Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety, PRI

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The Prairie Research Institute (PRI), a unit within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, seeks an Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety to lead facilities operations, safety programs, and risk management. This role reports to executive leadership and collaborates across PRI's scientific surveys to ensure compliant, safe, and sustainable work environments.

Responsibilities include strategic governance of facilities, capital planning, space utilization, and cross-functional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or safety related discipline.
• A minimum of five years of safety and facilities related experience.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Master’s degree in engineering, science, or safety related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Director's leadership team with strategic vision for facilities portfolio.
• Advise on Institute-wide facilities, space, capital, and operational planning.
• Provide executive oversight for facilities and safety including capital planning and facilities management.
• Translate priorities into an Institute-wide facilities, safety, and risk agenda and allocate resources.
• Lead governance, performance goals, and reporting for facilities and safety.

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or safety related discipline

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety, PRI

Prairie Research Institute

This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

The Prairie Research Institute (PRI), a research and service institute of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis, houses five large scientific surveys covering a wide range of expertise including biology, water resources, climate, geology, sustainable technology, and archaeology. PRI's mission is to provide objective, integrated scientific research and service that allow citizens and decision-makers to make choices that ensure sustainable economic development, enduring environmental quality, and cultural resource preservation for the people, businesses, and governments of Illinois. Learn more at go.illinois.edu/PRIjobs.

Why Work at the Prairie Research Institute?

Highlights of Employee Benefits

PRI is seeing to hire an Assistant Director for Facilities and Safety to serve as a member of the PRI Executive Leadership Team. Provide leadership and oversight for the Institute's facilities, environmental health and safety, emergency preparedness, and operational risk management programs. Establish organizational priorities and develop comprehensive strategies that promote a safe, compliant, and sustainable work environment across PRI and its scientific surveys. Oversee facilities operations, capital improvement and maintenance initiatives, and compliance with applicable federal, state, university, and regulatory requirements. Advance PRI's facilities infrastructure and culture of safety through strategic planning, operational leadership, and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring the Institute's physical assets and work environments effectively support PRI's mission of advancing interdisciplinary research in the environmental, social, and economic sciences and related technologies.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Director's leadership team, providing strategic vision and expertise in all aspects of the facilities portfolio.
• Directly advise the Office of the Executive Director on Institute-wide facilities, space, capital, and operational planning, including long-range priorities, major investments, and emerging infrastructure needs.
• Collaborate with PRI leadership, campus partners, and external agencies to develop policies, programs, and best practices that support research, teaching, and administrative operations.
• Provide executive oversight for the facilities and safety portfolio, including shipping/receiving, garage/shop, fleet maintenance and operations, capital planning, facilities management, and related support functions.
• Translate PRI strategic priorities into an Institute-wide facilities, safety, and operational risk agenda, establishing priorities across the Scientific Surveys and advising the Executive Director on tradeoffs, sequencing, and resource allocation.
• Establish governance, performance goals, and reporting for the facilities and safety portfolio; regularly assess progress, service effectiveness, major risks, and emerging needs for PRI leadership.
• Lead cross-Survey prioritization of significant facilities, space, safety, and operational investments to ensure transparent decision making and alignment with PRI's research mission and long‑range plans.
• Identify enterprise‑level operational vulnerabilities and continuity risks and sponsor coordinated mitigation strategies that protect people, research programs, critical assets, and essential operations.
• Provide leadership and guidance to safety and facilities representatives across PRI's scientific surveys to promote collaboration and consistent safety practices
• Lead the performance, development, and engagement of facilities portfolio personnel through coaching, mentoring, and effective supervision.
• Develop and oversee budget and program expenditures in coordination with the Executive Director and the Associate Director for Budget and Management.
• Act as an institute‑level liaison between PRI and campus units, external agencies, vendors, and service partners on significant facilities, safety, and operational matters.

Facilities Operations/Capital Planning

• Lead collaboration with Facilities and Services and Capital Projects departments to oversee the planning, design, execution, closeout, and successful completion of capital improvement, renovation, and infrastructure projects.
• Provide strategic oversight of facilities‑related procurement activities to ensure appropriate specifications, competitive sourcing, cost‑effective purchasing, and lifecycle value.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive, multi‑year facilities and capital plan for PRI that integrates space needs, renovation and renewal, deferred maintenance, infrastructure modernization, equipment and utility requirements, and anticipated program growth.
• Establish and maintain an Institute‑wide inventory and condition assessment of PRI facilities and major physical assets, including laboratories, offices, field stations, shops, storage areas, and specialized research infrastructure; track condition, utilization, criticality, deficiencies, and lifecycle needs.
• Lead space planning and utilization efforts across PRI, including evaluation of new space requests, relocations, consolidations, shared‑use opportunities, renovations, and future capacity needs.
• Develop and apply a transparent framework for prioritizing facilities and capital investments based on mission criticality, safety and compliance, research continuity, facility condition, lifecycle cost, strategic value, and available resources.
• Translate approved priorities into project scopes, requirements, preliminary budgets, schedules, and implementation plans; monitor progress, costs, risks, and stakeholder needs through project completion.
• Coordinate with Facilities and Services and other responsible units on preventive maintenance, repair, renewal, utilities, building systems, and lifecycle planning to reduce deferred maintenance and protect continuity of critical research operations.
• Anticipate infrastructure requirements associated with new research programs, major instrumentation, emerging technologies, personnel growth, and strategic initiatives and incorporate those requirements into long‑range planning.
• Integrate sustainability, energy efficiency, resilience, accessibility, and appropriate environmental performance considerations into facilities planning and capital decision making.
• Maintain facilities, space, project, and asset records and develop dashboards or other decision‑support tools that enable PRI leadership to monitor portfolio condition, utilization, project status, risks, costs, and future investment needs.
• Coordinate facilities planning and operational support across PRI's geographically distributed locations throughout Illinois, recognizing the distinct requirements of campus facilities, laboratories, field stations, offices, shops, and other specialized operations.

Safety Operations

• Proactively advance PRI's safety culture, safety policies, and safety procedures by addressing the wide‑ranging current and potential needs of PRI constituents (scientists, administrators, staff, and students) and their scientific surveys including field and laboratory research safety, instructional field and laboratory safety, occupational safety, public safety, emergency planning, and safety compliance.
• Lead PRI's comprehensive safety program by setting priorities, directing program development, overseeing the PRI Safety Committee, and guiding safety policies and initiatives across PRI and its scientific surveys.
• Foster strategic partnerships with campus, local, state, and federal safety organizations to advance PRI's safety priorities, strengthen collaboration, and support organizational safety objectives.
• Provide departmental leadership and oversight for Clery Act compliance.
• Serve and/or lead the PRI Safety Committee.
• Travel periodically to field stations and offices throughout the state to support facilities related matters and conduct safety compliance meetings, assessments, and training.

Other

• Performotherdutiesinordertofurtherthemissionandgoalsof the Surveys, PRI, and the University of Illinois.
• Complete required administrative documentation, compliance‑related forms, certifications, and mandatory training programs accurately and within established deadlines.
• Keepabreastofdevelopmentsinthisdiscipline.

Position requirements and Qualifications:

Required: Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or safety related discipline. Alternate degree fields will be considered/accepted depending on the nature and depth of the experience as it relates to this position. A minimum of five years of safety and facilities related experience. Valid driver's license. Preferred: Master's degree in engineering, science, or safety related discipline.

Knowledge Requirements:

Knowledge of regulations, laws, and policy related to facilities and safety. Ability to interact effectively with both internal and external constituents. Effective communication, personal relations, collaboration, organizational, teamwork, and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to perform effectively in a diverse and fast‑paced work environment consisting of multiple and changing priorities with stringent deadlines, under minimal supervision. Attention to detail, sound judgment, and strong conflict resolution skills. Proficiency in commonly‑employed software and databases. Ability to define and streamline processes and procedures. Ability to think strategically and react quickly in a dynamic environment. Ability to effectively manage substantial fiscal resources. Project management experience.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full‑time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12‑month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 11/2/2026. The budgeted amount for this position is $95,000 to $125,000. The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the full range for a position.

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on Monday, October 26, 2026.

For further information about this specific position, please contact Megan Weeks, [e-mail]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

At the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign - the state's flagship public university and one of the world's leading research institutions - every staff member helps shape what's next. Founded in 1867, Illinois is home to a vibrant community of 59,000 students from all 50 states and 129 countries, supported by 15 colleges and instructional units, more than 20 research institutes, and one of the most comprehensive student service ecosystems in the nation. Whether you're empowering first‑generation students, fueling breakthrough innovation, or strengthening communities across Illinois and beyond, your work here has a far‑reaching and deeply meaningful impact. The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well‑being, growth, and financial security. Join a top 10 public university that has launched over 330 startups and continues to redefine excellence - where the Illinois Value Proposition ensures that your contributions are recognized, your potential is nurtured, and your career can thrive.

Champaign‑Urbana

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non‑discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodation portal, or by contacting the Office for Access & Equity at 217-333-0885, option #1, or [e-mail].