Department of Occupational and Environmental Health

University of Iowa, College of Public Health

The University of Iowa, College of Public Health seeks a dedicated, visionary, and experienced leader for the position of Departmental Executive Officer (DEO) for the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH). The DEO provides strategic leadership and direction for all aspects of the department, and coordinates and administers the overall academic agenda, including education, research, and service activities. The DEO will be appointed at the level of Professor with Tenure and will report to the Dean.

The major responsibilities of the DEO include the following.

• Sets a compelling vision that inspires others to engage in transforming and executing the strategic direction for the department;
• Recruits, develops, and retains productive and diverse faculty;
• Provides inspirational and effective mentorship of faculty, fellows, students, and staff;
• Builds upon departmental research programs and fosters collaboration within the college, the university, and the scientific community;
• Leads innovation in curriculum and educational programs;
• Fosters a supportive, collaborative, and inclusive academic environment for faculty, staff, and students;
• Effectively manages the departmental budget with transparency and works within the confines of financial support to achieve budgeted goals and maintain a positive fiscal condition;
• Champions opportunities for student funding, including assistantships and training programs;
• Ensures compliance with collegiate, university, state, and federal policies related to grant funding, legislative, and academic policies;
• Participates in national professional organizations and promotes the external visibility of the department and college;
• Serves as a member of the collegiate leadership team that guides the strategic initiatives and resources to allow the college to meet its mission, vision, and goals;
• Teaches courses and advises students within the department and collegiate undergraduate program;
• Maintains an active scholarship portfolio, including external funding and publications.

Candidates must have a PhD, DrPH, MD (with an MPH preferred) or equivalent degree in a related field and qualifications commensurate with an appointment as a tenured, full professor in our College of Public Health.  Current Associate Professors with the qualifications for appointment as a tenured, full professor will also be considered.  Successful candidates must demonstrate academic experience in an occupational and/or environmental health discipline relevant to public health, with national recognition as a scholar. Candidates are expected to have a record of research productivity, including extramural funding, and high-quality teaching experience.  Candidates must demonstrate leadership and administrative experience toward of vision of inclusiveness, collegiality, and scholarly relevancy in the field of occupational and environmental health; a record of successful collaborative efforts in teaching and/or research; success or knowledge of effective strategies for working with and mentoring diverse faculty, staff, and students; and a commitment to promoting a diverse academic environment. Desirable qualifications include demonstrated experience building partnerships across academic disciplines and implementing successful long-term strategies for growth in a multi-disciplinary environment.

The College of Public Health is nationally ranked among the top 10 in publicly supported schools of public health and has a diverse research portfolio. The college and its five departments offer a rich environment in interdisciplinary research and faculty engagement. 

The department has 47 graduate students, $10.4 million in research funding, 14 primary faculty plus two faculty searches nearing completion, and 31 staff and several fellow and trainees. The department offers MS, MPH, and PhD degrees in Occupational and Environmental Health and MS degrees in Industrial Hygiene and in Agricultural Safety and Health. In addition to the OEH degree programs, the University of Iowa’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IDGP) in Human Toxicology is administered out of OEH and eight OEH faculty contribute to the program. The IDGP in Human Toxicology offers MS and PhD training in toxicology and associated biomedical sciences.  The IDGP has 24 PhD students and 2 MS students.

The department has a fundamental interest in the health and safety of rural people, currently realized in areas of investigation such as musculoskeletal disorders of farm, factory, and office workers; measurement of biotoxins and toxic chemicals in the environment and biospecimens; health effects of bioaerosols on farmers and other workers; metabolism of PCBs; control measures for occupational and environmental exposures; urban development; infectious disease epidemiology; global health and child health; and strategies to prevent injuries at work and in the community.  The department is home to multiple research centers and has research funding through NIH, CDC, State of Iowa, foundations, and corporate entities. Departmental faculty enjoy strong collaborative relationships across campus, including UI Health Care and the Carver College of Medicine, and have well-established working relationships with organizations and communities across Iowa, throughout Federal Region VII (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri), and internationally, specifically Central Europe, West Africa, East Africa, and India. Further information can be found at https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/oeh/

Candidates should submit applications online at jobs@uiowa.edu Requisition #74073. Inquiries regarding the position can be made to Dr. Joseph Cavanaugh, the Search Committee Chair, at joe-cavanaugh@uiowa.edu. Applications should include a letter outlining interest and relevant experience and a curriculum vitae. Candidates should also provide a statement identifying how their past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion will advance the University of Iowa’s commitment to inclusive excellence.

The University of Iowa is an equal employment opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preference, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Iowa is committed to recruiting and retaining the most talented and diverse faculty and staff, which involves providing opportunities for employees to “Build a Career | Build a Life.”  For more information about local work / life resources, including dual-career support, please see  http://worklife.uiowa.edu.

For more information on this position, please visit https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/job/oeh-head/.