Executive Director, Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC)

Employer: LSU Health Shreveport

Location: Shreveport, Louisiana

Salary: Commensurate with education and experience

Closing date: Mar 22, 2026

Discipline: Life Sciences, Neuroscience, Pharmacology

Job Type: President/CEO/Director/VP

Organization Type: Academia

Job Details

The Administration at LSU Health in Shreveport invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Director of the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC).

About the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC)

Established by the LSU Board of Regents in 2022, the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC) is a regional hub for addiction science, education, and community engagement related to drug abuse. LARC’s mission is to provide addiction research and education in an integrated environment, pursuing the latest in innovative approaches and learning. The Center’s primary goal is to improve understanding, models of care, interventions, and treatments for those with substance use disorders.

LARC synchronizes multiple areas of basic and clinical research, academia, and Centers of Excellence within LSU Health Shreveport to foster collaborative, multidisciplinary research throughout the state. The Center is dedicated to developing a continuum of care that leverages potential therapeutic models through these collaborations, ultimately advancing care delivery abilities to improve outcomes for those suffering from substance use disorders.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as the new Executive Director. This is a prestigious and exciting administrative and research position offering the unique opportunity to lead a young, thriving Center into its next phase of growth and impact.

The new Executive Director will have the distinct advantage of building upon a foundation of significant and groundbreaking accomplishments, including:

• Translational Success: Taking preclinical research on stress and addiction into clinical trials.
• Drug Discovery: Ongoing investigations into novel therapeutics for substance use disorders.
• Public Health Innovation: Pioneering work in wastewater analysis to monitor and understand community substance use trends.

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership to synchronize basic and clinical research efforts, fostering an environment that accelerates the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world clinical applications.

Position Details & Support

• Faculty Appointment and Evaluation: The successful candidate will receive a faculty appointment at the Associate Professor or Full Professor level in the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience at LSU Health Shreveport. The LARC Director will report to the Senior Associate Dean for Basic & Translational Research at LSUHS, while his/her job performance as a faculty member will be evaluated by the Department Chair.
• Resources: A start-up package will be provided in part from Opioid Settlement funding, to support the Director’s research vision and the administrative needs of the Center.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D. with a distinguished record of research in addiction science, pharmacology, neuroscience, or a related field.
• A strong track record of extramural funding with at least one active R01 grant and peer-reviewed publications.
• Proven leadership experience in an academic setting, with excellent communication skills and the ability to foster collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and audiences.
• A vision for integrating basic science, clinical research, and education to address the complex challenges of substance use disorders.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a letter of interest detailing their research and leadership philosophy, and a list of at least three professional references.

LSU Health Shreveport is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. Please email NICHOLAS.GOEDERS@LSUHS.EDU

For more information about the Louisiana Addiction Research Center, please visit: https://www.lsuhs.edu/centers/louisiana-addiction-research-center