Director, Bioengineering – Penn Engineering

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Director, Bioengineering – Penn Engineering

Job Profile Title

Director A, Academic Affairs

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Chair of the Bioengineering (BE) department, provide high-level administrative support to the Chair and manage all aspects of the department. Supervise BE staff; ensure appropriate levels of staff support for department faculty projects, programs, events, and student services.
Coordinate the academic workflow of the BE department. Assist undergraduate and graduate chairs, and respective staff, in department academic programs. As needed, interact and assist with student groups and student support services, such as tutoring, career services, Penn admissions.
Oversee the new faculty hiring process, including: scheduling and coordinating visits, ensuring compliance, managing online process. Handle all faculty promotion cases, including reappointment, tenure, promotion to full professor, senior lecturer, practice faculty, part-time lecturers, adjuncts, annual lecturer reappointments and secondary reappointments. Follow up on all faculty meeting agenda items.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Use independent judgment to support the Chair’s management of all aspects of the Bioengineering department. Compose correspondence. Serve as the Chair’s liaison to faculty, staff, and students, as needed. Manage publicity for the department: oversee the development of content, publication, distribution of communications materials, website/social media platforms, and the department seminar series.  Provide information and resources to faculty, staff, students, and others on policies/procedures. Collaborate with Chair to develop project goals and timelines; ensure project completion. Coordinate facilities work in BE buildings.

• Manage BE Staff, including recruiting, evaluating, mentoring staff, and setting short term and long-term goals. Conduct regular staff meetings; delegate and distribute work from faculty among BE staff. Plan for and manage projects.

• Provide administrative support to the Chair, including managing travel arrangements; prepare and submit reports and reimbursement requests. Manage Chair’s complex calendar, coordinating multi-person meetings, using a priority system to identify and resolve potential schedule conflicts, ensuring all materials and documentation are prepared and up to date, and that Chair is informed of all agenda items.

• Ensure proper staffing for graduate group and undergraduate chairs. Assist undergraduate and graduate program faculty and staff in developing events and plans to meet current needs. Interact with student support services such as tutoring, career services, and Penn admissions, as needed. Interact with student groups and assist, as needed. Proactively work with faculty to identify, complete, and implement staff projects/department activities; plan events and manage deadlines (e.g. annual picnic, graduate research symposium, workshops, conferences).

• Manage department faculty affairs for standing faculty, research and practice faculty, lecturers, and secondary faculty, including planning for and overseeing appointments, reappointments, tenure, promotions. Oversee collection of submission materials; draft and send correspondence; process appointments. Manage electronic files and email listservs for faculty.  Address faculty concerns and escalate to Chair as needed.

• Support monthly faculty meetings throughout the academic year: Solicit agenda items, create agenda, attend meetings, take and distribute minutes.  Follow up on agenda items to ensure completion/ resolution, communicating with faculty, as needed. Keep Chair informed if issues arise.

• Manage faculty recruitment process. Place ads and maintain search website. Coordinate candidate visits, including travel plans, interview schedules, itineraries, accommodations, and promotional materials. Organize and distribute dossiers to committee members.  Manage online process, ensuring policies and procedures are followed; and all materials are submitted. Prepare for the faculty candidate check-in and have promotion materials prepared. Collect follow-up feedback, prepare hiring paperwork.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. High level of initiative, independent judgment, and organizational savvy. Ability to prioritize conflicting needs and make reasonable decisions in the absence of direction. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Commitment to continuous improvemen.t Prior experience coordinating events for diverse and distinguished guests is preferred. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Previous experience with social media platforms helpful.

Job Location – City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Pay Range

$51,824.00 – $92,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. 

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements 
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn’s exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you’ll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay