Director and Professor

The University of Georgia (UGA), a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive institution of higher education. UGA invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (Skidaway Institute) located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Director will also be appointed as a tenured professor in the UGA Department of Marine Sciences, which includes faculty based at Skidaway Institute and on the main UGA campus in Athens. 

Responsibilities of the Director:

• is the most senior administrator at Skidaway Institute and has overall responsibility for personnel, budgets, and facilities at Skidaway Institute;
• models and fosters a climate of collegiality while providing the strategic and institutional vision for vigorous, collaborative research;
• directly oversees the faculty in their research role, as well as the Director of Finance and Operations, Marine Superintendent, Public Relations/ Communications Coordinator, and an administrative assistant;
• conducts or oversees annual evaluations of all Skidaway Institute staff and supports their professional development;
• promotes and facilitates externally funded research at Skidaway Institute;
• works collaboratively with the Department of Marine Sciences Head to recruit, mentor, and evaluate Skidaway Institute faculty;
• works closely with the Department of Marine Sciences Head to integrate Skidaway Institute faculty into the Department’s strategic research, education, service, and outreach initiatives;
• partners with UGA’s other coastal units, including the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, to develop impactful initiatives consistent with their respective missions;
• identifies and expands collaborative opportunities with other University System of Georgia institutions and UGA colleges and schools;
• keeps the Office of Research, Department of Marine Sciences, and other stakeholders informed of Skidaway Institute initiatives and opportunities;
• works closely with the UGA Office of Governmental Relations to elevate Skidaway Institute legislative priorities; and
• represents Skidaway Institute in regional, national, and international organizations and venues.

The Director, while first and foremost the administrator of the Institute and its functions, will be expected to remain active in research that advances the research and education missions of Skidaway Institute and the Department of Marine Sciences.

The Director reports to the Vice President for Research in their administrative role and to the Head of the Department of Marine Sciences in their faculty role. Additional Requirements The position requires the academic credentials appropriate for appointment as a Full Professor at UGA. See the UGA Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure of Academic Rank Faculty and the Marine Sciences Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.

To be eligible for tenure on appointment, candidates must have been tenured at a prior institution, and bring a demonstrably national reputation to the institution. Any request for tenure upon appointment must be approved before hire.