Vice President For Research

Job Summary

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), a distinguished public undergraduate and Master's level institution located in San Luis Obispo, California, seeks an innovative and collaborative research leader to serve as the Vice President for Research (VP Research). This role is an opportunity for an experienced, entrepreneurial, and tactical builder to make their mark at the top public masters-level university in California and one of the top 25 public and private universities in the West (U.S. News & World Report). Cal Poly is home to an engaged community of students, staff, and faculty committed to robust teaching, scholarship, and service in a "Learn by Doing" environment in which all community members are partners in discovery.

The VP Research is responsible for university-wide advocacy for research, scholarship, and creative activity and promotes the value of a diverse range of scholarly and applied research activities for faculty, staff, and students. The VP Research reports to the Executive Vice President/Provost and works in close partnership with University Development and other administrators, including but not limited to, the CEO of the Cal Poly Corporation, the academic deans, and the Dean of Graduate Education.

Core to the research division is the "Learn by Doing" philosophy that underscores the institution's mission as a polytechnic university where students, staff, and faculty are partners in discovery. Cal Poly provides extensive undergraduate and graduate (master's level) research, scholarship, and creative activity programs, in addition to extensive applied research programs. The VP Research proactively fosters an environment in which the research, scholarly, and creative accomplishments of faculty and students are encouraged and rewarded. Growing such a research unit within a preeminent campus of the California State University system is ultimately of service to the state of California: the VP Research seeks to develop wide-reaching economic support of these research activities and promotes the reputation of Cal Poly's research, scholarship, and creative activities (RSCA) locally, nationally, and internationally.

To achieve the many ambitions of the campus, the next VP Research will address the following opportunities and challenges:

• Develop and execute a unifying vision and strategy to significantly grow the research enterprise in alignment with Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" mission;
• Further develop a cohesive, supportive, robust administrative infrastructure that enables the effective execution of the research division's important services;
• Ensure sufficient resources are in place to fully support research operations and to incentivize RSCA;
• Build meaningful, productive collaborations across the Cal Poly campus;
• Establish and expand sustainable regional and national partnerships to substantially increase RSCA opportunities and funding for the campus.

The search committee will review nominations and applications until the position is filled. The anticipated starting date for the position is mid-June 2023.

To apply, visit http://jobs.calpoly.edu to complete the required online Cal Poly Application. In addition, each applicant must provide as separate attachments to the online application a detailed curriculum vitae or resume, a cover letter, and a diversity statement. The cover letter should address the applicant's qualifications and experience for this position, including a personal statement of the applicant's views on academic administration, experiences with and views on leadership, and their management style.

Inquiries, nominations, and referrals may be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/8771.

David Bellshaw, Brian Burbank, Carley Davenport, and Nancy Pan

Isaacson, Miller

1000 Sansome Street, Suite 300

San Francisco, CA 94111

www.imsearch.com

Division Summary

The research enterprise provides leadership to Cal Poly faculty, students, and staff in the pursuit of excellence in their scholarship, research, creative activity, and professional development efforts. The division's goal is to provide opportunities, foster collaboration and innovation, and inform, guide, champion and support faculty, students, and staff as they seek knowledge, change and development.

The units comprising the research division proactively strive to create an inclusive, equitable, and diverse environment in which the professional development, scholarship, research, and creative accomplishments of faculty, students and staff are encouraged, rewarded, and valued both on campus and at the local, state, and national levels. Together, the research enterprise fosters and supports the on-going growth and work of students, teacher-scholars, researchers, and professionals.

The research division is comprised of the following units:

• Office of Student Research: The newly formed Office of Student Research aims to increase student opportunities to Learn by Doing research. The unit will continue to focus on increasing the transparency of access to research opportunities to ensure equity of student participation, support the professional development of both student researchers and research mentors, and increase the submission and success of proposals that include and fund Cal Poly student researchers.
• Grants Development Office: The Grants Development Office (GDO) pre-award team provides proposal preparation, review, and submission services to Cal Poly faculty and staff who are interested in obtaining extramural project funding from federal, state, and local municipality sources, as well as private, non-governmental sponsors.
• Sponsored Programs Office: Designated to manage and oversee externally-sponsored projects, the Sponsored Programs Office assists faculty and staff by providing research administration services to ensure compliance and proper use of funds.
• Research Integrity and Compliance: Cal Poly's Research Integrity & Compliance program is designed to support the ethical conduct of research on campus. The office emphasizes providing Learn by Doing opportunities for students to gain expertise in ethical research practices. The office is grounded in the principles of equity, justice, respect for researchers and research participants, and transparency. A major goal of the office is to demystify compliance activities related to Human Subjects, Animal Subjects, Conflict of Interest, Export Control, Research Misconduct, Biosafety, and Environmental Health and Safety.
• Corporate Engagement and Innovation: The Corporate Engagement and Innovation (CEI) unit serves as a single point of contact for all for-profit and nonprofit research and development engagement activities including Industry Sponsored Research, Technology Transfer (IP), and Applied Innovation. CEI also manages Cal Poly's Technology Park.

Key Qualifications

• An understanding of the diverse forms of RSCA conducted at a comprehensive polytechnic university, and an informed perspective about federally sponsored programs, intellectual property, technology transfer, compliance, and commercialization in the university environment.
• A working knowledge of Intellectual Property that includes the nuances of higher education as well as the expectations of industry partners.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills, including the demonstrated ability to motivate and influence individuals at all levels and negotiate agreements and partnerships.
• Demonstrated leadership and management experience to integrate the academic and administrative activities in RSCA.
• Demonstrated ability to be a strong advocate for the value of student RSCA.
• Leadership experience in research and grants administration, and the development of cross-disciplinary research ventures in a university setting.
• Working knowledge of the interpretation and management of complex agreements and authorship of successful extramural research initiatives.

Education and Experience

• An earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree and/or demonstrated exceptional scholarly/artistic achievement.
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience managing complex research programs in higher education or industry, including five years of demonstrated success in upper-level management

Salary and Benefits

The anticipated hiring range for this role is $220,000 - $250,000 per year. Note that the offer is calculated based on the background and relevant years of experience of the individual selected.

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information. 

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly's hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu.

Diversity Statement

At Cal Poly, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly's values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.

Cal Poly's commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. Cal Poly is an equal opportunity employer. 

Supplemental Information

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

This position may be "Designated" under California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. This would require the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest on an annual basis and the completion of training within 6 months of assuming office and every 2 years thereafter.

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff positions (i.e. H-1B visas).