Chair, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

About the role

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Columbia (USC SOMC) invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology (PMI). This is a tenure-track leadership appointment in a basic science department, with responsibility for academic, research, educational, and translational missions.

Responsibilities

• Research Leadership
  • Provide strategic vision and leadership to grow and strengthen the department’s research portfolio including basic, translational, immunologic, microbial, and pathobiology research activity.
  • Develop and implement strategic initiatives to expand the department’s research portfolio and enhance its national prominence.
  • Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across basic science, clinical departments, the NIH COBRE program, and associated centers to accelerate scientific discovery and clinical translation.
  • Expand partnerships with state, national, and global research networks to expand funded training grants, interdisciplinary research teams, and programmatic growth.
  • Promote translation of basic science insights into clinical impact, disease mechanism understanding, immunotherapy or host-pathogen interaction research, and population health benefit.
  • Mentor and support faculty in securing extramural funding from NIH, NSF, and other federal and private sources.
  • Maintain an active, externally-funded research program.
  • Oversee core research facilities and infrastructure to support departmental research activities.
• Administrative Leadership
  • Provide fiscal oversight and resource management for the department.
  • Recruit, retain, and mentor outstanding faculty, staff, and trainees.
  • Promote faculty advancement through tenure and promotion processes.
  • Represent the department at the School, University, and national leadership forums while advocating for faculty, equity, inclusion, and trainee success.
  • Build partnerships with clinical departments, industry, and community stakeholders.
  • Oversee departmental operations, including space allocation and strategic planning.
  • Provide administrative oversight, including budgeting, strategic planning, program expansion, space allocation, and infrastructure development.
  • Lead departmental development initiatives, including philanthropy, donor engagement, and investment partnership opportunities to support growth in research, training, and innovation.
• Education Leadership
  • Promote excellence in education at every level:
  • Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) – leadership in curriculum delivery and content in pathology, microbiology, and immunology in medical student training.
  • Graduate Programs (PhD and MS) – oversight and support for student research training, dissertation progression, funding competitiveness, faculty mentorship, and laboratory growth.
  • Oversight of teaching participation and academic engagement in nurse anesthesia (CRNA), counselling and rehabilitation, genetic counseling and physician assistant (PA) graduate-level professional programs.
  • This position will oversee the involvement of the PMI faculty in:
  • Teaching responsibilities in the undergraduate medical education (M1-M4 curriculum)
  • PhD program activities within the Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) program
  • Master’s degree programs, including the Applied Biotechnology program
  • Innovative curricula that integrate basic science with clinical applications.
  • Faculty development in teaching and educational scholarship.

Requirements

Qualifications include:

• A Ph.D. in a relevant field such as immunology, microbiology, pathology, or a related area.
• Proven leadership experience in a similar academic or research setting.
• Extensive experience in developing and implementing strategic initiatives to grow a research portfolio.
• Experience in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and building partnerships with external organizations.
• Strong track record of securing extramural funding from NIH, NSF, and other federal and private sources.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to effectively manage a diverse team and oversee departmental operations.
• Experience in educational leadership, particularly in undergraduate and graduate medical education.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess:

• A strong commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Experience in mentoring and supporting faculty, staff, and trainees.
• A demonstrated ability to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills.
• Experience in working with clinical departments, industry, and community stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic plans for departmental growth and success.

Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Leadership and management skills.
• Collaborative and inclusive approach to work.
• Ability to secure extramural funding.
• Experience in educational leadership.

Benefits

The University of South Carolina offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health and life insurance, generous paid leave, and retirement programs.

Pay

Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Schedule

The position is full-time and works 37.5 hours per week.