Vice President for Research, Colorado School of Mines

Engineering a world of possibilities

The Background

For more than 150 years, Colorado School of Mines has focused on producing graduates, knowledge, and innovations needed by industry and society. As needs have changed, the university has evolved to meet them. Today Mines has a unique collection of programs, expertise, and facilities that reflects its origins in mining and metallurgy, the present and future industries in Colorado (e.g., aerospace, energy, IT/quantum), and our nation’s needs for affordable and reliable energy, secure and sustainable materials supply chains, and objectively-informed decision-making. With respect to energy and critical minerals, Mines is one of the few schools with the expertise to operate at the intersection of science, technology, economics, and policy. 
 

Mines is an R1 institution whose research capabilities are enriched by deep partnerships with the United States Geological Survey, multiple Department of Energy labs, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and many more. Mines also partners with Elevate Quantum (the U.S. Commerce Department’s Quantum Tech Hub), and is the owner/operator/developer of Quantum Commons, a new technology park supporting the growing quantum industry in Colorado. Mines’ research ecosystem is connected to all aspects of its mission (undergraduate and graduate education, discovery, innovation, and being a trusted source of data and analyses), with a stronger connection to its education mission than most research-active universities. Mines strives for its research efforts to be relevant and impactful. That is reflected in the “Beyond MINES@150” strategic plan, where “impact beyond publication” is a strategic initiative. Related to this, Mines has invested in facilities, people, and programs to grow its research impact through translation and commercialization.
 

Mines’ research funding has been largely federally-sourced, but with a higher percentage of industry funding than is typical. However, the research funding landscape is evolving rapidly.  It seems likely that there will be less direct government funding to universities than in the past, and more direct federal funding to companies and start-ups. Therefore, faculty researchers are already adapting to pursue funding more from industry, mission-driven agencies, national lab collaborations, and philanthropic organizations, than they have before. There will also likely be significant changes to  how underlying research infrastructure and administrative costs are recovered.  
 

The universities that will be most successful in the future will be those that are agile, act entrepreneurially, deliver tangible results and value, and take the time to learn and align with the needs of industry and mission-driven agencies. Being the preferred partner for industry, mission-driven agencies, and other funding entities is a key goal in Mines’ strategic plan.
 

The Vice President of Research Position

The scope and scale of Mines’ research efforts, the university’s co-investment in research, and the support and leadership provided by the VPR’s Office must adapt to a dynamically changing world and create new opportunities for a thriving research enterprise. In brief, Mines seeks a VPR who can help grow new research partnerships and opportunities, building on our current strengths and quickly moving into emerging fields in which Mines can lead and compete. Mines also needs its VPR to work closely with academic and other university leaders to promote and reward impact beyond publication.
 

Within this context, Mines is searching for a Vice President for Research (VPR) that:

• is passionate about all aspects of Mines’ mission and the role that research plays in it,

• is a good listener, stays up-to-date on the needs and interests of industry, mission-driven agencies, foundations, and other key partners, and works to ensure that Mines aligns with and becomes the preferred partner for those entities,

• is an effective communicator, capable of speaking to a broad range of audiences inside and outside the university about the scope, relevance, value, people, and impact of Mines’ research activities, 

• works collaboratively with university faculty and leadership at all levels and across all organizations to promote Mines’ research efforts and outcomes, grow the impact of Mines’ research, and help connect faculty to grant/contract/philanthropic funding opportunities and opportunities for commercialization, 

• works collaboratively with academic and university leadership to prioritize and track the results from university investments in research, with a focus on future funding opportunities, innovation and impact across the research enterprise,  

• provides leadership and support for the pursuit and conduct of strategic initiatives that are large, complex, and involve multi-investigator/multi-partner teams,

• works closely with the research leadership of partner universities, federal laboratories, and industry collaborators to develop and sustain partnerships, and

• effectively and efficiently leads a small team that accomplishes all of the above while ensuring that relevant university policies and processes are followed and that Mines is legally compliant with expectations set by federal and state agencies and those that fund Mines research.
   

Mines’ VPR reports to the President, is a member of the President’s executive team, and needs to have strong and productive working relationships with the Provost, Deans, Faculty, and others engaged in all dimensions of Mines’ research enterprise.
 

This position offers a great opportunity for someone who is intellectually curious, enjoys learning about a broad range of cutting-edge topics, thinks entrepreneurially and strategically, is comfortable in times of change, and can connect, coach, and support faculty and multi-partner teams to increase their success with large initiatives.  
 

This position is best matched to someone who is a good team player, enjoys supporting and promoting others’ successes, and embraces the concept of “impact beyond publication”. 
 

Qualifications

Mines will take into consideration a combination of a candidate’s education, training, experiences, motivation, past results and how relevant those are to the university’s needs, aspirations and the evolving research landscape as discussed above. Mines will consider internal and external candidates from a wide range of academic and non-academic backgrounds.  
 

There is a set of minimum qualifications that applicants must meet, and beyond that it is up to the applicant to make a compelling case for their candidacy. 
 

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree from an accredited university, preferably in a discipline related to Mines’ degree or research programs.

• A high degree of intellectual curiosity, extending beyond one’s own expertise.

• 10+ years of experience conducting and/or managing research programs in academic, industry and/or federal environments, with experience in leading through change.

• Familiarity with the needs and interests of major funding organizations and how and why they fund and support research at universities (e.g., federal agencies, industry, foundations).

• Strong presentation, speaking and listening skills.

• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to work effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies, including university leaders, faculty members, staff, students and external partners.

• Successful record of leadership and management of teams and projects.

• Established relationships, connections or networks with state, national or global boards, labs or research organizations.

Salary Rate and Benefits

$225,000-$325,500

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees. 

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes: 

• A variety of flexible health, dental, and vision plans

• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.  

• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution 

• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents) 

• Free RTD Ecopass 

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the on-campus Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more), equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center, the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (CSEAP), and backup child and elder care. Coming soon is an on-campus daycare center. For more information about benefits at Mines, go to mines.edu/human-resources/benefits. 

How to Apply

Priority review of applications will begin on January 26th. Applications received after this date may or may not be reviewed. Applicants must:

• Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a CV/resume

• Upload a letter of interest

Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR at [email protected] with any application questions. 

Mines welcomes everyone to our team; in your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (for example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).  It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at  [email protected] or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position. This posting may be used to fill multiple openings.

Equal Opportunity

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons.  Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses. Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, affirmative action, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a diverse student body and workforce. Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequity or concerns for safety.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting