Tenured: Professor and Department Head of Engineering Medicine Education

The School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) at Texas A&M University invites applications to fill one (1) full-time tenure or academic professional track (non-tenure) faculty position to serve as the Department Head of Engineering Medicine Education. This full-time,9-month or 11-month academic appointment is expected to begin in the summer or fall of 2026. Applications will be considered for the faculty titles of Professor (9-months) or Instructional Professor (11-months).

The Department Head of the EnMed Education Department provides academic and administrative leadership to advance the mission and vision of the School of Engineering Medicine (SEM). The Department Head oversees departmental faculty and staff, fosters excellence in teaching, learning, research, and innovation, and supports the development of innovative strategies that integrate medicine and engineering. This role is focused on the departmental level and 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 and experience in research, teaching, scholarship, and/or industry leadership. They will bring visionary leadership and strategic direction for the department. This role involves overseeing academic programs, faculty development, research initiatives, community engagement, and departmental budget. The expectations and qualifications are outlined in detail below.

About the School of Engineering Medicine: The School of Engineering Medicine, 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, EnMed 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:

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Administration

• Provide strategic leadership for the Department of EnMed Education in alignment with the School of Engineering Medicine's mission and goals
• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate faculty within the department, ensuring excellence in teaching, research, innovation, professional development, 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 EnMed
• Establish and maintain key stakeholder relationships with clinical affiliates to ensure sufficiency of faculty for the medical education program in accordance with LCME Standard 4.1
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development to ensure compliance with all LCME and COE standards/elements related to faculty management.

Educational Support

• In coordination with the Offices of Academic Affairs, assist in the development and delivery of courses and educational activities that support the integrated EnMed curriculum
• Ensure the department contributes effectively to delivering the engineering medicine curriculum without assuming responsibility for degree program governance
• Support the faculty in their efforts to design, assess, and continuously improve EnMed-specific educational innovations, particularly those at the intersection of medicine and engineering

Faculty & Curriculum Support

• Support initiatives in developing novel teaching methods, simulation, and other technology-enhanced educational approaches
• Ensure departmental faculty contribute to interprofessional and team-based learning activities
• Ensure affiliate faculty are maximally integrated into the department and the School of Engineering Medicine
• Work collaboratively within Texas A&M University and beyond to create innovative educational relationships

Scholarship & Professional Development

• Facilitate faculty engagement in curriculum delivery and pedagogy
• Encourage and support scholarly activity in teaching, research, and innovation
• Promote faculty participation in professional organizations, conferences, and workshops relevant to their professional development
• Ensure mentoring of junior faculty in teaching, research, service, and innovation

Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate with leaders at the School of Engineering Medicine (for MD program integration), with the College of Engineering (for master's program engagement), and Houston Methodist and other clinical affiliate partners while ensuring the department remains within its defined scope
• Maintain open communication with school leadership, faculty, staff, and students regarding departmental initiatives and contributions

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
• Teach courses to medical and graduate students
• Mentor graduate students and medical students in research and innovation
• Collaborate with the engineering EnMed Faculty and successfully integrate engineering with medicine in their research.

APT- Non-Tenure Faculty Responsibilities/Expectations

• Teach in areas of clinical expertise throughout the medical education curriculum courses to medical and graduate students
• Participate in developing the medical education curriculum
• Implement flipped-classroom and active-learning approaches, such as case-based or team-based learning
• Focus on advancing medical innovation and improving clinical medicine
• Engage in educational, scholarly work, and service activities as agreed upon with the supervisor

Required:

• Medical Degree (MD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in medicine or equivalent terminal degree in a relevant field
• Demonstrated track record of excellence in health professions and/or engineering education
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including faculty mentorship and administrative management.
• Demonstrated scholarship in medicine, engineering, or education