Executive Director and Vice Provost of the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute

Requisition Id 15573 

Overview

We are seeking a visionary and collaborative leader and scholar to serve as the Executive Director and Vice Provost of the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII). Located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the beautiful foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and near the lively and historic city of Knoxville, the UT-ORII is an exciting and unique organization that focuses on innovation and education. Building on an 80+ year partnership between ORNL and the University of Tennessee (UT), UT-ORII melds select strengths of both organization to accelerate impacts at scale.  ORNL is the largest Office of Science national laboratory in the U.S. Department of Energy system, with over 7,400 staff, world-leading user facilities, and an extraordinary breadth of expertise across neutron science, computational science, materials science, nuclear energy, isotopes, biological and environmental sciences, national security, and energy technologies. The University of Tennessee System includes five main campuses, including the flagship, Doctoral R1, land-grant institution, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) located in Memphis and University of Tennessee Chattanooga (UTC).  

UT-ORII was officially launched in 2021 with support from the Department of Energy and the State of Tennessee to accelerate innovation on complex and pressing challenges that require convergent research, and to develop a next generation of scientists and engineers who thrive in dynamic, team-based settings.  By strategically aligning the assets across the five University of Tennessee System universities and ORNL, UT-ORII has positioned itself to be a nationally prominent and coveted home for convergent research and talent development. Five convergent research initiatives (CRIs) have been stood up to nucleate top notch teams and advance innovation, including fusion technologies and materials for extreme environments, circular bioeconomy systems, radiopharmaceutical therapies, advanced manufacturing for building construction, and transportation. In association with the CRIs, UT-ORII is in the process of hiring 100 joint faculty associated with these initiatives and increasing enrollment in its graduate programs to over 500 students over the next several years.

In addition to exciting research initiatives and educational plans, UT-ORII also serves as a convening and umbrella organization for existing joint UT and ORNL programs, including a robust TN Governor’s Chair program that supports world-leading joint faculty appointments. Approximately 200 additional joint appointments exist across the organizations, representing a broad range of disciplines and multidisciplinary domains. UT-ORII oversees three joint graduate degree programs with 224 enrolled students at UTK in 2025—the Genome Science and Technology, Energy Science and Engineering, and Data Science and Engineering programs. 

Reporting to the ORNL Laboratory Director, the UT-ORII Executive Director serves as the senior leader responsible for the oversight of the Institute’s vision, management, and operations, as well as the development and implementation of strategies to ensure enduring success and impact. The UT-ORII executive director and Vice Provost is part of the scientific executive leadership at both ORNL and across UT, where they help to identify and propel collaborative research opportunities and impact, and advance graduate education prominence jointly with UT’s colleges and ORNL’s directorates. As Vice Provost, the position is responsible and accountable to the UTK Provost on sole academic matters at UT. Additional information about UT-ORII is provided though the Institute’s website, strategic plan, and overview article.

Major Duties/Responsibilities

• Refine and execute a shared vision and associated strategic plan to accelerate world-leading innovation on convergent research topics and major initiatives of joint interest to UT and ORNL.
• Serve as primary spokesperson for the Institute’s vision, successes and directions to a wide range of audiences.
• Develop, enhance, and maintain stakeholder engagement and relationship management, including with researchers and leaders across partner institutions and with new and existing major sponsors.
• Lead recruitment of high-quality UT-ORII joint faculty groups composed of individuals who have a propensity to thrive in dynamic, resource-rich, team-based work modes.
• Serve as connector across partnership organizations, including galvanizing collaborative responses to opportunities that leverage collective strengths.
• Support growth of convergent research initiatives and galvanize opportunities ripe for development through the ORNL-UT ecosystem
• Refine and implement sustainable business models.
• Develop mechanisms to quickly embed and connect new joint research faculty with expertise and resources across partner institutions associated with convergent research initiatives.
• Serve as Institute’s key spokesperson across and beyond the partner institutions, including as an effective advocate for UT-ORII at local, state and federal governmental levels.
• Advance the Institute’s strategic process for attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining the highest quality students.
• Develop strategies and plans for establishing leading-edge interdisciplinary graduate research in emerging fields of interest to both UT and ORNL.
• Manage key UT-ORII leadership staff, delineating clear roles and responsibilities, holding staff accountable for delivering on aspects of the Institute’s mission, and overseeing staff performance and development.
• Facilitate reviews of the Governor’s Chairs, engaging appropriate UT department and ORNL directorates.
• Develop strategies to encourage the creation and commercialization of technology, especially through the development of industry partnerships and entrepreneurship.
• Engage and work effectively with UT-ORII advisory and executive boards on strategy and execution.
• Develop and maintain procedures and regulations to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, Department of Energy Directives, the managing and operating contract, and UT and ORNL policies, as appropriate.

Basic Qualifications

• Exceptional and proven leadership abilities, with at least 5 years of executive management experience demonstrated, leading large, multi-disciplinary S&T teams.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully developing, implementing, and executing scientific strategy with engagement from critical stakeholders.
• Distinguished record of research program development on forward-leaning concepts.
• Exceptional communicator who is skilled at building relationships with internal and external partners and possesses the ability to represent the organization in a compelling fashion.
• Experience in mentoring and supporting the development of research trainees, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, early career joint faculty.
• Successful experience in working across different types of research organizations, including DOE national laboratories, for greater impact.

Preferred Qualifications

• Qualifications appropriate to hold the rank of Professor for the joint appointment in a UT department.

About ORNL

With over 80 years of tremendous national and international impact, ORNL is now the largest U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory. With over 7,400 creative individuals, ORNL is home to one of the Nation’s most extensive science and energy research portfolios, with an enduring focus on breakthrough discoveries and their translation into energy and national security solutions. Building on a unique ecosystem of world-leading user facilities and capabilities, ORNL’s science and technology portfolio spans materials sciences, computational sciences, nuclear energy, manufacturing, neutron sciences, biological and environmental sciences, isotope, and global security.

ORNL is also recognized as a top choice for employment, with competitive pay and benefits, and  programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.