Faculty Position Information:

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Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) in the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is seeking a dynamic and accomplished individual to serve as Department Chair. VCS is one of five academic departments in the CVM comprising 50+ diverse faculty and staff members across a wide range of disciplines, all allied in teaching, research, and clinical efforts relevant to companion animals, equines, and other large animals.

VCS faculty currently teach over one-third of the professional veterinary curriculum courses in our fully accredited DVM program, instruct numerous graduate classes, provide internship and specialty resident training programs, and offer MS degrees within most clinical specialties. The majority of VCS faculty hold appointments in the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC) where they provide outstanding clinical service to patients, animal owners, and referring practitioners. Research in VCS reflects the various disciplines represented, and concentrates on problems relevant to the causes, diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting large and small animals with areas of strength in comparative gastroenterology, oncology, ophthalmology, cardiology, and equine medicine and surgery. Numerous faculty are involved in active clinical trials within the LVMC to benefit individual animals and further knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of significant animal diseases. The successful candidate will be expected to support and promote a diverse array of teaching strategies, clinical practices, and research initiatives. We seek a visionary in the field who embraces collegiality, community, collaboration, and our unique departmental role within the University by upholding and advocating for the impact of our efforts both internally and externally.

The college has experienced an exciting growth period over the past decade with multiple new faculty positions posted and filled, a state-of-the art teaching hospital (completed in 2012), revamped surgical education involving a Community Outreach Program (started in 2016), recent diversity and inclusion initiatives, and a new Pet Cancer Center that allows stereotactic radiation treatment (opened in 2019). The LVMC boasts 74% increase in employees, 32% increase in caseload, and 100% increase in revenue over the past 10 years to aid in clinical training. The CVM has a cooperative program with the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines that provides educational experiences for veterinary students, enabling them to work with all types of exotic animals. Iowa State University also partners with an affiliate, Iowa Veterinary Specialties, an emergency and specialty satellite hospital in Des Moines, which also affords greater clinical reach and caseload for referrals, faculty opportunities, clinical trials, and student education. Collaborative activities in all areas are enriched by support of interdisciplinary programs and the close proximity of the National Animal Disease Center, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, the Center for Veterinary Biologics, the University of Iowa, and Des Moines University. 

The Chair will facilitate the VCS community’s excellence in clinical practice, research, and education.  Thus, we are seeking an academic leader who is skilled at strategic and fiscal planning and able to execute long term initiatives while also serving as the department's chief administrator responsible for effective and timely management of budget, personnel, and other resources on a daily basis. Effective operation of the department and mentorship of its members are high priorities for the successful candidate. As such, demonstration of strong interpersonal, communicative and organizational skills, and the ability to effectively network with other departments, professional organizations, and grant funding sources are required. The Chair will be responsible for initiating all VCS personnel actions including hiring new faculty; supervising, evaluating and mentoring faculty; managing the VCS budget; managing faculty assignments; leading curriculum development, graduate student recruitment, and career and program development; promoting scholarships and procurement of funds to support departmental activities. The chair will also work in concert with the LVMC Hospital Director and the Chair of the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department to enhance and promote clinical service in the teaching hospital. The candidate must understand the multifaceted role of the department in creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing, innovation, and entrepreneurship while fulfilling the mission of a land grant university. Limited direct participation in teaching, clinical service/outreach, and/or research/creative efforts can be accommodated to allow the candidate to experience the dimensions of the land-grant mission.

The term of appointment will be five years. The Chair will be part of the Dean’s Cabinet and report directly to Dean Dan Grooms (dgrooms@iastate.edu). In this role, the Chair will provide leadership towards new initiatives in wellness, diversity, inclusivity, translational research, and community practice. The successful candidate will be a productive and collegial member of the college's leadership team and will be expected to perform other duties of a departmental chair as described in the ISU Faculty Handbook and CVM Shared Governance Document. 

The successful candidate will join the award winning VCS team which includes recent recipients of numerous CVM Awards (Early Achievement in Extension and Professional Practice, International Service Award, Professional and Scientific Outstanding New Professional Award, Faculty Member of the Year, Service Team of the Year), the Iowa State University Award for Early Achievement in Teaching, the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association’s Rising Star Award, along with several other professional recognitions and accolades. 

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• DVM or equivalent
• Board certification
• Documented experiences in veterinary leadership
• Documented experiences in teaching, research, and clinical (professional practice) efforts
• Record of scholarly activity to qualify for the rank of Associate or Full Professor with tenure

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated accomplishments in mentoring, staff supervision, team-building, and commitment to diversity
• Organization and budgetary skills
• Advanced degree (MS, Ph.D.) and/or research-focused experience (fellowship, post-doc)

Department/Program & College Description:

Iowa State University is a global and culturally diverse community committed to providing an inclusive, equitable, and diverse environment for both learning and employment. We know that diversity in experience and perspective is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and building an inclusive academic community. At Iowa State, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience working with a variety of students, colleagues, and constituents. The university has an expectation that all employees will demonstrate a contribution to diversity and inclusion as embodied in Iowa State University’s Principles of Community

Ames, Iowa is a progressive community of 66,000, located approximately 30 minutes north of Des Moines, and recently voted number one Best College Town in America (24/7 Wall St., 2018).  The City of Ames has also been recognized as number one Best U.S. Job Market (CNBC, 2018), and top 5 Metro Areas for Retirees to Age Successfully (Investopedia, 2018).  Ames also provides a vast array of recreational activities through more than 36 parks, 55 miles of bike trails, golf courses, and more. Click here for a full list of awards and accolades. 

Department Unit/Website:

 For additional information about the department: http://vetmed.iastate.edu/vcs  

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Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae

2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter

3) Contact Information for Three References

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

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For consideration, submit application before:

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