Vice President for Research

University of Kentucky; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kentucky seeks a collaborative, visionary leader to serve as Vice President for Research. Reporting to the President, the VP will provide strategic leadership for UK’s research enterprise and research-related priorities, advancing discovery, scholarship, and societal impact while ensuring regulatory integrity and resource stewardship.

This is an internal search; consideration will be limited to internal candidates.

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate or terminal degree.
• Significant senior leadership experience in a research-intensive environment.
• Proven record of externally sponsored research and scholarly achievement.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the University’s chief research officer and principal advisor to the President on research matters.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive research strategy to advance priorities and competitiveness.
• Lead planning to strengthen productivity, funding, and national visibility.

Education

Earned doctorate or terminal degree

Job description

See position qualifications/posting details.

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See position qualifications/posting details.

Required License/Registration/Certification

None

Physical Requirements

Sit for extended periods of time. Navigate a broad campus.

Shift

Monday – Friday; 8:00am to 5:00pm. However as an exempt position may require additional time in the evenings, weekends, etc. to accomplish work goals.

Job Summary

Position Summary

The University of Kentucky seeks a collaborative, visionary, and nationally recognized research leader to serve as Vice President for Research.

Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the University’s senior leadership team, the Vice President provides strategic leadership for the University’s research enterprise and research-related priorities. The Vice President is responsible for advancing a comprehensive vision for discovery, scholarship, economic impact, and societal benefit while ensuring operational excellence, regulatory integrity, and responsible stewardship of institutional resources. The position serves as Executive Director of the University of Kentucky Research Foundation and partners closely with academic, healthcare, administrative, and external leaders to strengthen the University’s position as a premier public research institution.

This is an internal search; therefore, consideration will be limited to internal candidates.

The Opportunity

The University of Kentucky has established itself as one of the nation’s leading public research universities and continues to expand its impact through research, scholarship, creative activity, and public service.

• Strengthen the University’s national research competitiveness.
• Expand interdisciplinary research initiatives.
• Advance research translation, commercialization collaboration, and external partnerships.
• Increase strategic partnerships with federal agencies, industry, foundations, and community stakeholders.
• Enhance research infrastructure and operational excellence.
• Support faculty success across the research lifecycle.
• Leverage research to improve health, economic development, and quality of life throughout Kentucky and beyond.

The Vice President will play a leading role in shaping institutional priorities and advancing UK’s long-term strategic objectives through research excellence and scholarly impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as the University’s chief research officer and principal advisor to the President on matters related to research.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive research strategy that advances institutional priorities, enhances competitiveness, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Lead strategic planning efforts that strengthen research productivity, external funding growth, national visibility, and societal impact.

Research Enterprise Growth

• Provide leadership for the growth and advancement of the University’s research enterprise.
• Partner with deans, faculty leaders, center directors, and executive leadership to identify emerging opportunities, recruit and retain exceptional research talent, and support the success of research programs and initiatives.
• Promote a culture that encourages collaboration and research excellence.

Research Administration and Faculty Success

• Has executive responsibility for sponsored programs, proposal development, pre-award research administration, and related research support operations.
• Advance a service-oriented research ecosystem that enables faculty success while ensuring operational effectiveness and efficient use of resources.
• Enhance research processes, systems, and infrastructure that support the full research lifecycle.
• Collaborates with other University units and organizations who provide shared services including IT, Marketing/Communications, Finance and related functions.

Research Integrity, Compliance, and Accountability

• Serve as the University’s senior institutional official responsible for research compliance, integrity, and accountability.
• Provide oversight of institutional compliance programs related to human subjects research, animal care and use, biosafety, responsible conduct of research, and other regulatory requirements.
• Foster a culture that upholds the highest standards of ethics, integrity, transparency, and public trust.

Research Translation, Commercialization Collaboration, and External Impact

• Support research translation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and commercialization activities arising from University research, in coordination with the appropriate institutional partners.
• Promote partnerships that accelerate the translation of discoveries into practical applications, economic opportunity, and societal benefit.
• Support initiatives that strengthen the University’s research impact and expand opportunities for industry, government, and community engagement.

Strategic Investment and Resource Stewardship

• Lead long-range planning efforts that align institutional resources with research priorities and opportunities.
• Exercise thoughtful stewardship of financial, human, physical, and technological resources in the research area in support of the University’s mission.

External Relations and National Leadership

• Represent the University with federal agencies, governmental leaders, industry partners, foundations, professional organizations, and research consortia.
• Cultivate strategic relationships that increase research opportunities, institutional influence, and external investment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

A Collaborative Builder

A leader who inspires trust, cultivates relationships, and brings diverse stakeholders together in support of shared goals.

An Accomplished Scholar

A distinguished researcher with a record of scholarly achievement, external funding success, and national recognition.

A Strategic Enterprise Leader

An individual who has successfully led complex organizations, driven growth, managed change, and aligned resources around long-term strategic priorities.

Experience

• Demonstrated success leading strategic growth, organizational transformation, and change management initiatives, including the implementation and optimization and centralization of shared service models to improve collaboration, operational efficiency, and service delivery.
• Earned doctoral degree or terminal degree from an accredited institution.
• Academic credentials sufficient for appointment as Professor.
• Significant senior leadership experience within a research-intensive university, academic medical center, federal research agency, or similarly complex organization.
• Demonstrated record of externally sponsored research and scholarly achievement.
• Experience overseeing complex research administration, compliance, and support functions.
• Collaboration and relationship building
• Visionary leadership
• Strategic agility
• Executive presence
• Research enterprise leadership
• Financial stewardship
• Faculty talent development
• Change leadershipIntegrity and accountability

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? Yes

Preferred Education/Experience

Education

• Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution.

Experience

• Possesses progressively responsible leadership experience in a research-intensive academic, healthcare, governmental, or related environment.
• Demonstrated record of scholarly achievement and successful participation in externally sponsored research activities.
• Experience leading complex organizations, strategic initiatives, and research-related operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic credentials suitable for appointment at the rank of Professor.
• Experience leading research growth initiatives within a major research university, academic medical center, federal research agency or similarity complex organization.
• Experience overseeing research administration, compliance, research translation, commercialization collaboration, and external partnership functions.
• Demonstrated success building relationships with federal agencies, industry partners, and research stakeholders.
• Experience managing substantial institutional budgets and strategic investments.

Deadline to Apply

Deadline to Apply 11/19/2026

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

Posting Specific Questions

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