Job Opportunities

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Director, Virginia Sea Grant

Virginia Sea Grant - Virginia Institute of Marine Science | William & Mary

Virginia Sea Grant is seeking an outstanding candidate for Director to lead the VASG team. 

The Director of Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) provides strategic leadership, vision, and administrative oversight for the VASG program, ensuring its continued growth, innovation, and alignment with the National Sea Grant program and overall goals of the Commonwealth and VIMS in coastal and marine systems. This Director position carries a 100% administrative appointment focused on VASG administration and leadership. The Director is expected to collaborate with state and federal agencies, policymakers, private sector partners, and partner academic institutions in the VASG organization (George Mason University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, VIMS, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary) to advance VASG’s mission while overseeing programmatic, fiscal, and operational functions.

The Director of VASG will also have a full-time (12-month) tenure/non-tenure eligible faculty appointment within William & Mary’s Batten School and will be stationed at the VIMS campus in Gloucester Point, VA. This position is open to tenured and non-tenured faculty members, likely at the rank of Professor (if tenured) or Research Professor (if hired as a non-tenure eligible position). The position is anticipated to begin in Fall 2025.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy

  • Develop and implement VASG’s strategic vision and long-term goals.
  • Maintain strong strategic partnerships with all VASG partner academic institutions.
  • Strengthen partnerships with government agencies, private industry, and NGOs to enhance program impact.
  • Secure and manage external funding to ensure fiscal sustainability and growth.

Program & Staff Management

  • Provide executive oversight for VASG staff, fostering a supportive and high-performance working environment.
  • Provide accountability for recruitment, hiring, performance management, and professional development efforts for staff.
  • Develop and maintain a positive team environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and employee growth.
  • Ensure success with VASG fellowships, extension programs, and professional development initiatives.
  • Ensure compliance with Sea Grant network requirements and reporting obligations.

External Relations & Partnerships

  • Serve as the primary representative of VASG to academic, local, state, and federal stakeholders.
  • Engage with policymakers, advisory boards, and funding agencies to advocate for VASG’s mission.
  • Expand collaborations with Virginia’s higher education institutions, private sector partners, and nonprofit organizations.
  • Serve as VASG’s primary spokesperson when communicating with the 33 other Sea Grant programs throughout the United States.

Governance & Advisory Services

  • Lead the review and refinement of VASG’s advisory board structure, bylaws, and charter.
  • Collaborate with VIMS leadership to ensure program alignment with institutional strategic priorities.
  • Contribute to workforce development and training initiatives within Virginia’s coastal and marine science sectors.

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree in a relevant field such as marine science, environmental policy, coastal resilience, or related discipline.
  • Demonstrated experience in program administration, strategic planning, and leadership within an academic, governmental, or nonprofit setting.
  • Strong understanding of local, state, and federal funding mechanisms, grants, and financial management.
  • Proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, and academic institutions.
  • Significant experience in people management, including staff supervision, performance evaluations, mentorship, and team development.
  • Strong leadership skills with a commitment to fostering a workplace culture of belonging, engagement, and excellence.
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

Application Reviews Begin: June 9, 2025.

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Asst / Assoc Professor, Seafood Quality/Engineering/Safety

Virginia Tech - Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC)

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Virginia Tech is seeking a highly qualified candidate for a faculty position with a focus on seafood quality, safety, sensory, and engineering. The position will be located at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (VSAREC) (https://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/arec/virginia-seafood.html), Hampton, Virginia, with tenure home in the Department of Food Science and Technology (www.fst.vt.edu), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. This is a 9-month tenure-track position with 45% Research, 45% Extension, and 10% teaching appointment.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to cocreate a pre-eminent extension and research program on seafood quality, safety, engineering, and security in seafood and related products. This position will assist fisheries professionals, processors, wholesalers, and retail establishments to improve product quality, safety, nutritional aspects, and value; And serve as a key resource for national food safety/security efforts and regulatory requirements under the USDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The successful candidate will work closely with VSAREC faculty and staff, faculty across ARECS, and campus faculty in CALS and other colleges at Virginia Tech. This position will support the University’s Global Systems Science Destination area; the CALS Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture and Controlled Environmental Agriculture Innovation Centers; and create and support critical links between faculty and programs distributed across AREC’s, CALS units, and the University.

The position is expected to develop and conduct outreach and educational programs for stakeholders, including producers, educators, processors, consumers, regulatory agencies, and other decision-makers. The individual will be expected to develop and establish nationally and internationally recognized research and extension programs and obtain extramural funding from various sources with an emphasis on competitive and industry funding. Potential research areas may include (but are not limited to) seafood quality, safety, engineering, and cellular agriculture, as well as optimization of value-added and shelf-life applications related to seafood products. Supporting the Universities’ Global Systems Science Destination Area, this position will also focus on the transdisciplinary study of the dynamic interplay among natural and social systems. Faculty working in this area collaborate toward transdisciplinary solutions to critical social problems emerging from human activity and environmental change. Linkages with other faculty within and outside the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are highly encouraged. The successful candidate will also contribute to graduate education. Qualified candidates will demonstrate the ability to recruit and mentor graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) and undergraduate students and be committed to professional service.

Application Reviews Begin: January 6, 2025.

Virginia Sea Grant currently has no available job opportunities. Please check again at a later date.

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