Faculty Administrator or Professor and Director, Florida Space Institute

The Opportunity

The Florida Space Institute (FSI) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) is on a mission to propel space research, innovation, and education to new heights. We are seeking a visionary leader to serve as the Director of FSI, a multidisciplinary center devoted to facilitating and conducting leading-edge applied and basic research and education programs in space-related fields. UCF is seeking applications for a 12-month, non-tenure earning faculty administrator or tenured professor, and director of the FSI.

FSI's charter is to support space research, development, and education activities within UCF and in the state of Florida, and secondarily to support the development of Florida's space economy, including civil, defense, and commercial. As Director, you’ll have the opportunity to help drive collaborations across academia, industry, and government to expand Florida’s space research.

UCF is committed to becoming a premier institution in space science, engineering, and education and is seeking a dynamic individual to implement that vision by growing FSI into a nationally recognized space research institute that supports UCF’s recognition as a top research institution for space.

The Director will work with faculty from the College of Sciences, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Optics and Photonics, and others interested in space-related research at UCF to achieve these goals.

Reporting directly to UCF's Associate Vice President for Research and Scholarship, you’ll be at the forefront of a bold new era in shaping the institution’s trajectory and influencing the future of the field. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Space Science or Engineering or another relevant discipline, or equivalent experience is required.

• Strong spoken and written communications and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated leadership and managerial effectiveness.

• A record of winning competitive space funding and managing funded programs.

• To be eligible for appointment as a tenured professor upon hire, the selected candidate must have a Ph.D. from an accredited institution and demonstrated teaching, research, and service commensurate with a tenured faculty rank in a department/school related to the candidate’s area of expertise.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in creating, developing, and growing strategic partnerships with companies in the space industry from both an academic and a commercial perspective.

• A proven track record of building, motivating, mentoring, and coaching high-performance teams.

• An entrepreneurial mindset for building up an organization and experience in growing and managing a center, institute, NASA flight project, or large research group.

• A creative problem solver that can bring multiple and diverse disciplines together.

• Experience in academic programs.

• Experience within NASA or receiving and executing large NASA-funded programs.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/. In addition to the online application, candidates should upload a cover letter, a current curriculum vitae, and a list with contact information for three (3) professional references.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Questions regarding this search should be directed to:  Jennifer McKay at Jennifer.Mckay@ucf.edu.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

This is a full-time, 12-month appointment. Consideration of the position being tenured is possible with demonstrated teaching, research, and service commensurate with a tenured faculty rank in a department/school related to the candidate’s area of expertise.

Job Close Date:

Open until filled.

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program. 
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options. 
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions. 
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment. 
• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.  

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. 

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu.

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.