Tenured: Professor and Department Head of Engineering Medicine Research and Innovation

The School of Engineering Medicine (SEM) at Texas A&M University invites applications to fill one (1) full-time tenured faculty position to serve as the Department Head of the Department of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) Research and Innovation. This is a full-time, 11-month appointment with an anticipated start date in Fall 2026 or January 2027. The Department Head of EnMed Research and Innovation provides academic and administrative leadership to build, grow, and sustain the department. The Department Head leads tenure-track faculty recruitment, establishes departmental policies and long-term vision, supports faculty development, drives the creation of new degree programs, and champions innovation efforts within the School of Engineering Medicine. This role is focused on the departmental level. It does not extend to the overall governance of the MD degree program (school-level) or the engineering master's degree program (College of Engineering).

The ideal candidate will have a distinguished record of accomplishment in research, teaching, scholarship, and/or industry leadership. They will bring visionary leadership and strategic direction to build a thriving, innovative department at the intersection of engineering and medicine. This role involves faculty recruitment and mentorship, policy development, new academic program design, innovation support, and community engagement. The expectations and qualifications are outlined in detail below.

About the School of Engineering Medicine

The School of Engineering Medicine(SEM), situated in Houston's Texas Medical Center, offers a transformative four-year program that uniquely combines a medical doctorate (MD) with a master's in engineering (MEng) granted by Texas A&M's Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine and College of Engineering. Through hands-on clinical experience and rigorous engineering training, SEM develops physicianeers—a new generation of physicians equipped to revolutionize healthcare through innovation and technology.

Responsibilities:

The Department Head is responsible for overseeing, managing, and sustaining the operations of the department, including, but not limited to:

Leadership & Administration

• Provide strategic leadership for the Department of EnMed Research and Innovation in alignment with the School of Engineering Medicine's mission and goals.
• Establish and articulate a compelling long-term vision and departmental identity that advances the intersection of engineering and medicine.
• Develop, implement, and periodically review departmental policies governing faculty conduct, promotion, research expectations, and academic citizenship.
• Oversee departmental staff and administrative functions, including scheduling, budgets, and operational processes.
• Represent the department in internal committees and contribute to the broader academic mission of SEM.
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development to ensure compliance with all relevant Texas A&M University and accreditation standards related to faculty management.

Faculty Recruitment & Development

• Lead all aspects of tenure-track faculty recruitment, including search design, candidate evaluation, and onboarding, to build a high-caliber, diverse departmental faculty in collaboration with SEM Office of Faculty Affairs.
• Mentor and evaluate faculty across all career stages, fostering excellence in research, innovation, teaching, and service.
• Ensure robust mentoring structures for junior faculty to support their growth toward promotion and tenure.
• Promote faculty participation in professional societies, conferences, and workshops to support continuous professional development.
• Ensure affiliate and adjunct faculty are meaningfully integrated into departmental activities and the broader School of Engineering Medicine community.

Academic Program Development

• Lead the design, development, and launch of new degree programs, certificates, and academic tracks that reflect the department's research and innovation mission.
• Collaborate with the Offices of Academic Affairs, the College of Engineering, and relevant accrediting bodies to ensure new programs meet all curricular and compliance standards.
• Continuously assess and improve existing academic offerings to maintain relevance, quality, and alignment with the evolving fields of engineering and medicine.
• Identify emerging interdisciplinary areas where the department can develop differentiated and nationally recognized academic programs.

Innovation Support

• Champion a departmental culture of innovation, supporting faculty and student efforts in translational science, technology development, and entrepreneurship.
• Connect department faculty and students with Texas A&M's technology licensing office, venture development programs, and Houston-area innovation ecosystem partners.
• Support faculty in navigating pathways to commercialization, startup formation, and industry engagement.
• Collaborate with the broader SEM innovation programming infrastructure to ensure the department contributes meaningfully to design thinking, human-centered design, and product development initiatives.

Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate with leaders at the School of Engineering Medicine, the College of Engineering, Houston Methodist and other clinical and industry partners while ensuring the department remains within its defined scope.
• Maintain open communication with school leadership, faculty, staff, and students regarding departmental initiatives, strategic goals, and milestones.
• Work collaboratively within Texas A&M University and beyond to forge innovative academic and industry partnerships.

Reporting Structure

• Report directly to the Dean (or designee) of the School of Engineering Medicine.
• Work collaboratively with other department heads, deans, and the College of Engineering leadership as appropriate

Faculty Track-Specific Expectations

Tenured Faculty Expectations

• Maintain a high-impact, externally funded research program with demonstrated national or international recognition.
• Teach courses and seminars to medical and graduate students in areas relevant to engineering medicine research and innovation.
• Mentor graduate students and medical students in research, innovation, and translational science.
• Collaborate with SEM faculty to successfully integrate engineering with medicine in their research programs.
• Engage in scholarly activity including publications, patents, presentations, and other forms of research dissemination.

Required:

• Medical Degree (MD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or equivalent degree in a relevant field such as engineering, medicine, biomedical sciences, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated track record of excellence in research and innovation at the intersection of engineering and medicine.
• Record of sustained, externally funded research with national or international visibility.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including faculty mentorship and administrative or research program management.
• Evidence of scholarship including peer-reviewed publications, patents, or other recognized forms of scholarly contribution.

Preferred:

• Experience in technology transfer, commercialization, or entrepreneurship in a healthcare or engineering context.
• Established relationships with federal funding agencies (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health), foundations, or industry sponsors.
• Experience working within academic medical centers or interdisciplinary research environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research training and team building.