Position Summary

LEADERSHIP

• Provides administrative support to the Dean, who is the chief executive officer. The Associate Dean exercises independent judgment, manages a highly diversified mixture of research and infrastructure responsibilities, and may represent or assume authority for the unit in the Dean's absence regarding these matters.
• Serves as a key representative of the Dean’s Office, fostering constructive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Proactively supports the Dean by managing upward communication, anticipating needs, and ensuring the Office’s reputation is upheld through professionalism, responsiveness, and strategic engagement per the College's mission, vision, and values.
• Collaborates with the College’s leadership team via participation and contributions to the yearly budget process, promotion and tenure processes (as needed), faculty raise determination, various committees, and councils.
• Directly supervises the Director of Research Support and the Director of the Center for Advanced Microscopy. In collaboration with the Dean, oversees research programs including the Plant Resilience Institute, CREATE for STEM, and the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, and in collaboration with MSU IT’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), oversees the College’s Information Technology Director.
• In collaboration with the Chairs and the Dean, help support all aspects of the College's research mission.

RESEARCH and INFRASTRUCTURE

• Works to ensure the effective and efficient management of all College operations. Collaborating with the Dean, develops long-term financial plans to advance the College's research priorities.
• Partners with the Dean, College Budget Officer, Department Chairs/Directors, and other key stakeholders to develop annual faculty hiring plans, negotiate startup and retention packages, and prepare related offer letters and memorandums of understanding (MOUs). Negotiates cost-share requests, grant matches, and approve extramural grant applications before submission.
• Reviews internal grants such as Strategic Partnership Grant (SPG) applications, Discretionary Funds Initiative (DFI) requests, and institutionally limited proposals; manages budgetary expenses in these and related areas by providing yearly analyses of grant activity/RFA/grant expenditures.
• Works with the Dean and the NatSci Advancement team in fundraising efforts.
• Serves as an Authorized Signer of the Major Administrative Unit (MAU). (MAU delegates are Dean’s Authorized Signers who can approve certain transactions for HR-Payroll processes within the College.)
• Actively participates in the College strategic planning process and works to ensure that strategic priorities under the scope of this role are successfully and timely achieved in a manner that ensures alignment with the mission, vision, and values of the College and University.

• Works with the Dean to develop, organize, and facilitate research goals and strategic initiatives for the College and University, including coordinating and promoting research collaborations between Colleges/units.

• Coordinates and communicates with central administration in matters related to research activities and infrastructure. Serves as the College liaison with the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI) Office for hires, retention, grant matches, and research initiatives; with Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) for renovations; Office of Financial Planning and Budget for strategic planning of campus research and administrative space; and the Animal Care Program and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) for animal care and safety issues.
• Coordinates/Communicates with MSU Innovation Center to facilitate technology transfer and corporate engagement.
• Coordinates/Collaborates with Institutional Space Planning and Management (ISPM) to address the College's space needs in support of the College's mission.

• Negotiates grant matches and approves extramural grant applications before submission.

• Ensures adherence to MSU policies, procedures, and regulations relevant to the responsibilities of the role.
• Performs other duties, as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of the duties in this job classification.

Demonstratable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Dedicated steward and servant leader committed to fostering a culture of growth, support, and service. Skilled in aligning actions with the College’s mission, vision, and values, while empowering individuals and teams to thrive. Demonstrates strong leadership in managing people and projects through critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and strategic insight.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and effectively manage financial resources and budgeting processes.
• Knowledge, skills, and strategic insight required to support, conduct, or oversee academic research effectively. This includes familiarity with institutional, disciplinary, and national research priorities and awareness of emerging trends, funding opportunities, and scholarly impact metrics.
• Understanding of regulation, privacy, intellectual property, and responsible conduct of research.
• Expertise in submission and administration of grants and contracts, gifts, and/or other funding efforts.
• Thorough understanding and ability to strictly comply with policies and procedures of MSU, the College, and relevant administrative offices.
• Business acumen and analytical skills.
• Ability to direct and support responsible resource allocation and management.
• Ability to synthesize and present information/data to facilitate effective decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with a diverse population of faculty, students, and staff, and a commitment to professionalism with a customer service focus.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with various internal and external stakeholders at all levels with diplomacy.
• Ability to demonstrate self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and strong social skills in daily interactions.
• Skill, ability to organize, analyze, and plan strategically, demonstrating commitment to continuous improvement.
• Capacity to manage complex operational priorities, including developing strategies that integrate plans and objectives of several programs, services, and activities across units.

• Ability to uphold and promote the College’s core values and strategic priorities through consistent and principled actions.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate

Minimum Requirements

Required

• Tenured faculty at MSU at the level of Associate or Full Professor.
• Track record of a strong and successful research program.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and sustain capacity of complex research environments.
• Demonstrated steward and servant leadership.
• Established track record of reliable performance and professional conduct, maintaining a clean disciplinary record throughout employment.

Desired Qualifications

Full Professor rank.
Experience successfully managing laboratory infrastructure and/or core facilities.

Required Application Materials

Applicants will be required to submit the following:

• CV
• Cover Letter

Website

https://natsci.msu.edu/

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.