"Director of Research"

Director of Research

Company: Habib University Foundation

Job Location: Karachi

Category: Other Executive

Type: Full-Time

Email: salman.khimani@habib.edu.pk

The Director of Research leads the Office of Research with a mission of supporting, strengthening, and expanding the scope and impact of research and scholarship across the university. Reporting to Associate Dean for Research, Industrial Engagement and Applied Pedagogy, the Director seeks to foster a culture of innovation, creativity, collaboration, and community engagement by providing leadership and infrastructure for campus-wide research efforts, maximizing the scholarly and societal impact of research, and enriching the intellectual and social fabric of the communities the university serves.

The Director of Research will guide the Office of Research in advancing disciplinary and transdisciplinary scholarship, fostering integration between teaching and research, and creating opportunities for faculty and students to pursue meaningful scholarly work. The Director will oversee research streams for faculty and Dean’s Fellows, build partnerships with other institutions to enhance research capacity, and mentor early-career faculty in grant writing and proposal development. A key responsibility is aligning research agendas, including course-based research, with Habib University’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030 while creating pathways for external grants.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following functions:

1. Research Framework and Governance

1. Under the guidance of Associate Dean Research, Industrial Engagement and Applied Pedagogy, develop and implement a strategy for advancing research across the institution, aligned with its liberal arts mission, values, and Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
2. Develop and manage policies and processes for awarding HU Research Grants and administering external grants, covering all financial, operational, and programmatic aspects from pre-award through closeout.
3. Establish systems to ensure the quality, transparency, and integrity of research, including data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination.
4. Provide oversight of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and research policy frameworks, and strengthen infrastructure and policies that promote high-quality, ethical research.

2. Advancing Research and Scholarship

1. Promote research priorities, policies, and procedures within the HU community, keeping faculty informed of opportunities and ensuring participation in internal grant cycles to meet targets.
2. Build and sustain collaborative research partnerships with institutions and industry in coordination with the Office of Global Engagement and Academic Operations.
3. Establish and maintain robust systems for managing, archiving, and reporting faculty and faculty–student research projects and publications to support internal reviews and accreditation.

3. Research Capacity Building

1. Develop capacity-building programs in research methods, grant writing, and publications to support faculty research and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) initiatives.
2. Establish a research mentorship component for the Dean’s Fellows program and new faculty.
3. Develop systems to ensure the quality, transparency, and integrity of research, including data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination.
4. Promote faculty participation and collaboration in local and global research forums.

4. Supporting Undergraduate Research

1. Foster and incentivize undergraduate research by providing intellectual support for research-intensive courses, capstones, summer research programs, and research abroad opportunities.
2. Collaborate with the Office of Student Affairs and the Graduate School Curation Program to engage students in faculty-led research aligned with their interests and needs.

5. Showcasing Habib University’s Research

1. Enhance the visibility and impact of Habib University’s faculty, Dean’s Fellows, and student research at relevant forums and platforms.
2. Organize a biannual research conference to showcase institutional research.
3. Develop mechanisms to disseminate knowledge from research studies through seminars, workshops, lectures, publications, and other outreach initiatives.

6. Other Responsibilities

1. Assist the Associate Dean in drafting institutional research grant proposals
2. Participate in University committees or task forces related to research
3. Represent the University at national and international forums when required
4. Prepare and manage research budgets, monitor expenditures and ensure its optimal utilization

Personal Specifications

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following skills, capabilities and experience:

1. an outstanding academic and research record, with an earned doctorate, and qualifications meriting appointment at the rank of assistant professor or above;
2. an in-depth understanding and experience of working in an undergraduate liberal arts college environment that is student-centric, and committed to student success;
3. Prior experience in research leadership or management within a higher education context, and understanding of integrating undergraduate research into teaching;
4. Prior experience in managing institutional or external research grants;
5. Experience with institutional research ethics review processes and IRB oversight.
6. Awareness of emerging trends in interdisciplinary, community-engaged, and applied research.

Appointment Details and How to Apply

Applications should consist of a CV, accompanied by a detailed cover letter. Please email these documents to Salman Khimani, Senior Director Academic Operations and Institutional Research at Habib University at salman.khimani@habib.edu.pk. This position is based in Karachi.

An appointment will be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references. The appointed candidate will be offered a salary that is commensurate with their experience and appropriate to the seniority of this position.