Vice President for Research and Creative Activity

North Dakota State University Ag; Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

North Dakota State University invites applications for a strategic leadership role as Vice President for Research and Creative Activity. The VPRCA reports to the President and serves on the President's Cabinet, guiding research and creative activity across the division.

The role oversees sponsored programs, faculty development, core facilities, research integrity, security, export controls, and innovation. The ideal candidate will have a distinguished scholarly record and strong externally

Qualifications

• Must have a distinguished scholarly or creative record appropriate for a full professorship at NDSU.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in research/creative activity administration.
• Proven track record of securing external funding for interdisciplinary research or creative activity.
• Commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for faculty, staff, and students in research administration.

Responsibilities

• Serve as chief research officer and provide budgetary, personnel, and operational oversight of the Research and Creative Activity division.
• Advance university research goals, strategic initiatives, and industry partnerships.
• Ensure compliance, integrity, and security across research activities and facilities.
• Represent NDSU in external research funding efforts and scholarly collaboration.

Skills

Distinguished record

Senior leadership experience

External funding success

Commitment to inclusive environment

Education

Full Professor (terminal degree)

Job description

Vice President for Research and Creative Activity

North Dakota State University (NDSU) invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Research and Creative Activity (VPRCA). Reporting to President Marshall Stewart and serving on the President's Cabinet, the VPRCA is NDSU's chief research officer and holds budgetary, personnel, and operational oversight of the Research and Creative Activity division. The division includes sponsored programs administration, research and faculty development, RCA core research facilities, research integrity, security, and compliance, innovation and economic development, and strategic research initiatives. The VPRCA serves as institutional official for research compliance committees and as empowered official for export controls.

NDSU is a student-focused land-grant research university founded in 1890, enrolling nearly 12,000 students across five colleges and the Graduate School. It is one of 187 institutions nationally to hold the Carnegie R1 designation, and its research expenditures reached $215.5 million in fiscal year 2025, a seventh consecutive institutional record. The University maintains a presence in all 53 counties through NDSU Extension, leads an NSF Industry–University Cooperative Research Center, an NSF I-Corps Hub, and the NSF AgTech Engine in North Dakota, and operates NDeavor, a 55-acre research and technology park adjacent to main campus.

Leadership priorities include sustaining Carnegie R1 standing and the University's record of research expenditure growth; expanding interdisciplinary and large-scale initiatives that draw on strengths across the five colleges; strengthening industry partnerships and technology transfer in support of North Dakota's economy; helping faculty navigate an evolving federal research funding and research security environment; and advancing the land-grant mission through applied, community-facing research.

Required Qualifications

• A distinguished record of scholarly or creative achievement consistent with appointment as a full professor at NDSU;
• Extensive senior leadership experience in research or creative activity administration, gained in higher education, government, industry, or private research settings;
• A demonstrated record of securing external funding in support of interdisciplinary research or creative activity; and
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting a welcoming environment for faculty, staff, and students engaged in research, creative activity, and research administration.

The complete VPRCA profile may be found at www.academicsearch.org/NDSU-VPResearch.

The position will remain open until filled. The deadline for full consideration is November 5, 2026, and the expected start date is January or February 2027.

NDSU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable. Direct inquiries to the Vice Provost, Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Old Main 100, 701-231-7708, [e-mail].