Vice Chair of Research

ARVO; Texas; On-site; USD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

UT Southwestern Medical School seeks a Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Ophthalmology to provide strategic leadership, grow extramural funding, and mentor research faculty. The role will expand collaborations, oversee core grants, and accelerate discoveries in vision science.

The incoming vice chair will guide research programs, recruit top talent, and strengthen the department’s national standing in ophthalmic research.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in vision science or related field.
• Eligible for appointment as Associate Professor or Professor at UT Southwestern.
• Nationally or internationally recognized leader in vision science or a closely related field.
• Proven record of sustained extramural funding, including NIH or equivalent peer-reviewed support.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a bold strategic vision for the Department’s research programs.
• Recruit, mentor and retain outstanding research faculty, fostering an environment that supports innovation and collaboration.
• Expand and diversify the Department’s portfolio of externally funded research through federal, foundation and philanthropic support.
• Lead and oversee renewal of NEI P30 Vision Research Core Grant, oversee RPB Challenge Grant, and direct upcoming RPB Unrestricted Grant application.
• Steward departmental research resources through budgets, spending, labs, space, and shared infrastructure.
• Forge strategic collaborations across UT Southwestern to position the Department as a leading hub for vision science research.
• Strengthen the scientific distinction of the program via annual Southwestern Vision Science Summit and seminar series.
• Collaborate with education leadership to expand meaningful research opportunities for students.
• Track, evaluate and elevate departmental research performance via grants, publications, and recognition.
• Champion the Department’s research mission within UT Southwestern and nationally.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Mentoring

Communication

Collaboration

Grant management

Education

PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Vice Chair of Research

Position Overview

The Vice Chair of Research at UT Southwestern Medical School, will provide strategic leadership to advance the Department of Ophthalmology's research mission in ophthalmology and vision science. Reporting to the Department Chair, and working closely with other departmental and institutional leaders, the Vice Chair will develop and implement a strategic plan for the continued growth of the Department's research enterprise, expand extramural funding and philanthropic support, recruit and mentor research faculty, and accelerate discoveries that advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of eye disease.

The incoming Vice Chair will assume this important leadership role at a time of dramatic growth for the Department of Ophthalmology, which has expanded significantly in faculty, physical space, support, and resources over the past few years. In this role, they will build upon the Department's nationally recognized excellence in vision research, anchored by a National Eye Institute (NEI) P30 Vision Research Core Facility (with shared resources in stem cell and organoid biology, gene editing, viral vector production, advanced microscopy, and animal phenotyping), a Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Challenge Grant, and well-equipped basic science laboratories.

Depending on the qualifications and accomplishments of the selected candidate, they may be eligible for an endowed chair and additional research support and resources to advance the candidate's research program and the Department's broader research mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute a bold strategic vision for the Department’s research programs.
• Recruit, mentor and retain outstanding research faculty, fostering an environment that supports innovation, collaboration and sustained success.
• Expand and diversify the Department’s portfolio of externally funded research through federal, foundation and philanthropic support.
• Lead and oversee the competitive renewal of the NEI P30 Vision Research Core Grant, oversee the RPB Challenge Grant, and direct the upcoming application for an RPB Unrestricted Grant.
• Steward departmental research resources through strategic oversight of budgets, spending, laboratory space and shared infrastructure, working with institutional research offices to strengthen grant administration and ensure compliance.
• Forge strategic collaborations across UT Southwestern, drawing on its exceptional scientific strengths, to position the Department as a leading hub for vision science research.
• Strengthen the scientific distinction of the Department’s research program by leading the annual Southwestern Vision Science Summit, Vision Science Seminar series and other scientific programs.
• Collaborate with education leadership to expand meaningful research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and medical students.
• Track, evaluate and elevate departmental research performance using clear measures of grant funding, publication impact, faculty development and national recognition.
• Champion the Department’s research mission within UT Southwestern and nationally through institutional committees, strategic initiatives, federal agencies, foundations and professional organizations.

Ideal Candidate Profile and Qualifications

• PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree.
• Eligible for appointment as an Associate Professor or Professor at UT Southwestern.
• Nationally or internationally recognized leader in vision science or a closely related field.
• Record of sustained extramural funding, including NIH or equivalent peer-reviewed support.
• Strong record of high-impact publications and scientific achievement.
• Experience leading successful research programs, shared resources, and research infrastructure.
• Proven success mentoring laboratory-based research faculty.
• Demonstrated success building collaborative research teams and shared research infrastructure.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Commitment to advancing innovation, collaboration, mentorship, and excellence in ophthalmic and vision research.