Job Details

The Dean of the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences (ELH) will join the University of Maine at a pivotal moment in the institution's history. As Maine's flagship public university and the state's only land, sea, and space grant institution, UMaine combines the strengths of a Carnegie R1 research university with an unwavering commitment to public service, innovation, and economic development. Located in Orono and serving approximately 10,600 students, UMaine is recognized internationally for leadership in climate science, forestry, marine sciences, advanced materials, and sustainable ecosystems. From its forests, farms, laboratories, research centers, and coastal facilities to partnerships across the state, the university serves as a living laboratory where discovery directly enhances the environmental, economic, and social well-being of Maine and beyond.

The College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences stands at the center of that mission. Serving more than 2,700 students, including over 2,000 undergraduates and nearly 650 graduate students, ELH is one of the university's largest and most interdisciplinary academic units. The college comprises the Schools of Biology and Ecology, Earth and Climate Sciences, Economics, Food and Agriculture, Forest Resources, Marine Sciences, Nursing, and Social Work; the Departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, and Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology; and the interdisciplinary Ecology and Environmental Sciences program. Together, these units offer 24 undergraduate, 24 master's, and 16 doctoral programs supported by more than 160 faculty members and over $25 million in annual research activity.

ELH's impact extends throughout Maine and beyond. The college's statewide footprint includes the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, the Darling Marine Center, the Lobster Institute, the Conley Speech, Language and Hearing Center, university farms and forests, and numerous laboratories, clinics, and field sites that advance research, education, workforce development, and public engagement. The college is a place defined by dedicated people, meaningful impact, and a deep commitment to the land-grant mission. New college leadership represents an opportunity to further strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration, enhance the visibility of the college's accomplishments, invest strategically in its future, and unite the community around a shared vision.

The next Dean will build upon a strong foundation of research excellence, public engagement, and student success while helping position ELH to address some of the defining challenges of our time, including environmental sustainability, climate resilience, public health, food systems, and natural resource stewardship.

The successful candidate will be a visible, collaborative, and transparent leader who can bring together diverse disciplines and constituencies around a shared direction. They will champion excellence in research, teaching, and service while serving as a compelling advocate for the college across the university, throughout the state of Maine, and among federal, industry, nonprofit, and philanthropic partners. As ELH looks ahead, the college's future success depends on attracting, developing, and retaining talented faculty and staff. The Dean will be expected to strengthen organizational capacity, support employee well-being, and succession-planning challenges, and ensure that faculty and staff have the resources needed to advance the college's mission and strategic priorities. The next Dean will have the opportunity to build trust, strengthen the college's long-term sustainability, and unite the community around a shared vision of one of the nation's most distinctive interdisciplinary colleges while advancing UMaine's Strategic Re-Envisioning goals and reinforce the university's role as Maine's premier public research institution.

WittKieffer is assisting the University of Maine in this search. For full consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 4, 2027. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Rob Springall and Sarah Seavey at UMaineELHDean@wittkieffer.com.

The salary range for the position is anticipated to be $250,000 to $275,000. The final compensation package will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, and leadership accomplishments.

The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at www.maine.edu/title-ix/.