Senior Associate Dean for Research

Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Vanderbilt University in its search for Senior Associate Dean for Research.

For full consideration, please apply by July 22, 2026.

This is a rare opportunity to provide visionary research leadership at one of the nation’s most historic and resource-rich nursing institutions. The next Senior Associate Dean for Research (SADR) will join the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN), a nationally recognized leader in nursing research, education, practice, informatics, and scholarship, at a moment of transformation and momentum. With a bold new Manhattan, NY campus launching and a cutting-edge interdisciplinary research hub under development on the Nashville campus, VUSN is investing in the future of research and academic excellence.

The incoming SADR will step into a thriving, collaborative environment at a School ranked No. 4 among the best graduate nursing schools by U.S. News & World Report, with top-ranked DNP and MSN programs, a highly engaged faculty, and robust research infrastructure, that includes the Center for Research Development and Scholarship (CRDS) and a fully supported Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership and direction for the growth of the School of Nursing’s research and scholarship programs
• Maintain an active externally funded research program as a principal investigator
• Serve as the Director of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
• Serve as the Director of the Center for Research Development and Scholarship (CRDS)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned doctorate in nursing or a related field
• Eligibility for RN licensure in Tennessee
• Rank of Associate or Full Professor
• Evidence of success in a sustained and significant program of research
• National recognition as a leader in the field

Posted 2026-06-11