Vice President for Research and Innovation

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Job description

The University of Oregon (UO), a top-tier public research university, seeks a strategic and collaborative administrator and transformative leader to serve as its next Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI). Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Research and Innovation will lead efforts to enhance UO’s research programs and impact by strengthening existing programs and developing new partnerships and collaborations across the state and globe.

Job Duties

Leadership and Vision for the OVPRI

  • Developing, promoting, and facilitating the execution of a strategic vision for the Research and Innovation portfolio, working in collaboration with other university partners.
  • Fostering and advancing academic quality and programmatic priorities by ensuring adequate administrative support to fuel research excellence.
  • Collaborating with the schools, colleges, and provost, to support the hiring and retention of excellent faculty, including through the strategic investment of start-up and retention funds.
  • Advancing the university’s efforts to create an environment where diverse faculty, staff, and student body are successful.
  • Supporting faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity and advancing the pursuit of knowledge generation and translation of that knowledge to create societal impact.
  • Delivering service-oriented research administration that facilitates research while minimizing compliance risks.
  • Empowering internal administrative units to ensure research compliance through the development and delivery of trainings, support for policy changes consistent with the latest regulatory landscape, and federal reporting as appropriate for units including animal welfare, human subjects research, conflicts of interest, foreign influence, export controls, research misconduct, research security, and the responsible conduct of research.

Management and Administration

  • Appointing, managing, and reviewing direct reports, including associate and assistant vice presidents.
  • Providing direction to the divisional team to advance priorities and execute strategies.
  • Appointing program directors and other faculty leadership positions; ensuring such appointees are evaluated.
  • Establishing budget policy and strategically managing the Office of the VPRI’s budget.
  • Overseeing and allocating divisional resources to advance the division’s and university’s strategic objectives.
  • Working with schools and colleges as well as Campus Planning and Facilities Management to coordinate allocation, renovation, and creation of space.

Advocacy and Representation

  • Working with development staff to support fundraising efforts, promoting the mission of the office, including foundation engagement, donor visits, and stewardship.
  • Strategic communications to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Participating in University-level and external committees that are important to Research and Innovation, including the Senior Leadership Team and the Academic Leadership Team.
  • Serve as a key member of the President’s cabinet and meet regularly with university leadership to advance the university’s mission.
  • Supporting and participating in federal or state advocacy efforts.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The successful candidate must possess an earned doctorate or equivalent degree from an accredited institution. Candidates must also have significant leadership experience with university research administration and/or technology transfer and innovation activities, including management of budgets and personnel. In addition, it is preferred that candidates possess the following:

  • Distinguished record of management of external funding as a sponsored researcher or innovator.
  • Experience and interest in securing financial resources from a variety of public and/or private sources.
  • Demonstrated record of organizational leadership in higher education or similar complex organizations, as evidenced by experience having supervised a team; having led or contributed to the development of budgets and operational strategy; having fostered an inclusive, collaborative, and respectful work culture; having navigated political and legislative contexts, government agency bureaucracy, corporate sponsorship, and complex regulatory environments.
  • Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, including evidence of the ability to facilitate connections within and external to the University; to articulate a strong and clear vision for the University’s research programs; to exhibit sound judgment; and to interact effectively with multiple and diverse constituencies.
  • Distinguished record of capitalizing on and aligning university research with regional and national economic development priorities and issues.
  • A deep understanding of interdisciplinary research and team science, including its challenges and advantages.
  • Impeccable academic judgment, an eye for high-quality research, and a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by world-class researchers.
  • Leadership experience heading a large, complex research program.
  • A demonstrated record of attracting and helping to recruit and retain research-active faculty.
  • Track record of growing institutional research and scholarship with a balanced funding portfolio.
  • Ability to enhance research impact through support of university-led efforts in entrepreneurship, commercialization, technology transfer, science communication, and/or industrial collaborations.
  • An understanding of and commitment to the mission of the University of Oregon.
  • A commitment to transparency in policy, strategy, and financial management, with an appreciation of and support for shared governance.
  • Highest ethical standards in all matters.

Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) is an advocate and catalyst within the University of Oregon for expanding the range and impact of UO’s research, scholarship, and creative endeavors.

The OVPRI includes more than 350 faculty and staff and supports more than $150 million in annual sponsored research funding. The office oversees 1) Research and Innovation administration, 2) interdisciplinary centers and institutes (described below), and 3) research core facilities.

Research and Innovation administration includes sponsored projects services; research integrity; research development; industry, innovation, and translation; undergraduate research opportunities; and research finance and business administration and data analytics. Further details on our administrative structure can be found here.

Research core facilities include animal care facilities, which include a world-leading zebrafish aquatic animal research facility, the Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon (CAMCOR), which provides advanced materials characterization and electron microscopy for both academic and industrial users, Genomics and Cell Characterization Core Facility (GC3F), which provides cutting-edge DNA sequencing and microscopy facilities to researchers at the UO and nationally, and the Lewis Center for Neuroimaging, which provides access to a 3T MRI unit, among others (full list available here).

Research at UO

UO is designated as having very high research activity in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and has a strong culture of multidisciplinary and collaborative research. The University of Oregon saw $153 million in total sponsored project funding in fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25). In this same year, there were $125 million in research expenditures. Exemplary research activities include the College of Education, which had $51 million in research expenditures in FY25, as well as our research centers and institutes under the OVPRI ($65M in expenditures in FY25). Our nationally and internationally recognized faculty drive excellence across our enduring research strengths, including education, children’s mental and behavioral health, fundamental life and physical sciences, the humanities, and social and environmental sciences.

85% of the university’s research funding is from federal sources. The major federal funders supporting UO’s research portfolio include the National Institutes of Health (42%), the National Science Foundation (13%), and the US Department of Education (12%). A full breakdown of our FY25 sponsored research activity can be found here.

Committed to the creation and transfer of knowledge locally, nationally, and globally, UO has broad-based academic strength and a long history of innovation and excellence. The University takes pride in the honors and achievements of its outstanding faculty, staff, and graduates. Included among our current and emeritus faculty are 79 Fulbright Scholars, 30 Guggenheim Fellows, 48 American Association for Advancement of Science fellows, 12 National Academy of Science members, 16 members of the American Academy of Arts and Science, two National Medal of Science recipients, and one Nobel Laureate.

The UO is well-known for “punching above its weight” in research successes and innovation endeavors given the institution’s small size relative to the other Big 10 schools and many of the AAUs. The research centers and institutes organized under the OVPRI have historically been key to this success. The UO is able to recruit stellar faculty to academic departments by offering these rich intellectual, interdisciplinary communities where collaborations and external connections thrive in addressing the complexity of challenges we face today. This collaborative nature across departments, centers, and institutes makes UO’s research enterprise unique. The 12 research centers and institutes that report directly to the VPRI typically account for more than half of all sponsored research dollars at the university. The diversity of these scholarly approaches is illustrated by a small sampling of these units:

  • Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) – Founded in 1959, the Institute of Molecular Biology is the oldest interdisciplinary institute on campus and the first academic unit in the country to use the term “molecular biology.” IMB builds on its storied history by providing an environment for innovative research and graduate training that includes faculty, students, and staff drawn from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Physics, all housed in contiguous space in the heart of the Lori Lokey Science Complex.
  • Institute of Neuroscience (ION) – the Institute of Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary research group of scientists, with faculty and students drawn from the departments of Biology, Psychology, and Human Physiology. Our laboratories offer graduate and postdoctoral training in the neurosciences with projects that address the development of the nervous system to human cognitive processes.
  • Materials Science Institute (MSI) – The purpose of the Materials Science Institute is to study the structure and properties of materials, to educate in the sciences of materials, and to serve Oregon as a resource in these sciences. Since 1985 MSI has more than tripled the size of its research program, developed four new graduate programs in materials, and contributed to the State’s prosperity through collaboration with more than 25 Oregon companies.
  • Oregon Humanities Center (OHC) – The Oregon Humanities Center is the sole interdisciplinary umbrella organization for the humanities at the University of Oregon. It seeks to promote and strengthen the humanities both on campus and in the broader community by supporting faculty research and teaching, by fostering collaboration among the disciplines, and by sponsoring a wide variety of public programs.
  • Prevention Science Institute (PSI) – The Prevention Science Institute engages in research on social and emotional processes among children, adolescents, and families in support of their mission to improve the lives and wellbeing of at-risk children, individuals, and families throughout their lifespan. PSI is a multi-disciplinary institute focused on understanding human development, preventing behavioral health problems, and implementing effective interventions in community settings. The institute also provides vital professional and research training for graduate and undergraduate students.

The VPRI will also work closely with the Directors of the Knight Campus for Accelerating Research and the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health.

University of Oregon

Founded in 1876, the University of Oregon (“UO”) is a comprehensive public research university committed to exceptional teaching, discovery, and service and is the flagship public university of the state of Oregon. The UO is an R1 university, a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), and a member of the Big 10 Athletic Conference. It serves more than 24,440 undergraduate and graduate students from all fifty states and over 100 countries and offers 302 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its eight schools and colleges and through both the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact and the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health.

The University currently employs 2,050 teaching and research faculty and 3,580 staff. Under President Karl Scholz, the UO has embarked on a comprehensive strategic plan, Oregon Rising, which centers on four core goals: enhancing pathways to timely graduation, becoming a leader in career preparation, creating a flourishing community, and accelerating the University’s impact on the world. With respect to the last goal, the UO has identified four areas of signature scholarship:

  • Environmental Resilience
  • Youth Behavioral and Mental Health
  • Human Performance and Sport
  • Accelerating Innovation and Scientific Impact

In 2026, the University will celebrate its sesquicentennial and launch the public phase of a capital campaign. With a strategic plan, a campaign on the horizon, and a highly successful initiation into the Big Ten, the UO has significant momentum and is poised to accomplish an important chapter in its history.

The UO serves as a key economic driver for the state, fueling innovation and workforce growth with an estimated $3.7 billion annual economic return to Oregon, of which the research enterprise is a significant contributor. The University has an operating budget of over $1.4 billion and an endowment of more than $1.6 billion. More than 263,430 Duck alumni live worldwide.

The University’s main campus is located in the Southern Willamette Valley, with easy access to snow-capped Cascade mountains and scenic coastlines. The area enjoys a mild climate. Nicknamed “TrackTown USA,” Eugene is a green-friendly university city that is home to numerous running, biking, and hiking trails, farmer’s markets, and thriving restaurants. Partnering with the City of Eugene, the UO has repeatedly hosted the NCAA Track Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field. While retaining the feel of a modest-sized town, it has the amenities and economic energy that flow from a lively arts community, a university town and a population of over 230,000 residents in the Eugene-Springfield metro area. The UO has been a long time presence in Portland, including through a recent $60M investment to develop a campus in Northeast Portland which houses the university’s executive MBA program as well as law, strategic communications, architecture, sports product management and sports product design, and the University’s signature Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health.

Location

The University of Oregon is located in the Willamette Valley, a picturesque region known for its excellent wines, abundant recreational opportunities, and outdoor activity, and marked by a progressive, collaborative culture. It sits on 295-acres and features state-of-the art facilities in an arboretum-like setting. Eugene is a vibrant and growing metropolitan area of over 200,000 located two hours from Portland, and five hours from Seattle with varied cultural and culinary offerings, a pleasant climate, and a community engaged in environmental and social concerns. It hosts several world-class museums and cultural centers, including the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, and the Many Nations Longhouse. Eugene is also a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts; skiing, hiking, fishing, rafting, cycling, and running are all popular pastimes in the area.

Land Acknowledgement

The University of Oregon is located on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people. Following treaties between 1851 and 1855, the Kalapuya people were dispossessed of their indigenous homeland by the United States government and forcibly removed to the Coast Reservation in Western Oregon. Today, descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, and continue to make important contributions in their communities, at UO, and across the land we now refer to as Oregon.

How to apply

The VPRI Search Committee invites nominations and applications (a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of five or more references) to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University of Oregon. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. It is preferred that all nominations and applications be submitted by Monday, March 9, 2026.

Laurie Wilder, President
Porsha Williams, Vice President and Managing Director
Jacob Anderson, Principal
Jack McGrew, Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875 Atlanta, GA 30328
(678) 775-4564
[email protected] || [email protected] || [email protected] || [email protected]

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at [email protected] or 541-346-5112.

The University of Oregon, founded in 1876, is the state’s flagship institution. Located in Eugene, an energetic college town, the university offers academic excellence and hands-on learning opportunities in a welcoming atmosphere. Towering trees shade the 295-acre campus, where students, faculty members, and employees from a wide variety of backgrounds share a commitment to preserving the environment and pursuing innovation in more than 260 academic programs that range from Eugene to Portland and from the coast to the mountains.