The California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) is seeking a new QB3-Berkeley Faculty Director, effective July 1, 2022. We invite nominations of highly qualified tenured Berkeley faculty. The candidate should have a well-established research and professional reputation as well as leadership and administrative abilities. We are seeking an individual with the talent and commitment to attract innovative collaboration with allied campus institutes, our partnering campuses, and industrial and philanthropic partners. The successful candidate will be poised to lead and respond to emerging opportunities in Bioscience, both nationally and internationally.
Background
QB3 is a university, industry and government partnership involving campuses of the University of California (UCB, UCSF, UCSC). Its mission is to harness the quantitative sciences to integrate our understanding of biological systems at all levels of complexity - from atoms and protein molecules to cells, tissues, organs and the entire organism. This long-sought integration allows scientists to attack problems that have been simply unapproachable before, setting the stage for fundamental new discoveries, new products and new technologies to solve some of the greatest challenges facing society in the areas of health, environment and energy.
In addition to the creation of fundamental new knowledge and potent new technologies, a major goal of the Institute is to train a new generation of students able to fully integrate the quantitative sciences with bioscience research and to prepare them for a multitude of careers that benefit from training in the quantitative biosciences.
QB3-Berkeley currently has over 100 faculty affiliates (approx 40 reside in Stanley Hall), and an annual 2021-22 operating budget of $1.6 M. In support of the faculty affiliate’s research programs, QB3 operates 10 core research facilities in the biosciences available to the UC Berkeley campus, including the Biomolecular Nanotechnology Center (BNC), Cal-Cryo, the Central California 900 MHz NMR Spectrometer Facility, the QB3 Macrolab, the QB3/College of Chemistry Mass Spectrometry Facility, the Vincent J. Coates Proteomics/Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, the High Throughput Screening Facility, and QB3 Genomics (which includes the Vincent J. Coates Genomics Sequencing Laboratory, the Functional Genomics Laboratory, and the Computational Genomics Resources Facility).
QB3 oversees several campus-wide programs such as the Graduate and Postdoc Career Development Office, the Biophysics Graduate Group, QB3-Berkeley Incubators, the Biosciences Symposium Program, Undergraduate Summer Internship Program, and a summer laboratory bootcamp.
Responsibilities
Each QB3 campus partner appoints a Campus Director reporting directly to the local campus Vice Chancellor for Research. The Campus Director is responsible for the allocation and oversight of resources on their campus; development and implementation of local campus research, education, training, mentoring, industry, and outreach programs; and for local operations. The Director appoints faculty affiliate members following the process adopted by each campus. The Campus Director is responsible for working together with the other campus directors and the executive director to develop and implement QB3’s scientific vision including defining research themes and developing research priorities, goals and programs. The QB3-Berkeley Faculty Director serves as the Stanley Hall Building Director and oversees the allocation and management of space in Stanley Hall. The Director also represents the interests of the QB3 community as a member of the Council of Science and Engineering Deans (COSED).
The QB3-Berkeley Director is responsible for overseeing all QB3-Berkeley core facilities including resource allocation supporting operations, development of new facilities, and overall management of current facilities. The Director is responsible for working proactively with campus administration and facilities leadership to identify and procure additional resources to maintain state-of-the-art facilities including equipment grant funding, philanthropic/foundation support and private sector funding.
A key responsibility for the QB3-Berkeley Director is facilitating coordination and integration among the different research areas, program activities, and constituencies, and to contribute to campus-wide entrepreneurial activities, such as those in the newly opened Bakar BioEngenuity Hub. The Director must establish and direct effective organizational structures and frameworks to create a successful program by allocating resources to leverage infrastructure, seeding key projects and activities where possible, and supporting faculty efforts in the formation of new research, education, industry and outreach programs. The Director makes the final determination about allocation of available resources, including space, access to facilities, and support staff, to achieve the goals of QB3-Berkeley. The QB3-Berkeley Director coordinates with the BEST Region for research administration, HR and purchasing, and represents QB3's interests to BEST leadership.
Prior Experience and Qualifications
The Director must be a tenured professor and have an exceptional international research reputation and stature in an academic discipline relevant to the research agenda of QB3. Candidates should have demonstrated academic and research management experience, as the equivalent of a university department chair. They must be able to demonstrate considerable management experience suitable for a diverse and complex research environment that involves academia as well as private industry. The ability to interact effectively, build partnerships, and develop shared goals and objectives with a large, independent, and diverse community of researchers across campus, UC-wide and with industrial and government partners, is essential.
The Director must play a major role in presenting the vision and the results of the Institutes activities to outside constituencies: the State Legislature, federal and state agencies, the California legislative delegation in Washington, the taxpayers of California, and QB3’s donors and industry partners. Cultivating the continued support of these constituencies, as well as expanding support to new constituencies, is a critical role for the QB3-Berkeley Director.
The Director must have both excellent judgment and technical expertise, be able to accept a broad range of inputs, and be able to make informed decisions at the end of the consultative process. Effectively communicating decisions, directions, and policies to the broad community of QB3 scientists, staff, and sponsors, is an essential skill. Excellent organizational as well as spoken and written communication skills are crucial.
The appointment of the Director will be for a period of 5 years, renewable after review and by mutual agreement of the UC Berkeley Chancellor.
Nomination Process and Desirable Candidate Qualifications
- Established credentials in a relevant discipline as well as commitment to broadly multidisciplinary research
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities
- Commitment to developing links to industry and philanthropy
- A commitment to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion while fostering a positive climate of collaboration and respect of staff as outlined by UC Berkeley’s https://diversity.berkeley.
edu/principles-community - Experience in leadership and administration
- Commitment to developing a successful multi-pronged funding strategy
- Interest in cross-disciplinary outreach
Please submit nominations by completing the online nomination form as soon as possible and no later than Friday, May 13, 2022. Self-nominations are welcome. Upon receipt of nominations, the appointed search advisory committee will request that the nominees submit a letter of interest by Friday, May 27, 2022.