Open Leadership Searches

THE OPPORTUNITY
The University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Behavioral Science seeks a visionary chair with demonstrated leadership abilities, a strong record in academic behavioral medicine, and a currently funded research program, ideally with a strong history of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funding. The ideal candidate has administrative experience, and can provide strong leadership skills as a listener, decision-maker, humanist, and effective advocate for the discipline, and its faculty and staff.

SCOPE OF ROLE
As an oversight position, the chair of science will ensure that department faculty work in conjunction with one another and with other groups across the college and campus, sharing research resources whenever possible. This will also include administrative, teaching, laboratory, and mentoring support. The chair will work closely to maximize the net yield of each project and avoid separation or duplication of work in multiple isolated units.
 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Grow the department’s research faculty and research portfolio, and provide oversight.
• Facilitate faculty mentoring in research.
• Facilitate an environment of collaborative research and conduct, including maintaining records of accomplishments and facilitating the acquisition of external funding.
• Continue their independent research in alignment with the department’s goals.
• Publish in peer-reviewed literature as an author and co-author.
• Provide oversight for the department’s educational portfolio.
• Participate in and advocate for quality teaching programs for all learners within the department.
• Assign faculty to teaching roles and manage the distribution of educational assignments among faculty.
• Mentor faculty in various professorial series and oversee the academic development and productivity of the department.
   

The College of Medicine seeks qualified applicants who value its missions and share its commitment to building a strong community.
 

Interested applicants should apply through the job posting: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/611204. Please include curriculum vita and cover letter when prompted in the application process.

Questions and inquiries can be directed to Rebecca Dutch, PhD, vice chair for research, co-chair of the search committee at Rebecca.Dutch@uky.edu

Matthew Bush, MD, chair of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery, co-chair of the search committee at Matthew.Bush@uky.edu

The Opportunity
The University of Kentucky College of Medicine seeks a visionary director with a proven track record of scholarly achievement, particularly in advancing research related to the use of drugs and/or alcohol to lead its dynamic Center on Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR). Exceptional accomplishments as a researcher and academic are necessary, as the director’s duties will include continuing their own research program, supervising trainees, and maintaining service activities. We are seeking a senior (associate or full professor) research and leadership-focused faculty member for this tenured or tenure-track, Regular Title Series, full-time (12-month) position.

Scope of Role

As a position of oversight, the director of the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research serves as the most visible advocate for center activities. The director will ensure that faculty, staff, and trainees work in conjunction with one another and with other groups across the college and campus, sharing research resources whenever possible. The director will also provide administrative, scientific, and mentoring support to center faculty, staff, and trainees. The director will work to uphold and expand the reputation and mission of the center at the University, in the community and nationally, while also serving as a leader for the College of Medicine.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide oversight for the research portfolio of CDAR, encouraging the growth of its research through scholarly dissemination (publishing, presenting, submitting, and obtaining extramural funding) and interdisciplinary collaboration within the College of Medicine and outside the college.
• Support a positive and productive environment for faculty, staff, and trainees within the center.
• Promote mentorship of faculty, staff, and trainees in research and professional development.
• Facilitate an environment of collaborative research, including maintaining records of accomplishments and supporting the acquisition of external funding.
• Maintain and expand University-wide and external partnerships to advance CDAR’s mission and initiatives, including pursuing philanthropic partnerships.
• Manage center resources and space to ensure effective, transparent, and productive utilization.
• Represent and communicate the needs and priorities of the center and its affiliated faculty to College of Medicine and institutional leadership.
• Sustain and grow the national and international reputation of the center in the fields of substance use through professional, societal, and evidence-based outreach and the development of complex center grants.

Interested applicants should apply through the University of Kentucky job posting: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/610378. Questions and inquiries can be directed to the search chairs: Thomas E. Curry (tecurry@uky.edu) or Kevin J. Pearson (kevin.pearson@uky.edu). All applications will be handled in a secure, sensitive, and confidential manner.

The position is open until filled; however, review of applications will begin on Jan. 14, 2026. Please submit by this date to ensure full consideration.

For questions, contact Sabrina Brewer at sabrina.brewer@uky.edu