"Department Head - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)"

Job Description

The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at Virginia Tech invites applications for the position of Department Head. The Department seeks a visionary leader who can advance its reputation as an international leader in research, scholarship, and education. The Department Head will serve as an integral member of the College of Engineering leadership team, advocating for the department to university administration and external stakeholders, while providing substantive oversight in leading and executing the department's mission. The successful candidate will be expected to foster excellence in research, education, mentoring, and service; strengthen internal and external partnerships; support innovation and industry connections across all program areas; catalyze growth of our undergraduate and graduate programs; and cultivate the department's collaborative and supportive culture.

The department is consistently ranked among the top ten CEE programs nationwide and is home to 62 full-time faculty members, with an enrollment of approximately 673 undergraduates, 155 M.S., and 115 Ph.D. students. The CEE faculty and students perform cutting-edge research across the full spectrum of CEE disciplines, with a strong culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation; the annual research expenditures exceed $15M. The department's program areas include Construction Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering and Water Resources, Geotechnical Engineering, Land Development Design, Structural Engineering and Materials, and Transportation Infrastructure and Systems Engineering. Major research facilities include the Kelso Baker Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory, the Thomas M. Murray Structures and Materials Laboratory, and the W.C. English Geotechnical Laboratory on the Blacksburg campus. CEE also has the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory located in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, with five full-time faculty, five postdoctoral researchers, fifteen graduate students and a large research staff focused on urban watershed management and indirect potable water reuse. Together, these programs and facilities provide students and faculty opportunities to address the most pressing challenges in infrastructure, environment, and society.

Virginia Tech's main campus is in Blacksburg, VA. The CEE main office is located in Patton Hall, with faculty offices and research labs primarily housed in Patton Hall, Norris Hall, Durham Hall, Hancock Hall, Kelly Hall, ICTAS II, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). The New River Valley, wherein Blacksburg is located, consistently ranks among the best places to live in the United States and offers an exceptional environment for both professional and personal life.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. degree, with at least one degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering or a closely related field. Professional qualifications and experience should be consistent with the requirements for appointment at the rank of Full Professor with tenure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and administrative skills in an academic/university environment or equivalent, such as leadership in professional organizations or activities
• Demonstrated commitment to all three aspects of our land-grant mission of education, research, and service/outreach
• Experience growing undergraduate and/or graduate programs
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively, concisely, and clearly at all levels
• Experience in inspiring, mentoring, and fostering the success of faculty, staff, and students
• Demonstrated ability for transparent decision-making and bringing people together to collaborate on and execute a shared strategic vision
• Experience with financial management and fund-raising in an academic setting
• Demonstrated ability to strengthen and grow internal and external partnerships
• National or international recognition for scholarly, professional, or leadership contributions in CEE or a closely related field
• A professional engineering (P.E.) registration and/or similar certification in a specialty-engineering field

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience

Hours per week

40 plus

Review Date

December 8, 2025 continue until filled

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.