Job Description

Position Announcement

Chair, Department of Geography & Spatial Sciences, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, University of Delaware

The Department of Geography & Spatial Sciences (GEOG) is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair at the rank of full professor with tenure. We are searching for an inspirational and visionary leader: an established human geographer (all subspecialties considered) with a proven publication and extramural funding record, a substantive record of service in administrative roles, a solid understanding of multidisciplinary units, and a demonstrable commitment to fostering a collegial departmental climate.

Geography & Spatial Sciences, housed within the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment has 17 faculty (tenure, tenure track, research, and continuing [teaching] track), 2 full-time staff, and several postdoctoral scholars, > 250 undergraduate students and approximately 50 graduate students. Faculty are world-renowned and include an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, an American Association of Geographers Fellow, two endowed professorships, and several members who have received high honors from professional societies, including various book prizes, and two NSF CAREER awardees. The department has unique strengths in climate science, ecohydrology, geospatial data science, and human geography, and supports undergraduate majors in geography, environmental science, environmental studies, meteorology, and GIScience and environmental data analytics, as well as MA/MS (thesis-based and professional) and PhD programs in Geography and Climatology. The department is highly collaborative across college and institutional lines, and has strong interactions with faculty and staff in other departments and colleges, including Environmental Humanities, Area Studies Programs, the Water Science and Policy Graduate Program, the Delaware Environmental Institute, Gerard J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub, and the Disaster Research Center. Research programs are internationally recognized and reflect the wide diversity of faculty expertise. The Center for Monitoring and Environmental Analysis (CEMA) delivers impactful programs that are highly visible throughout the state, particularly in areas that impact Delaware agriculture such as irrigation, drought monitoring, coastal flooding, snow removal, and emergency management. The Department is home to the State Climatologist of Delaware as well as the Delaware Center for Geographic Education. For additional information visit the departmental website at: http://www.udel.edu/Geography.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Department Chair’s responsibilities include strong leadership of all departmental programs and administrative responsibility for planning, fiscal management, human resources and facilities. The individual is also expected to undertake scholarly activity in their field and to teach courses depending on the department’s needs and the individual’s expertise.  The Chairperson will report directly to the Dean of Earth, Ocean and Environment.

The successful candidate will:

• Provide visionary leadership for research, teaching, and extension activities in the department, and oversee programs and operations with fairness and integrity;
• Align departmental programs and activities with college and university strategic plans;
• Assign and oversee faculty workloads;
• Manage departmental budget and financial resources;
• Create and foster a culture of high quality scholarship;
• Cultivate extramural funding opportunities to support departmental programs, including the GIScience computer laboratory;
• Work with faculty, students, staff and stakeholders on curriculum planning and development;
• Grow undergraduate enrollment and encourage innovative and effective teaching at all levels;
• Advocate for the Department to external constituencies (including alumni,  state and federal agencies, and professional organizations), and University administration;
• Recruit, motivate, and strengthen faculty, staff and students through active engagement, mentoring, and professional development programs;
• Foster an environment of collegiality, teamwork and respect for multi-disciplinary settings in the department and in the university community;
• Enhance cooperation and collaboration with other departments, colleges, universities, government agencies and private sector businesses;
• Build alumni relations and philanthropic support for the department, working in conjunction with the offices of the Dean and University Development;
• Manage existing donor relations, financial commitments, and co-constitutive activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in Geography and qualify for the rank of Professor. The candidate must also meet the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated excellence in academic or administrative leadership in one or more of the following: (1) research or scholarly activity; (2) teaching, instruction; (3) extension, service, or outreach;
• International reputation within their discipline, successful grant record at regional and national levels, and active involvement in appropriate scientific societies;
• Familiarity with and a commitment to the Land-Sea-Space-Urban Grant philosophy and missions of teaching, research and extension;
• A strong commitment to student learning and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate level;
• Possess effective communication skills with a variety of audiences;
• Ability to effectively manage and evaluate departmental personnel and fiscal affairs with a commitment to financial transparency;
• Articulate a strategic vision and long-term goals for the department;
• Experience in assessing priorities, strategic planning and implementation, and adaptability to change in a multidisciplinary environment;
• Evidence of positive group leadership at the department level and/or in multi-investigator projects;
• Consensus building, interpersonal and leadership skills;
• Appreciation for the disciplinary breadth of the department.

To Apply:

Submit letter of application addressing the required qualifications, a curriculum vitae, a statement of administrative philosophy and vision for the future of the department.  Questions regarding this position (but not applications) may be addressed to the committee chair Delphis Levia, dlevia@udel.edu. Review of applications will begin on October 22, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Application materials should be submitted via https://careers.udel.edu. The curriculum vitae and statements shall be shared with departmental faculty.

Employment offers will be conditioned upon successful completion of a criminal background check. A conviction will not necessarily exclude you from employment.

The University of Delaware is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or status as a protected veteran, as well as any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. For the University’s complete non-discrimination statement, please visit www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html.

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