Position Details
Posting Details
Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.
The Graduate College invites nominations, including self-nominations, for the next Director of the Biomedical Engineering ( BME ) PhD Program. The internal search is open to all regular UVM Graduate Faculty affiliated with the program. The Director reports to the Dean of the Graduate College. The appointment is expected to begin January 1, 2027, for a three-year term, with reappointment made annually. The level of effort will be determined in consultation with the Director's home academic unit and the Graduate College, consistent with standard practice and the needs of the program.
The BME PhD program trains students to identify and address impactful biomedical problems at the convergence of engineering, biological sciences, and medicine. Its distinctive emphasis is on rigorous engineering-based inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and research with translational potential and societal impact. As the program expands participation across UVM colleges and schools, it seeks to build broader research and training partnerships while preserving a strong biomedical engineering identity and its connections to BME undergraduate education. The Director provides strategic and programmatic leadership for the BME PhD Program and oversees its day-to-day operations in collaboration with the Steering Committee and program faculty. Working with the Dean of the Graduate College and the BME PhD Program community, the Director will advance an innovative direction for the program that aligns with the Graduate College's priorities for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary education and for graduate education that is student-centered, inclusive, data-informed, outcomes-focused, and attentive to diverse career pathways. The successful candidate will be a collaborative, student-centered leader who consults broadly, works effectively with the Steering Committee, affiliated faculty, program staff, and Graduate College leadership and staff, and follows through on program priorities. The Director will advocate for students and draw on the perspectives and contributions of faculty across biomedical sciences, engineering, health sciences, and related disciplines to strengthen the program's interdisciplinary identity.
The Director's specific responsibilities include:
• oversee the program's operations in collaboration with the Associate Director and Steering Committee, including curricular oversight; recruitment and admissions; student financial support; and tracking student progress;
• chair the steering committee, call and preside at BME PhD program meetings, appoint ad hoc committees and committee members, delegate responsibilities to program members, work with faculty to update and maintain program bylaws;
• provide leadership for the continued development, assessment, and improvement of an innovative, rigorous, and interdisciplinary graduate curriculum that integrates engineering principles and methods with biological and medical knowledge and prepares students for translational biomedical research;
• work with affiliated faculty and academic units to expand cross-campus faculty participation and research collaborations, including faculty membership and mentoring opportunities across participating colleges and schools, while maintaining a coherent biomedical engineering focus;• support the program's advisor-based admissions model, in which students enter a specific research laboratory with faculty advisor endorsement and a commitment to sustained support; lead efforts to grow enrollment and expand sustainable funding opportunities for graduate students, including fellowships, traineeships, and graduate research assistantships;
• foster a culture of excellence in interdisciplinary graduate advising and mentoring, including regular assessment of student progress and individual development plans for students with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives;
• collaborate with the Graduate College to enhance student professional development, career preparation, and preparation for careers across academic, industry, clinical, government, and nonprofit settings;
• foster an engaged intellectual and professional community among program students, faculty, staff, alumni, and external partners;
• work with the Associate Director and Steering Committee, with representation from participating academic units, and maintain coordination with the BME BS and MS programs on shared courses and teaching assistantships;
• ensure effective communication among the Graduate College, program leadership, participating academic units, affiliated faculty, staff, and students, including communication about program requirements and student resources;
• represent and advocate for the program within UVM and with external partners; and
• assume additional responsibilities as assigned by the Dean of the Graduate College.
Strongest consideration will be given to candidates with a demonstrated record of effective graduate student mentoring and appropriate academic leadership experience at the program, department, college, and/or university level. Experience supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and graduate education at the intersection of engineering, biomedical science, and health is particularly desirable. Candidates should be able to articulate how they would expand cross-campus participation while sustaining the engineering-based educational and research identity of the BME PhD program.
Anticipated Pay Range
TBD
Job Location
Burlington, Vermont, United States
Job Open Date
11/06/2026
Job Close Date
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