Institute/Center Director-Management

Position Summary

Michigan State University seeks a resident Director for the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) to provide leadership and promote a creative environment that fosters innovation and excellence in the Station's research, education, and outreach programs in ecology, evolution, agriculture, and conservation biology.

KBS is one of the world’s leading biological field stations and one of MSU's AgBioResearch Centers, enabling unparalleled application of fundamental ecological and evolutionary research to environmental problems. With its large year-round resident faculty, KBS is unique in its ability to integrate laboratory and field research, with over 1,800 hectares of natural and managed aquatic and terrestrial habitats, as well as a 60,000 square foot modern research building. In addition to faculty laboratories, major research facilities at KBS include: a genomics lab, more than 50 growth chambers and ultracold freezers, 4800 sq ft of greenhouse space, and specialized field labs including an experimental pond facility. KBS is home to an NSF Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site and a USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) site, and also hosts sustainability research for the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. The Kellogg Farm, Bird Sanctuary, and Kellogg Conference Center play critical roles in supporting the Station’s research, education, and outreach missions.

Located in southwest Michigan, 65 miles southwest of the MSU main campus, KBS has a community of 13 year-round resident faculty, ~25 graduate students, ~20 postdoctoral scholars and academic specialists, and ~100 support staff. In addition to graduate training, KBS has a vibrant summer undergraduate program and a year-round professional development program for K-12 teachers. KBS faculty grant expenditures are ~$5.5M per year. KBS has the equipment and staff to conduct small- to large-scale field experiments for both KBS labs and a large number of visiting researchers from MSU and other institutions (156 PIs in the last five years). KBS programs are fully integrated into the academic and outreach programs of MSU. All KBS faculty hold academic appointments in departments on the MSU campus, and they participate in campus teaching and departmental and interdepartmental graduate programs. Additional information about KBS can be found at www.kbs.msu.edu. 

Specific responsibilities:

The Director provides visionary leadership for KBS research, education, and outreach programs and is expected to maintain and enhance a creative and productive environment for faculty, students, and both academic and non-academic staff. The Director serves as the principal representative of KBS with authority and responsibility for administrative decisions. The Director reports directly to the Deans of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Natural Science at MSU.  

This is an administrative leadership position with opportunities and support to continue a research or outreach program and/or engage in teaching.

Key responsibilities of the Director are carried out with the support of faculty, specialists, and administrative staff. These responsibilities include:   

• Providing visionary and strategic leadership for advancing and articulating the mission of KBS, promoting national and international prominence in ecology, evolution, agriculture, and conservation biology
• Overseeing the research, outreach, and education programs at KBS with the Associate Director and coordinating these programs with campus departments (including Earth & Environmental Sciences; Entomology; Fisheries and Wildlife; Forestry; Integrative Biology; Plant Biology; and Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences), as well as the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior program, MSU AgBioResearch, and MSU Extension
• Developing and supporting undergraduate research and learning experiences with the KBS Academic Programs Coordinator
• Mentoring and evaluating the development of KBS faculty in collaboration with the chairs of their campus departments
• Fostering a culture of inclusion, collaboration, creativity and mentorship; working with the KBS DEI Advocate and the KBS Culture and Inclusion Committee to create an environment where diverse faculty, staff, and students can meet their full potential and thrive
• Overseeing the large and complex KBS budget and working with the KBS Assistant Director for Finance and Operations to ensure fiscally responsible implementation
• Leveraging the work of the Bird Sanctuary, Kellogg Farm and Conference Center to support the KBS mission and outreach activities
• Leading major grant, development, and fundraising efforts in support of KBS programs in collaboration with the KBS Assistant Director for Engagement and the Director's Advisory Board
• Sustaining and improving KBS infrastructure by working closely with the KBS unit of MSU’s Infrastructure, Planning, and Facilities

This is an annual-year (12-month) full-time academic appointment based at KBS at the level of Full Professor, with a tenure appointment in a campus department appropriate to the candidate's expertise. The position is expected to be filled beginning August 2025.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. MSU offers a generous benefits package (details at http://www.hr.msu.edu).

About the University:

Michigan State University (MSU) is one of the top research universities in the world and home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs. MSU is a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, and scientists that provide regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research and excellence in teaching. In addition, consistent with its Land Grant origins, the MSU community pursues international engagement and provides strong extension programs that partner with diverse stakeholders to provide much needed research in the areas of food, energy, water and the environment. 

The University is proactive about its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provides individual accessibility plans to students and employees with disabilities. Michigan State University is also proactive in exploring opportunities for employment for dual career families, both inside and outside the University, and respects all family forms. Information about MSU’s dual career support and other types of support for balancing work and personal lives at MSU can be found at http://healthpromotion.msu.edu/worklifewellbeing.

Commitment to Creating a Sense of Belonging: 

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. 

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University is committed to achieving excellence by creating and sustaining an accessible and inclusive culture that values cultural and academic diversity. We are an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion. Candidates are invited to view (unit) norms at (link).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Life sciences or related discipline

Minimum Requirements

The candidate should have an outstanding record or potential of achievement including leadership, team building, distinguished scholarship, and dedication to the land grant mission. Candidates should have demonstrated potential to lead and manage a dynamic program of interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach, a record of research excellence in any area of ecology, evolution, agriculture, or conservation biology, and strong interpersonal and people management skills. The applicant should have an appreciation for the range of disciplines related to the broader life sciences and the diverse functions of research, extension, and outreach. Candidates must exhibit preparedness for administration of a large, diverse community and demonstrate outstanding leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to promote KBS and increase its national and international prominence.

Required Application Materials

Applicants for the position of Director should submit 1) a CV and 2) a cover letter describing your interest in the position with an emphasis on your leadership experience and philosophical approaches to faculty and staff development, student success, and achieving a culture of diversity and inclusion, with the latter evaluated using the Berkeley rubric focusing on Track Record and Plans. At the end of the cover letter, please include names and contact information for five (5) references who are familiar with your work and leadership experience. Letters are not initially required, but these individuals may be approached for additional information only after obtaining the applicant's permission to do so. Applications should be submitted online at https://careers.msu.edu.

Special Instructions

The position will remain open until filled. Review of applications begins on January 21, 2025.

Questions regarding this position may be directed to the Search Committee Co-Chairs, Dr. Richard Kobe (kobe@msu.edu) and Dr. Andrea Case (caseand4@msu.edu).

Review of Applications Begins On

01/21/2025

Website

WWW.KBS.MSU.EDU

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.