The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) College of Science invites applications for the position of Chair, Department of Chemistry, at the rank of Professor, a tenured position, with an anticipated target hire date of July 1, 2027. Exceptional candidates at the Associate Professor rank will also be considered. The Department and College seek a dynamic, collaborative and visionary leader to serve as Chair to advance the Department of Chemistry’s research, education and service missions. The Department is one of 10 departments in the College of Science, together with the College’s public service programs, and plays a foundational role in research and education across the University. The Department includes two dozen academic and administrative faculty, whose expertise spans analytical, bio-organic, computational, inorganic, materials, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry.

The Department offers a highly reputable B.S. in Chemistry with multiple areas of emphasis, and has maintained continuous American Chemical Society (ACS) certification status since 1941. It also offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry, and participates with the Department of Physics in the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Chemical Physics. The Chemistry graduate programs support approximately 65-75 graduate students working with research-active faculty. Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from extensive opportunities for faculty-mentored research and access to advanced research infrastructure.

Departmental research is supported by extramural grants from federal and private agencies, with over $10M in research funding in FY25-26. Research spans experimental and theoretical chemistry, and is supported by extensive shared instrumentation in the Shared Instrumentation Laboratory (SIL), including NMR spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, optical and laser spectroscopy, and materials characterization capabilities. The Department also operates ChemStores, a research stockroom that provides chemicals, supplies, and related resources to researchers across campus.

The Department has a strong tradition of interdisciplinary research, including the Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology, which brings together investigators from chemistry, biology, mathematics, biochemistry, natural resources and environmental science. The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Chemical Physics provides an additional bridge between Chemistry and Physics. Together, these activities provide a strong foundation for expanding collaborative research across the College of Science, the University, and with external partners.

The Chair will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, the Dean and College leadership to establish and implement a forward-looking vision for the Department. The Chair will strengthen research excellence and extramural funding, advance undergraduate and graduate education, recruit and retain outstanding faculty and students, strategically manage departmental resources and infrastructure. The Chair is expected to maintain an innovative, externally funded research program, with competitive startup support available. The Chair will help position Chemistry as a leader in interdisciplinary research and education and enhance the Department's visibility and impact within Nevada and nationally.

A successful Chair will be expected to address a set of key opportunities and responsibilities, including:

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for the Department.

• Strengthen the Department's research enterprise.

• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the College of Science and University.

• Recruit, retain, mentor and support outstanding faculty and staff.

• Sustain and advance excellence in undergraduate education.

• Strengthen graduate education and training.

• Expand opportunities for undergraduate research and experiential learning.

• Support strategic management and development of research and instructional infrastructure.

• Advance a strong culture of laboratory safety and responsible research.

• Develop and support effective mentoring and professional-development programs.

• Oversee and strategically manage the Department's budget, personnel, space and other resources.

• Advance external engagement and resource development by working with College and University leadership.

• Enhance the visibility and reputation of the Department.

• Foster a collegial and inclusive academic environment.

• Align departmental priorities with the College of Science Strategic Plan and UNR's strategic initiatives.

• Contribute to the academic mission of the Department through teaching, research and/or scholarly engagement appropriate to the successful candidate's expertise.

Required Qualifications

• Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Chemistry or a related field.
• Eligible for tenure upon arrival.
• Demonstrate skills in strategic planning and administration.
• Candidates should have demonstrated excellence in research, teaching and mentoring in chemistry or related fields.
• Candidates currently at the rank of Associate Professor are encouraged to apply, provided they can demonstrate a record of accomplishment sufficient to support appointment at the rank of Professor upon hire.

Preferred Qualifications

The University of Nevada (UNR), Reno will use a holistic review process that considers candidates' experiences, accomplishments, leadership attributes, competencies, and scholarly record to identify a strong and diverse pool of qualified applicants. Ideal candidates for the Chair of Chemistry will demonstrate aptitude in the following areas:

• Vision and values aligned with UNR, COS, and the Department of Chemistry.

• Academic leadership; prior experience as an academic leader is desirable.

• Teaching, curricular development, mentoring, and faculty development

• Relationship building, collaborative leadership, and team development.

• Growth of research and scholarly activity, including securing extramural, private and donor funding

• Interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Commitment to inclusive excellence and the ability to foster a welcoming and collegial academic environment.

• Professionalism and communication/interpersonal skills

• Entrepreneurship and innovation.

• Experience overseeing research infrastructure, laboratory operations, safety, compliance, and other regulatory requirements

• Ability to represent and advocate for the Department effectively within COS, UNR and with external stakeholders.

Compensation Grade

Professor

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select (9-month contract) Academic Faculty. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Perks of working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
• No state income tax!

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information

The Department of Chemistry in the College of Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry. The department has 20 full-time academic faculty (18 tenure-stream and 2 non-tenure-track instructional), 3 administrative faculty, and 7 classified personnel, and is housed in a four-story building with state-of-the-art research facilities. Please find more information here: https://www.unr.edu/chemistry

Contact Information

Search Committee Chair: Sander Van Der Linden, [email protected]

Administrative Contact: Beth Jacobsen, (775) 682-8787, [email protected]

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected]

Attach the following attachments to your application:

1) Academic CV

2) Letter of Application - (Cover Letter) describing your interest in the position; highlighting relevant academic leadership, research, teaching, and administrative experience; and outlining your vision for advancing the Department of Chemistry. The letter should address opportunities to strengthen research and external funding, undergraduate and graduate education, faculty and student success, interdisciplinary collaboration, and departmental operations.

3) Research Statement - Summarizing your major research accomplishments and future scholarly directions, including how you envision maintaining an active research program and contributing to the broader research mission of the Department, College, and University while serving as Chair. (Four pages maximum)

4) Teaching Statement/Philosophy - Describing your approach to teaching mentoring, and curricular development, including your experience supporting undergraduate and graduate education and student success. (Two pages maximum)

5) Contact information for at least Three Professional References - Please include name, title, company/organization, email address and phone number.

Full Consideration

For full consideration, applications must be received by November 9, 2026.

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno