Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors

The University of Texas at Austin (UT) seeks a transformative leader to serve as its next Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors (VPR). Ranked among the world’s most ambitious and expansive research enterprises, UT offers an extraordinary platform for advancing discovery and innovation. This is a defining moment for the institution, and the VPR will serve as the chief advocate for UT’s research mission, guiding its aspirations to become the highest-impact public research university in the world.

The next VPR will inherit a thriving research enterprise and will be tasked with addressing key opportunities to accelerate the University’s momentum in research and impact. This includes reinforcing the infrastructure and systems that underpin UT’s growth in research expenditures, strengthening the University’s competitiveness for federal and state funding opportunities, expanding biomedical research capabilities in partnership with the Dell Medical School and the University’s expanding academic medical center, and leveraging the unique opportunities presented by UT’s location in one of the fastest-growing and most entrepreneurial regions in the country. The VPR’s management scope is significant, with leadership responsibilities encompassing more than 1,300 researchers and staff across both research support units and major research centers, including the Applied Research Laboratories, Energy Institute, IC² Institute, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences and Texas Advanced Computing Center.

The VPR reports directly to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost (EVPP) and works closely with its leadership to maximize the impact of research as part of the University’s academic mission. The VPR will provide key counsel to the President and Provost on developing and supporting a world-class research culture through faculty development, recruiting and retention, as well as the allocation of resources to support the research mission. The successful candidate will bring a distinguished record of research excellence, a deep understanding of the complexities of a major research institution and a strong commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative academic environment. This person will possess a strategic mindset, an entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to inspire faculty, staff and students to achieve ambitious goals.

UT has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important search. Confidential applications, inquiries and nominations should be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.

The Role

The VPR at UT will serve as the strategic leader and advocate for one of the nation’s most dynamic and expansive research enterprises. Reporting directly to the EVPP and working closely with UT’s President, the VPR will set a bold vision that aligns with the University’s aspiration to become the highest-impact public research university in the world. The VPR will strengthen external partnerships and expand relationships with funding agencies and private industry. They will also address critical operational challenges, including modernizing research infrastructure, streamlining compliance systems, addressing the evolving challenges of research security in a competitive global environment and enhancing support for principal investigators. By allying with Dell Medical School, the VPR will expand UT’s biomedical research capabilities, ensuring that the University remains at the forefront of health sciences and innovation. As the public face of UT’s research enterprise in the state and in Washington, D.C., the VPR will champion the University’s achievements and advocate for its priorities, elevating its visibility and influence on a national and global stage. This is a unique opportunity to lead transformative change at a university poised to redefine the future of research, scholarship and creative endeavors.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a distinguished scholar and visionary leader who embodies UT’s commitment to excellence, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. The person will possess a proven track record of advancing transformative research, evidence of success in strategic leadership and a documented ability to build dynamic partnerships across academia, government, industry and the broader community. Strong candidates will have some combination of the following qualifications and characteristics:

• A terminal degree in a represented academic discipline is required, along with the ability and credibility to provide intellectual leadership to UT’s broad research community.
• A record of having substantially advanced research and scholarship in a represented academic discipline and the ability to be appointed at the tenured Full Professor rank.
• A visionary and collaborative leader who exercises superb judgment, evaluates trends, anticipates emerging areas, and defines adaptive and collaborative strategic priorities.
• Exceptional tact and diplomatic skills, with the ability to navigate complex research environments, balancing the needs and priorities of multiple stakeholders while fostering collaboration and resolving conflicts.
• A proven record of achievement in building, modernizing and sustaining research infrastructure to support scalable growth of a university’s research enterprise.
• A proven ability to bridge diverse academic disciplines, integrating STEM fields with the humanities, arts and social sciences to advance large-scale and multidisciplinary research initiatives.
• Deep ties to senior leadership in government, business and industry communities; demonstrated experience in securing major research funding from multiple sources.
• Effective management of a complex organization within a large university or comparable public or private sector research organization.
• A record of leading organizational and cultural change in a complex research environment, and the empathy and presence to nurture an organization through such transformation.
• Experience advocating for institutional resources to strengthen infrastructure and enhance research impact.
• Excellent communication skills to represent the University persuasively and compellingly to a broad range of internal and external audiences, including strong listening skills.
• A strong advocate for translating research into real-world solutions, with experience leveraging technology transfer, commercialization and public-private partnerships to maximize societal impact.
• Knowledge and understanding of the current legislative, regulatory and public policy environment affecting research.

For Consideration

All inquiries, nominations, referrals and applications should be sent in strict confidence to:

Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors
Isaacson, Miller
Andrew Lee, Managing Partner
Vijay Saraswat, Partner
Raul Bernal, Senior Associate

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Consultive Committee