Description

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Chair Search Plan

1. Advertisement description

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa Campus, invites applications for the position of Department Chair, with an expected start date in Fall 2026.  This position offers a leadership opportunity in a highly productive and growing CEE department at a top-50 public research university. We seek an accomplished scholar and dynamic leader who will guide a highly productive faculty, respect and strengthen the department’s collaborative culture, address faculty and students’ needs, and foster continued excellence in research, teaching, and service. The successful candidate is expected to provide both a strategic vision and day-to-day management for the CEE Department, enhance its visibility, while advancing its role in achieving the strategic mission of the College of Engineering. Responsibilities include: providing strategic leadership;   managing  departmental operations; promoting a  vibrant and collaborative research culture ; advancing excellence in teaching and mentoring across all programs; recruiting, mentoring, and retaining talented faculty and staff; broadening participation among students, faculty, and staff; managing resources and budgets effectively and transparently; strengthening relationships with alumni, donors, industry partners, and local, state, and federal agencies and organizations ; and collaborating with other department chairs and college leadership.


Minimum qualifications include: (1) eligibility for appointment as a tenured full professor in a CEE department at a Carnegie R1 institution; (2) an earned doctoral degree in CEE or a closely related field from an accredited research institution; (3) demonstrated understanding of the CEE discipline and community; (4) proven leadership experience in higher education administration; and (5) a strong commitment to high-quality pedagogy, curricular and student development.

Preferred qualifications include: (1)  a proven commitment to fostering a collegial, collaborative, and supportive departmental culture; (2) demonstrated availability, responsiveness,  and excellent communication skills; (3) a proven ability to develop and sustain enduring relationships with alumni, donors, industry partners, and local, state, and federal agencies and organizations; (4) a strong record of leadership in securing competitive and significant research funding, including multidisciplinary research initiatives, from various sources; (5) a strong record of scholarship with publications in top-tier journals and conferences in CEE; (6) longstanding engagement in mentoring faculty, students, and staff, to promote their professional development and long-term success; (7) proven leadership in recruiting, program development, team building, and staff supervision; and (8) effective budget management practices in consultation with faculty and staff.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (http://www.usf.edu/engineering/cee/) has twenty-five (25) tenure-track/tenured faculty members, two (2) instructors, five (5) supporting faculty from the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at USF and three (3) staff members. The department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, serving nearly 700 undergraduate, 54 master, and 42 PhD students. The selected candidate will join a dynamic and collaborative CEE Department that values innovative, interdisciplinary research promoting sustainable infrastructure. Our new and rapidly growing BSEV program was accredited by ABET in 2024. Our Environmental Engineering graduate program was ranked 48th nationally and 29th among US public universities by US News & World Report (2024). The Civil Engineering graduate program is ranked in the top 70 nationally and top 50 among US public universities, by US News and World Report, and it offers specialties in geotechnical structures and materials, transportation   water resources, and environmental engineering. Faculty, staff and students within each specialty area are involved in interdisciplinary research and scholarship with collaborations across the university, including departments in the College of Engineering, and non-engineering departments of Anthropology, Biology, Geology, Geography, Public Health, and the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. Our faculty also maintains a solid base for research funding from agencies such as the Florida Department of Transportation, Southwest Florida Water Management District, U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Located in the vibrant Tampa Bay area—home to top-ranked beaches, a flourishing downtown, and rich opportunities for collaboration with state agencies and environmental organizations—this is a place where faculty thrive both professionally and personally.

Established in 1964 and currently led by Dean Levi Thompson, the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida is ranked #56 among public institutions (#89 overall) by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Engineering & Specialties Rankings. The college serves more than 3,700 students, offering nine bachelor’s programs as well as 12 master’s and eight doctoral degrees. The college is actively engaged in local and global research activities with $46.9 million in research expenditures for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The college has 12 major research centers and institutes and is actively engaged in local and global research activities focused on sustainability, biomedical engineering, computing technology and transportation. 

The college serves more than 3,500 students, offering eight ABET-accredited bachelor’s programs, 11 master’s and eight doctoral degrees, including a new bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering. The college is actively engaged in local and global research activities with $48 million in research expenditures for the fiscal year 2023-2024. The college has 12 major research centers and institutes and is actively engaged in local and global research activities focused on sustainability, biomedical engineering, computing technology and transportation. 

The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Over the past ten years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings than USF. Further, USF joined the American Association of Universities (AAU) in 2023. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee, the Florida Board of Governors designated USF as a Preeminent State Research University, placing it in the most elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF serves approximately 50,000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. For four consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nation’s top 50 public universities, including USF’s highest ranking ever in 2023 (No. 42). In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year and as one of top universities in the world for securing new patents, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu. 

An application package should include a cover letter outlining their interest and qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae (CV), a detailed letter of interest (1-2 pages) outlining their leadership interests, philosophy and experience, and provide contact information for at least three professional references. Applicants must electronically submit the application packet as one PDF file to the following website: https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/careers/index.aspx (Applicants search Job Opening ID# 42289). Applications will be considered starting immediately until the positions are filled. 

USF is an equal opportunity, equal access academic institution that embraces diversity in the workplace. The University of South Florida does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race/color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other unlawful basis. Dual career couples with questions about opportunities are encouraged to contact the Dean’s Office, Dr. S. Bhanja. To request disability accommodations in the application and interview process, please notify Melanie Salarbux at (727) 873-4290 or Khoa Dinh, at (813) 974-9272 at least five working days in advance. 

Pursuant to Title IX, USF does not discriminate on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that it operates. Such protection extends to students, employees, admission, and employment. Questions or inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator or to the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. The most current contact information for the USF Title IX Coordinator and resources can be found on the USF Title IX webpage at www.usf.edu/title-ix .

2. Search Committee

The following search committee has been selected:

3. Advertisements External Venues

The position will be advertised in: 

1. Paid postings:

a. The college will advertise on YM Careers site, https://www.ymcareers.com/ . Advertising within a wide network of engineering/science/higher education organizations and job boards.

2. USF Careers Postings: http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/human-resources/careers/index.aspx

Department Chair, search Job ID# TBD

3. Free postings/advertisement

a. The ad will reach candidates through targeted association emails, department chair listserv, social media channels, websites, newsletters, and more (i.e. NSBE, WEPAN, SHPE, SWE, AISES). 

b. Attendance by USF CEE faculty during national and regional conferences of professional meetings and through professional networking opportunities.

4. Criteria to be used in the evaluation of candidates and the process

Minimum Desired Qualifications: 

(1) eligibility for appointment as a tenured full professor, in a CEE department at a Carnegie R1 institution;

(2) a doctoral degree in CEE or a closely related field from an accredited research institution;

(3) demonstrated understanding of the CEE discipline and community;

(4) proven leadership experience in higher education administration; and

(5) commitment to high-quality pedagogy, curricular and student development.

Preferred Qualifications: 

(1)  a proven commitment to fostering a collegial, collaborative and supportive departmental culture;

(2) demonstrated availability, responsiveness, and excellent communication skills;

(3)  a proven ability to develop and sustain enduring relationships with alumni, donors, industry partners, and local, state, and federal agencies and organizations;

(4)  a strong record of leadership in securing competitive and significant research funding, including multidisciplinary research initiatives, from various sources;

(5) a strong record of scholarship with publications in top-tier journals and conferences in CEE;

(6) longstanding engagement in mentoring faculty, students, and staff, to promote their professional development and long-term success;

(7) proven leadership in recruiting, program development, team building, and staff supervision; and

(8) effective budget management practices in consultation with faculty and staff.

Hiring process:

Table 1. Tentative selection criteria (leadership, mentoring, research, etc.)

5. Timetable 

1. Upon Dean/or designee approval, committee and committee leadership is formed.
   • Search committee chair draft and share ad/search plan with college HRBP for preliminary review.
   • HRBP sends to college leadership for final review and approval before ad is advertised.
2. Dean/or designee will charge the search committee.
3. Search committee screens pool & conduct virtual interviews of preferred candidates.
4. Search committee chair forwards top candidates (unranked) to Dean’s Office for approval.
5. Dean’s Office approves pool and onsite campus interviews.
   • Candidates selected for final campus interviews (could be virtual) visit for seminars, meetings with department faculty and Dean/or designee.
   • Dean or designee will need to notify college HRBP to initiate the Foreign Influence screening for the top candidates. This process must be done prior to any offers can be extended.
6. List of top (unranked) candidates are submitted to the Dean/designee.  The Dean, in consultation with the Provost, will extend the offer to the selected candidate.

 6. Description of methods that will be used to check Reference / Work Experience

Search Committee members will check research expertise and academic history based on familiarity with the candidate’s current academic department(s) and a review of the scientific literature and relevant databases.  For the candidates selected for on-campus interviews, letters will be obtained from appropriate references.


7. Identification of the person responsible for clerical support to the Search Committee

The person responsible for administrative support to the Search Committee is Yvette Blanchard, Academic Services Administrator from CEE.




Job Requisition # 42253