored projects, facilities usage, and staff compensation exercises
• Provide regular operational and planning reports to the VPR (monthly and yearly) and internal and external advisory boards (biannually and yearly, respectively)
• Establish a vibrant and well-funded collaborative research enterprise

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in a CHTM-related, or relevant field at the time of application
• 5 years of experience managing complex sponsored research projects and operations
• Demonstrated leadership of research-based, interdisciplinary initiatives

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of scholarly achievement and innovation in CHTM mission-related or relevant areas (primarily novel photonic and electronic materials and devices, their design, development, characterization, and applications) commensurate with obtaining tenure at a top research university
• Record of success in securing competitive research funding, including for large, multi-investigator, multi-institutional projects
• Demonstrated experience in successful leadership in a highly-productive research setting
• Experience with the development, coordination and integration of interdisciplinary graduate research and educational programs, as well as workforce development at all educational levels
• Experience with collaboration in interdisciplinary research as well as between universities, national laboratories, and industry partners
• Management experience, including oversight on day-to-day operations of center and research facilities, maintaining budgets, policy and process development and implementation, and supervision of staff
• Experience with ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, laws, and policies as well as safety policies, practices, and regulations
• Ability to clearly articulate strategic vision and planning for a research-based interdisciplinary center
• A demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, and working with diverse communities.
• Record of, or potential for, teaching courses in the selected home departments.