Head of Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

The College of Engineering (CEN) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) invites applicants for the position of the Head of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CHBE) starting Fall 2027. The college is seeking a visionary academic leader with the responsibilities of ensuring smooth and successful operation and sustainable development of the department.

The candidate for the position must hold earned degrees, including a doctorate, in chemical engineering or a related field. The candidate must have demonstrated leadership in research, as evidenced by her/his outstanding publication record. In addition, a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, and in academic and relevant professional services is required. The selected individual will have the opportunity to develop and articulate a vision and long-range plan for the department in teaching and in research strategy that embodies the relevant areas that are vital to the department and the region. Special consideration will be given to candidates with a clear vision and achievable goals that are in line with the college’s and university’s strategic plans.

The successful candidate must be a dynamic, collaborative, visionary and innovative individual with demonstrated leadership experience that can promote the continued advancement of the department. He/she is expected to have strong communication skills to effectively engage with a wide variety of constituents within and outside the university. His/her leadership style should include positive attitude, transparency, integrity, trust, fairness, promptness and collegiality. In addition to the general and wide responsibilities of the department head position, as partially outlined in the Faculty Handbook, the selected applicant will be required to:

• provide effective leadership with well-defined plans to nurture and elevate the standard of the department, accompanied with the development of short-term and long-term strategies in alignment with the strategic plans of the college and the university
• ensure high-quality teaching as well as holistic development of the students, using approaches such as technology supported delivery, problem-based learning, and other cutting-edge trends in engineering education, in addition to leading the continuous improvement of the curriculum
• facilitate the conduct of innovative and cutting-edge research of high-quality and impact and promote multidisciplinary research with the optimal use of research funds and research facilities
• empower, mentor, promote, inspire and support faculty and staff to develop and sustain excellence in teaching, research and service
• foster a positive culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among faculty and students
• improve continuously teaching, research and service through benchmarking
• lead the department in achieving student recruitment goals by establishing and implementing recruitment plans for undergraduate and graduate students
• enrich the students’ experience via enhanced services, exchange visits, invited speakers, field trips, student clubs, professional certifications, competitions, conferences, etc.
• secure full-time and internship positions and provide undergraduate research experience to the students
• participate in outreach activities, including maintaining ties and collaborations with alumni, industry, government, advisory boards, other university units and community members, and maintaining involvement in local and international professional organizations
• advertise locally and publicly the achievements and expertise of the faculty, staff and students of the department through web, newsletters and media exposure to enhance the academic reputation of the program
• collect data systematically and continuously from the department to plan and execute informed decisions
• ensure and increase diversity and equity in faculty hiring and student recruitment
• maintain and actively promote a positive, safe, transparent, fair, open, respectful, collegial working environment at the department, college and university
• interact and communicate effectively with individual faculty, staff and students (and parents) on a range of professional and personal issues
• represent the faculty and staff and convey their needs to the college’s and university’s administration.
• oversee the department’s operations including scheduling, advising, registration, lab preparations, budget allocation, compliance and risk management, etc.
• review and coordinate faculty course releases, sabbaticals and leave without pay requests
• conduct fair faculty and staff annual evaluations and provide effective feedback
• evaluate faculty and staff for promotion and/or rolling contract decisions
• lead and manage accreditation visits
• performing other duties as needed or assigned by the Dean

Applicants should fill out an application form and upload the required documents (PDF) using the following link. The required documents are a cover letter and a detailed curriculum vitae (including a teaching statement, a research statement, vision and goals for the department, list of courses that can be taught or were taught, and names of at least three references who would be willing to write letters of recommendation). Positions are open until filled. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has approximately 200 undergraduate students, 15 graduate students, 12 full-time faculty and 3 lab instructors. Students and faculty represent very diverse backgrounds and nationalities; approximately 90 nationalities are present on campus. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering, and a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering.

AUS is located in the Emirate of Sharjah (about 15 km from Dubai). AUS is an independent, not-for-profit, coeducational university, serving more than 5,700 students. Further information can be obtained here.

AUS is licensed and its programs are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education's Higher Education Affairs Division in the United Arab Emirates. AUS has been accredited in the United States of America by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (1007 North Orange Street, 4th Floor, MB #166, Wilmington, DE 19801 USA) since June 2004. The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering offered by the College of Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org/.