Department Head

ISPOR Student Chapter at Auburn University; Auburn (AL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life-Changing Impact

Culture of Excellence

Educational opportunities

Job summary

Auburn University’s Harrison College of Pharmacy (HCOP) is accepting applications for the position of Department Head, Drug Discovery and Development, a twelve-month, tenure-track professorship. The College seeks a visionary leader to sustain educational excellence while expanding research activity and extramural funding.

The Department Head will drive strategic priorities in substance use disorders, healthy brain aging, and cardiometabolic syndrome, collaborating across Auburn's health sciences

Qualifications

• PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or a health-related field.
• Credentials sufficient for tenure eligibility as Professor.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Evidence of strong leadership and management skills.
• Established record of extramural funding.
• Ability to foster an interdisciplinary approach to advance biomedical and pharmaceutical research.
• Ability to advance education across undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs.
• Eligibility to work in the United States at time of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Department of Drug Discovery and Development as part of HCOP leadership.
• Oversee administrative operations, budgets, teaching, research, outreach, and supervision of faculty and staff.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and faculty/staff development.
• Align departmental activities with the College's strategic plan.
• Represent the department to various constituencies and engage with Dean/HCOP leadership.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Scientific expertise

Fundraising

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education mission

Education

PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or health-related field

Job description

Overview

Auburn University’s Harrison College of Pharmacy (HCOP) is accepting applications for the position of Department Head, Drug Discovery and Development. This is a twelve-month, tenure track position at the Professor level. The College is seeking a visionary leader who can sustain the Department’s educational excellence, while increasing research activity and extramurally funded scholarship.

Overview

Auburn University’s Harrison College of Pharmacy (HCOP) is accepting applications for the position of Department Head, Drug Discovery and Development. This is a twelve-month, tenure track position at the Professor level. The College is seeking a visionary leader who can sustain the Department’s educational excellence, while increasing research activity and extramurally funded scholarship.

The Department of Drug Discovery and Development (DDD) focuses on basic and translational research and instruction in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The department’s faculty have expertise in synthetic medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, pharmacogenomics, pharmaceutics and drug delivery. This position offers the opportunity to lead an expanding enterprise in the context of the College’s recently completed Research Visioning initiative. Through this initiative, the College established three areas of distinction: (1) substance use disorders and emerging drug trends, (2) healthy brain aging, and (3) cardiometabolic syndrome. The Department Head is expected to contribute to the College’s research mission in these areas of distinction.

Opportunities for collaboration are present within the Harrison College of Pharmacy as well as with health sciences colleges throughout Auburn University and the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Auburn University is an R1 institution and is an equal partner institution within the NIH-supported Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) at UAB, which comprises 11 academic research institutions across a tri-state region. The College has remote learning sites throughout the state where additional opportunities exist, including on the University of South Alabama campus in Mobile, Alabama.

Review of applications will begin June 16, 2026, and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected and recommended for appointment.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of this position include participating in leadership activities of the Harrison College of Pharmacy by working with the Dean and as a member of the executive leadership team; providing leadership for the Department of Drug Discovery and Development through oversight of administrative operations, budget processes, departmental faculty teaching, research, outreach, and supervision of faculty and staff; fostering a supportive culture that prioritizes collaboration, promotes faculty and staff development, and ensures alignment of departmental activities with the College’s strategic plan; and representing the department’s interests to various constituencies. This individual will work with the Dean and HCOP leadership to advance strategic priorities related to the College and the Department of Drug Discovery and Development.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications include all of the following:

• Possess a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or a health-related field.
• Have academic credentials sufficient to meet tenure eligibility requirements for the rank of Professor.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Evidence of strong leadership and management skills.
• An outstanding scientific background.
• An established and ongoing record of obtaining extramural funding.
• Ability to foster an interdisciplinary approach to advance biomedical and pharmaceutical research within the Department and College.
• Ability to advance our education mission within our undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs.
• Candidates must meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time of appointment and continue working legally for the term of employment.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to foster an interdisciplinary approach to advance biomedical and pharmaceutical research within the Department and College.
• Ability to advance our education mission within our undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Evidence of strong leadership and management skills.

Contract Type

Continuing

Why Work at Auburn?

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.

Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement

It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more.