Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research

Job Title: Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research

Department: Biomedical Affairs Date: March 2024

FLSA: Exempt Work Location: Auburn Campus

Employee Category: Administrative Faculty W o r k S chedule: As directed in contract

Reports to: Campus Dean and Vice Provost for Percent Employment: 100%
Research

Direct Reports: Biomedical Affairs Department Chairs and Administrative Assistants

I. Job Summary:
The primary responsibility of the Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research is to
assure the campus fulfills the research mission of the college. As a primary responsibility, the
successful candidate will lead the Biomedical Division and faculty in research, assuring the role
of the faculty within that Division in the success of the research mission of the College. The
Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs will assist the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs in
mentoring the clinical faculty in research and in building benchmarks to bedside research
programs. The Associate Dean will build and promote opportunities for students to learn the
principles of research and for interested students to participate in research.

As a secondary responsibility, the position collaborates with the Associate Dean for Medical
Education to assure the faculty within the Biomedical Division fulfill their teaching and service
duties to support the educational mission of the College. The Associate Dean will assist faculty
who are interested in conducting educational research on campus in building research programs.

As a bridge between the biomedical and clinical sciences, the Associate Dean must be ready to
support all areas of research including educational, clinical, and biomedical research. The
Associate Dean will promote and support collaborations across Divisions and across campuses.

The Associate Dean must show commitment towards disseminated research by VCOM and
look for opportunities to begin, enhance, increase, or develop research across disciplines on
campus and across campuses. As a mentor, the Associate Dean must serve as a role model by
conducting and participating in an active and productive research program, by publishing and
through grantsmanship.

II. Job Duties:

1. As the primary responsibility, be responsible to the Campus Dean and to the Vice Provost for
Research to build the research programs on the Auburn Campus. Work in a positive and
productive manner with both supervisors to assure the success of Research on campus.

2. Serve as the Division Chair to oversee the Biomedical Division and assure the members of the
Division are successful in meeting their academic and research responsibilities on the VCOM
– Auburn Campus.

3. Serving as the Chair for the Division of Biomedical Affairs, the Associate Dean will conduct
monthly and/or quarterly Division meetings.

4. Provide oversight of the faculty in the Biomedical Division in their research role as a primary
responsibility. Mentor, develop, and evaluate faculty in the development of their research
programs and as a part of the Faculty Activity Review process.

5. Oversee the research programs, facilities and research facility needs on the Auburn campus.
6. Serve as a mentor to all research faculty and development of their research programs, their

related budgets, and by providing faculty development as related to research. Serve as a liaison
to bridge clinical and biomedical research collaborations on campus.

7. As a role model, conduct a research program with participation in the organization, planning
and grant writing efforts to seek external funding for that program and seeking to be
productive in publication. Mentor others in this role.

8. Promote and build research collaborations within the College and with the campus’
collaborating university partners.

9. Work in a positive and productive manner with the Vice Provost for Research to build the
research on your campus and to build collaborative research programs across the VCOM
campuses.

10. Work, in a positive manner, with the Associate Dean for Medical Education to assure the
faculty within the Biomedical Division also meet their responsibilities in teaching and service.

11. Plan and oversee the Research Day on the Auburn Campus each year, working collaboratively
with the Vice Provost for Research and the Campus Dean.

12. Participate in and facilitate VCOM faculty’s participation in research fairs on the collaborating
university’s campus.

13. Represent the College in research in internal and external arenas, including but not limited to
attending at a minimum AACOM and AOA research meetings. Attend other national
meetings that promote the success of the research mission of the college. Represent the
College in a positive and productive manner on all meetings.

14. Participate in teaching on campus, providing teaching in your field of expertise for a minimum
of thirty and up to fifty contact hours of teaching per year.

15. Be familiar with and adhere to the administrative and academic practices, policies and
procedures of the College as set forth in the Faculty Handbook, College Catalog and College
Policies Manual. The current Faculty Handbook and College Catalog is found in the on-line
College website.

16. Submit an annual Faculty Activity Report to the Dean and provide the Research Activity to
the Vice Provost for Research.

17. Obtain and maintain literacy and expertise in your field.
18. Review all VCOM Biomedical faculty activity reports for accuracy and provide feedback

alongside the Associate Dean for Medical Education in providing those reviews.
19. Provide feedback to the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs for the Clinical faculty activity

reports and assist with that feedback as needed.
20. Participate in faculty interviews, student interviews, committees, and other service to the

college as assigned by the Campus Dean.
21. Perform duties as outlined in the employment contract.
22. Other duties as assigned.

III. Required Qualifications:

Education: PhD (or equivalent) and/or DO or MD from an accredited institution. Successful
completion of an approved graduate program in education management preferred.

Licensure or certification: N/A, or as appropriate

Experience: eight years of successful teaching experience in a medical school and five years
of successful administrative experience in higher education.

Skills required for to this position include:

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills

• Strong team player

• Commitment to company values

• Basic computer proficiency
  

Preferences are given to applicants who have the following skills or attributes:

• An appropriate background to qualify for a faculty appointment at the rank of Professor.

• Experience in teaching and research at the professional school level.

• Administrative experience in higher education
  

The successful candidate will be subject to a criminal history background check.

Regular, reliable, or predictable attendance is an essential function of the job.

IV. Working Conditions and Efforts: The physical demands and work environment characteristics
described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully
perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The position requires a rapid
pace, some days with long hours to meet expectations, and the ability to organize, interpret, and
utilize a large volume of information.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to ambulate
(may be with use of assisted devices); sit; stand (or accommodate for standing); use hands and
vision required for teaching. The ability to use office equipment such as computers; to speak to
large and small groups of individuals for teaching. The ability to perform moderate telephone
and Polycom communication / usage. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and/or
move up to 50 pounds; drive distances up to five hours or to fly on occasion to other campuses
or meetings.

Work environment: Work environment: Office, classroom, laboratory constitute working
environments. Outside travel required up to 10% of the time. The noise level in the work
environment is usually minimal. The pace of the work requires a rapid pace to synthesize and
organize large volumes of material, while prioritizing duties.



This position is classified as an exempt position under the Executive exemption status
because the primary function of the candidate/employee is managing several positions
and is also an Administrative Officer of the College.

Employment with VCOM is “at will”. This means employment is for an indefinite
period and it is subject to termination by the employee or by VCOM, with or without
cause, with or without notice, and at any time. Nothing in this position description or

any other policy of VCOM shall be interpreted to conflict with or to eliminate or modify,
in any way, the “at will” employment status of VCOM employees. Employees under
contract with VCOM are subject to the terms of employment stated within the
employment contract.

V. VCOM Core Values: The employee is expected to adhere to all VCOM policies. As the
environment is a professional college, the VCOM faculty/staff are expected to dress and behave
in a professional manner at work. The VCOM faculty/staff are also expected to as a VCOM
employee to be a person who follows all laws and professional expectations of an upstanding
citizen of the community. VCOM expects all employees to maintain a positive attitude in all
working relationships with all VCOM departments, employees, medical students, prospective
medical students, interns, and residents and to treat all others engaged in the duties of the
employment, with mutual respect.