Professor & Departmental Executive Officer (DEO)

Department of Epidemiology

University of Iowa, College of Public Health

The University of Iowa, College of Public Health invites applications for the position of Departmental Executive Officer (DEO) for the Department of Epidemiology. This is a full-time, 12-month appointment at the rank of Professor (tenured). Associate professors with the qualifications for appointment as a tenured, full professor will also be considered.

The Department of Epidemiology at the University of Iowa is a research-intensive academic unit with a robust student body. We seek a DEO (department chair) who brings a distinguished record of scholarly achievement alongside a deep commitment to nurturing the Department’s registries, centers, and emerging research programs; mentorship; and delivering a cutting-edge curriculum. The successful candidate will be a strategic and forward-looking leader who anticipates and responds to shifts in research funding trends, emerging technologies, and evolving workforce needs shaping public health education and research, and who maintains and pursues strategic alliances with units across campus, including health and basic sciences, liberal arts, engineering, and business, to advance academic programs, shared funding opportunities, and coordinated research agendas addressing pressing public health challenges.

The College of Public Health is nationally ranked among the top 10 in publicly supported schools of public health and offers a rich environment in interdisciplinary research and faculty engagement. The Department of Epidemiology has 16 primary faculty who collectively average $13 million in extramural funding annually as principal investigators. Academic programs include MPH, MS, and PhD degrees in Epidemiology, a MS in Clinical Investigation, and graduate certificates in Emerging Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Translation and Clinical Investigation, and Maternal and Child Health.

Departmental faculty lead several long-standing center programs funded through a variety of federal and non-federal sources, benefit from cross-campus collaborations, and have well-established relationships with organizations and communities across Iowa, nationally, and internationally. More information about the department’s core research interest areas and center programs can be found at: https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/epidemiology-research/

The DEO serves as a member of the collegiate leadership team that guides strategic initiatives and resources to allow the College to meet its mission, vision and goals. Major responsibilities include:

• Set a compelling vision that inspires others to engage in transforming and executing the strategic direction for the department;


• Recruit, develop, and retain productive faculty of nationally recognized experts;


• Provide inspirational and effective mentorship of faculty, staff, fellows, and students;


• Build upon departmental research programs and foster collaboration within the college, the university, and the scientific community;


• Lead innovation in curriculum and educational programs;


• Foster a supportive and collaborative academic environment for all faculty, staff, and students;


• Effectively manage the departmental budget with transparency and work within the confines of financial support to achieve budgeted goals and maintain a positive fiscal condition;


• Identify and develop graduate student funding, including assistantships and training programs;


• Advance graduate student career development by building partnerships that create internship, practicum, and employment pathways;


• Ensure compliance with collegiate, university, state, and federal policies related to grant funding, legislative, and academic policies;


• Participate in national professional organizations and promote the external visibility of the department and college;


• Teach courses and advise students within the department;


• Maintain an active scholarship portfolio, including external funding and publications.

Additional information:

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any misconduct history or pending research misconduct investigation including but not limited to sexual misconduct in prior employment and provide a related release and will be subject to a criminal background and credential check. 

Please note that the department will not cover the $100,000 payment associated with H-1B sponsorship, either at the time of hire or for international travel purposes. We encourage you to explore alternative pathways for work authorization. Our team is available to help identify options that may be suitable for your situation.

• Candidates must have a PhD, DrPH, MD (with an MPH preferred), or equivalent degree in a related field and qualifications commensurate with appointment as a tenured, full professor in our College of Public Health.

• Leadership experience within an academic unit (e.g., department chair, director of graduate studies) or large research center or program, including managing unit operations and/or strategic planning;


• A distinguished research portfolio in epidemiology, to include external funding and high-quality publications;


• A proven record of promoting a welcoming and respectful working environment.

• A record of teaching effectiveness;


• Success in working with and mentoring faculty, staff, and students;


• Demonstrated success in building partnerships across academic units, leading to tangible outcomes such as joint degree programs, collaborative grants, or shared curricula;


• Sustained record of service in a department, college, university or profession;


• Experience leading organizational change, navigating difficult conversations, and building consensus in complex environments.