Academic Unit Head, Department of Engineering

Job no:
Work type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty
Location: Harrisonburg
Categories: Director / Unit Head, Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Working Title: Academic Unit Head, Department of Engineering

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Integrated Science and Engineering

Department: 100590 - Department of Engineering

Pay Band: N/A

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 10/22/2026

General Information:

James Madison University (JMU) invites applications for the position of Department Head and Endowed Faculty Chair of Engineering. This is a tenured, 12-month appointment at the rank of Professor or Associate Professor. A recent commitment establishing the endowed chair will provide significant resources and flexibility for the Department Head to pursue a broad range of initiatives aligned with the Department's needs, opportunities, and the successful candidate's interests. The Department Head reports to the Dean of the College of Integrated Science and Engineering and is supported by an Assistant Department Head, Program Director, Academic Advisor, Fiscal Technician, Office Manager, and Laboratory Manager.

The Department of Engineering consists of 18 instructional faculty and 6 staff members serving approximately 750 students, with about 120 graduates each year. The Department offers an ABET-accredited B.S. in Engineering, and students may choose to pursue concentrations in Electro-Mechanical Systems, Geo-Environmental Systems, or Civil & Environmental Systems. As an undergraduate-focused engineering program within a large public university, we combine the close faculty-student interaction and small class sizes often associated with smaller programs with substantial facilities, staffing, and resources. Our project-based curriculum gives students significant responsibility for their own work in courses, laboratories, research, and design projects, creating a highly hands-on learning environment. Students have access to a fully staffed machine shop, fabrication laboratory, digital prototyping facilities, and dedicated capstone and project workspaces. Research, project, and instructional infrastructure includes more than $2 million in tools, instrumentation, and equipment located in over 30,000 square feet of dedicated engineering laboratory, fabrication, research and project space.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Manage and steward the Department's academic programs, personnel, facilities, and resources within the evolving landscape of higher education.
• Advocate for the Department within JMU and externally with industry partners, prospective students, academic peers, alumni, and other constituencies.
• Manage the Department's annual budget and oversee the responsible allocation of financial and other resources.
• Manage and conduct academic administration, including course assignments and scheduling, annual faculty evaluations, and review of tenure and promotion applications.
• Supervise Department staff and conduct annual performance evaluations.
• Foster a culture of shared governance, transparency, and trust through collaborative decision-making and consensus building among faculty from a range of disciplinary backgrounds.
• Work effectively and constructively with College and University leadership to advance Department, College, and institutional priorities.

Qualifications:

Required:
• A Ph.D. in engineering or closely related field
• Leadership experience in engineering
• A demonstrated commitment to engineering education at the undergraduate level
• A track record of teaching, scholarship and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of associate professor
• Evidence of sustained commitment to shared governance

Preferred:
• A demonstrated commitment to the development of faculty and staff
• A track record of teaching, scholarship and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of professor
• An undergraduate degree in engineering

Additional Posting Information:

For more information about the department visit https://jmu-engineering.github.io/auh-search/ or our departmental website at https://www.jmu.edu/cise/engineering.

To apply, applicants should complete the application on the JMU career site and submit the following additional documents which demonstrate the candidate's suitability for the position:
• CV
• Cover Letter (3-page maximum)

JMU's Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Advertised: 21 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

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