WGNHS Director and State Geologist
The University of Wisconsin-Madison seeks a visionary leader for the position as the Director of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and Wisconsin State Geologist.
This position provides overall leadership, administrative direction, vision, and oversight for all activites carried out by WGNHS staff and reports to the Director of the Natural Resources Institute, within the Division of Extension. This position offers direct service, research, outreach and education to constituents and partners, bringing the resources of the University to all regions and people of the state - i.e., applying the Wisconsin Idea. The WGNHS Director also provides leadership, planning, and oversight of finances and funding for WGNHS, ensuring resources including facilities are aligned with organizational needs. WGNHS has approximately 30 staff members, and an annual budget of $2.5 million. Staff at the Survey work closely with faculty, staff and students within UW-Madison, such as with colleagues within the Department of Geoscience and the Division of Extension, as well as with collaborators at several UW campuses. This role directly supervises administrative and research positions within the Survey and also oversees hiring, managing performance, and ensures reporting expectations are met across the unit. The Director is expected to foster organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Director is expected to have a strong ability to communicate the need for and impact of the applied research carried out by WGNHS with diverse audiences and organizations, including those in academia, governmental and non-governmental organizations, legislative representatives, county officials, tribal communities, and the public. The Director represents WGNHS, Extension, and the University on various state and national committees, boards, and councils, and serves as Wisconsin's delegate to the Association of American State Geologists (AASG). The Director/State Geologist works actively to maintain and enhance the Survey's reputation for objective unbiased, high-quality science, and related public service. The Director/State Geologist also works with the Chair of the UW-Madison Department of Geoscience to identify mutually beneficial collaborative opportunities between Survey and Departmental students, faculty, and staff.
The principal duties of the Director include administrative leadership and vision, representing the WGNHS as it fulfills its mission, guiding WGNHS research and publications, and overseeing institutional obligations of the WGNHS.
Required: PhD or other terminal degree in Geology or closely related field.
Qualifications:
Required:
- At least 5 years administrative experience coordinating scholarship/research in geosciences in an academic, laboratory, center/institute, government agency, or corporate environment;
- Demonstrated success in supervising and leading a team of scientists and/or professionals and building a positive and inclusive workplace culture;
- Demonstrated ability to secure and manage diverse funding streams;
- Evidence of effective communication skills including demonstrated ability to engage diverse audiences;
- Experience developing and maintaining effective interagency and collaborative partnerships, and serving as a skilled liaison between and among diverse groups, with the ability to engage in successful negotiation, collaboration, conflict resolution and relationship building; and
- Evidence of the ability to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds, including those associated with race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other aspects of human diversity.
Preferred:
- Knowledge and demonstrated understanding of the mission and impact of state geological surveys;
- Demonstrated familiarity with the geology and landscapes of Wisconsin and/or the geology of the Upper Midwest or Great Lakes Region of the United States;
- Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing a strategic plan and leadership vision for a unit or organization, and evaluating a unit's impact and success; and
- Experience developing successful partnerships and collaborations with historically underrepresented groups and organizations, and carrying out culturally relevant work as accomplished through these partnerships.