Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS)

About the role

The University of Colorado Boulder seeks applications for the Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS). The successful candidate will be a tenured or tenure-eligible faculty member with relevant administrative experience and research expertise.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for IBS by articulating a forward-looking vision, identifying emerging opportunities, aligning institute priorities with campus and RIO goals, and fostering innovative, high-impact interdisciplinary research.
• Lead the recruitment, appointment, mentorship, development, and retention of faculty, staff, researchers, and students in ways that strengthen IBS's research capacity, community, and long-term success.
• Promote and uphold strong research excellence, scholarly impact, and service across the institute.
• Work with faculty and administrative staff to support effective operations and timely, well-informed decisions.
• Be responsible for the institute’s budget, personnel actions, and resource allocation in alignment with university policies and priorities.
• Convene and lead meetings of the IBS Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
• Serve as IBS’s primary representative and advocate within CU Boulder and externally, guiding communications and relationships with RIO, campus partners, funders, and broader communities.
• Cultivate strategic relationships with federal agencies, foundations, industry, national laboratories, policymakers, and other partners to enhance IBS’s visibility, reputation, and ability to attract resources and opportunities.
• Advance IBS’s long-term impact through research dissemination, translation, and engagement, positioning the institute as a national leader in interdisciplinary research.
• Contribute to broader university leadership by collaborating with other institute directors, engaging in campus initiatives, and advancing research and scholarship across CU Boulder.
• Foster a positive, collaborative institute culture built on transparency, accountability, accessibility, employee engagement, clear communication, constructive conflict resolution, and respectful engagement across the community.
• Hold a tenured or tenure-track appointment in an academic department aligned with IBS' mission and contribute to departmental teaching, research, and service expectations, as appropriate and consistent with the responsibilities of the IBS Director.

Qualifications

• Record of outstanding scholarly achievement in social and/or behavioral sciences and/or related interdisciplinary fields.
• Tenured or tenure-eligible faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder.
• Evidence of experience in, and demonstrated capacity for, research and administrative leadership.
• . Ph.D. in a social or behavioral science such as Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or other related fields.

What You Should Know

• The position brings with it teaching relief (typically bringing a teaching commitment reduction to one course per year) and is a 12-month appointment with corresponding salary.
• The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, and tuition benefits.
• The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range for this position is $225,000-$275,000, plus moving allowance.
• Benefits include medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit.

Special Instructions

• To Apply, Please Submit The Following Materials:
  • A current resume.
  • A cover letter inclusive of a statement on the applicants record and vision regarding the following key areas of effort (3-page maximum):
    • Institute Leadership
    • Research
    • Education/Mentoring/Training

To be provided when requested:

• List of 3-5 references, with no more than one reference internal to CU Boulder.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs . In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.