School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area: Harvard College Observatory/ Astronomy

Position Description:

Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution jointly seek an astrophysicist with outstanding research accomplishments and demonstrated administrative ability to serve as the next Director of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA). The CfA is a unique, collaborative center, bringing together faculty from the Harvard Department of Astronomy, housed at the Harvard College Observatory (HCO), with scientists and staff from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). The combined intellectual capital, expertise, and resources of the HCO and SAO has positioned the CfA to achieve and maintain its status as one of the most influential entities in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. The CfA Director serves as both the Director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory with a Smithsonian Trust indefinite appointment and as the Director of the Harvard College Observatory. The Director also serves as a tenured professor in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University.

The Center for Astrophysics is home to over 900 staff members, including nearly 300 Ph.D. researchers and numerous students, technical staff, and administrative staff. The CfA is one of the largest groups of astronomers and astrophysicists in the world, conducting cutting-edge, curiosity-driven research into fundamental questions about the universe. The breadth of the Center is a particular strength: researchers work across observational, theoretical, and experimental realms, with strong engineering and mission leadership capabilities, and bring expertise spanning the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing them to conduct research across small and large scales. Harvard University's Department of Astronomy offers a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and students perform their research at the CfA. The SAO also offers a pre-doctoral fellowship program to provide opportunities for graduate students from other universities to work with CfA scientists. The CfA also hosts around 100 postdoctoral fellows in any given year.

As the leader of both the HCO and the SAO, the CfA Director serves as the conduit between two historic and globally admired institutions. The director will have significant fundraising responsibilities and will serve as the public face of the CfA, communicating the accomplishments of the Center to the scientific community, funding agencies, philanthropic groups, and the greater public. The director will look to the future of the field and position the CfA to remain a preeminent institution, supporting faculty and scientists, and investing resources into new projects, technologies, and staff. The director will be a vocal champion and advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, continuing to implement best practices to attract, mentor, and retain diverse talent and developing new initiatives to advance representation in the field and at the CfA.

Basic Qualifications:

Candidates are required to have a doctorate

Additional Qualifications:

Demonstrated strong commitment to teaching, advising, research, and outreach is desired. Candidates should also evince intellectual leadership and impact on the field. Relevant administrative leadership experience is strongly desired.

Contact Information:

The Center for Astrophysics has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in the recruitment of the director. All inquiries and nominations should be directed in confidence to the search firm at: http://www.imsearch.com/7769

John Muckle, Partner
Nicholas Strand, Associate
Isaacson, Miller

Contact Email: http://www.imsearch.com/7769

Special Instructions:

Please submit the following materials through the ARIeS portal (https://academicpositions.harvard.edu). Candidates are encouraged to apply by February 15th; applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Teaching/advising statement (describing teaching philosophy and practices)
4. Research statement
5. Statement describing efforts to encourage diversity, inclusion, and belonging, including past, current, and anticipated future contributions in these areas.

Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Smithsonian is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities to consider this leadership position. The Smithsonian's commitment to inclusivity encompasses, but is not limited to, diversity in nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and disability.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

About Harvard University

Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

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