Description
The Director of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute (http://epi.ufl.edu) will lead a campus-wide institute dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research on the emergence and control of human, animal, and plant pathogens that impact Florida, the nation, and the globe. The Institute's mission focuses on critical scientific, clinical, agricultural, social, and educational issues related to emerging diseases. EPI develops and delivers innovative informatics, diagnostics, treatments, and surveillance systems for the prediction, prevention, detection, and management of microbial pathogen-associated diseases of humans, animals, and plants.
The Director will hold an academic appointment in an appropriate college, commensurate with qualifications and expertise, and will be expected to work collaboratively with researchers and educators across the full spectrum of epidemiology-related disciplines. The Director reports to the Vice President for Research.
The Director will lead and coordinate EPI' s university-wide strategic research and educational initiatives advancing the Institute's mission through external resource development, including competitive grant acquisition and philanthropic fundraising, as well as faculty recruitment and facility development. Responsibilities include oversight of the coordination, design, implementation, and evaluation of new and existing educational and training programs within the Institute, and the facilitation of collaborative activities among EPI faculty holding appointments across multiple affiliated colleges. The Director will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, support large-scale research initiatives, and ensure alignment of Institute activities with broader university priorities.
Founded in 2006, the Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI) is an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to understanding why pathogenic microorganisms emerge and re -emerge as significant threats to human, animal, plant, and environmental health. Housed in a 90,000-square-foot, purpose-built, green-certified research facility, EPI brings together more than 300 affiliated faculty and investigators across 13 colleges, spanning medicine, public health, veterinary sciences, agriculture, engineering, liberal arts and sciences, global health, and the biological, environmental, computational, clinical and social sciences. EPI's mission is to accelerate discovery, improve outbreak forecasting, and develop solutions for disease prevention and control, with research programs ranging from basic molecular genetics and genomics to epidemiology, vector biology, environmental modeling, clinical investigation, diagnostics, surveillance, vaccines, antimicrobial development, and public policy. Its interdisciplinary structure enables seamless collaboration across traditional disciplinary boundaries and supports large, multi-investigator initiatives. The institute is located immediately adjacent to UF Health Shands Hospital and co-located with the University of Florida' s six health colleges, including the Small and Large Animal Hospitals of the College of Veterinary Medicine, providing investigators with direct access to human and veterinary patients, clinicians, and clinical samples, as well as close collaboration with UF Health Infection Control for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases. Florida' s tropical and subtropical environment further offers a unique natural laboratory for the study of emerging and vector-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, reinforcing EPI' s role as a source of scientific excellence for Florida, the nation, and the global community.
Qualified applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of interest, and the names and contact information of three referees to the UF job website at https://jobs.ufl.edu/ , Requisition #538660.
Requirements
The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., or other terminal degree in a relevant field and will bring a distinguished record of research in host-pathogen interactions, epidemiology, or closely related areas, along with demonstrated experience managing large research groups, complex projects, and multidisciplinary initiatives.
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished scholar and visionary leader who builds on EPI' s strong foundation while establishing innovative research, education, and outreach programs. Working collaboratively with faculty and administrators across multiple departments and colleges, the Director will identify and advance strategic opportunities related to emerging pathogens affecting human, agricultural, and animal health. The successful candidate will also contribute to the development of disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs aligned with the mission of a land-grant university and will cultivate long-term, strategic partnerships with external stakeholders to support research excellence, translational impact, and sustained outreach in emerging disease research.
