DIRECTOR, STERNBERG MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Fort Hays State University is searching for a highly motivated and innovative Director for its Sternberg Museum of Natural History.
STERNBERG MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: The Sternberg Museum of Natural History occupies a completely renovated (completed in 1999), unique building adjacent to Interstate-70 Highway in Hays, Kansas. Its 101,000 square feet of floor space accommodates both public areas and collection management space. The collection space houses extensive research collections representing the disciplines of mammalogy, ornithology, herpetology, ichthyology, entomology, botany, vertebrate paleontology, and paleobotany. The total number of specimens in these collections is in excess of 3 million, and the Museum thus serves as a major research resource for the academic departments of Biological Sciences and Geosciences. Public exhibits of the Museum are internationally known and focus on animals of the Cretaceous time period. These are supplemented with a program of temporary exhibitions, both leased and prepared in-house, relating to a broad spectrum of natural history topics. Educational programming for adults and especially for children is designed to instill a fascination for plants and animals in their environment. The new Kansas Wetlands Education Center, located 70 miles away at the largest wetland area in the central United States, is a branch of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History that functions to educate the public about the importance, history, plant and animal inhabitants, and conservation of wetlands. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR: The Director of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History reports to the University’s Vice President for Administration and Finance, who reports directly to the University President. The Director is responsible for leadership and day to day operations of the Museum. It is preferred but not required the Director be qualified to be the scientific authority for the Museum. Specific duties include the following. • Administer the various Museum budgets, including State appropriations, grants and contracts, Museum endowments, Sternberg Store revenue, gate receipts, and any others that may exist. • Plan and participate in fundraising activities of the Museum. • Formulate, implement, monitor, and evaluate strategic and long- range plans. • Establish and implement Museum policy. • Recruit, supervise, and evaluate Museum staff. • Approve and oversee plans for permanent and temporary exhibits, educational programs, and public service activities of the Museum. • Develop and administer plans to market the Museum to the public and scientific community. • Serve as spokesperson and advocate for the Museum both within and outside the University. • Oversee curation of the collections of the Museum, ensuring that they are maintained according to acceptable professional standards. • Oversee the functions of the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, the day-to-day operations of which are performed under the supervision of a Site Manager. • Conduct and publish scholarly research. • Participate in professional activities designed to promote the scholarly reputations of the Museum and the University. • Provide service to the Museum, the University, and the community. QUALIFICATIONS: Minimal qualifications include an earned PhD degree in one of the academic disciplines represented by research collections in the Museum, preferably biology or paleontology. Experience in museum administration is preferred. Exceptional candidates with only an M.S. degree but having extensive experience in museum administration will be considered. Applicants should provide evidence of scholarship and must demonstrate aptitude for administration. Other qualifications include strong communication skills and the ability to interact with diverse constituents. SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications. STARTING DATE: 1 May 2009 CONTACT: Dr Elmer Finck, Search Committee Chair Department of Biology Fort Hays State University 302A Albertson Hall Hays, KS 67601 Phone 785-628-4214 Email efi...@fhsu.edu APPLICATION: Electronic applications are encouraged. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled and must include at a minimum: 1. Letter of application 2. Curriculum vitae or resume 3. Statement of professional interests and aspirations 4. Copies of representative scholarly work, if available 5. Names, mailing addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of 4 references Please do not request letters of recommendation. Fort Hays State University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, age, disability, Vietnam era veteran status, or special disabled veteran status in its programs and activities. The University employs only United States citizens and aliens who are lawfully authorized to work in the United States. The Director of Affirmative Action and Coordinator of Title IX, Section 504 and ADA Regulations may be contacted at 600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601, 785-628- 4033. FHSU is committed to the cultural enrichment of its student body and work force through Affirmative Action and Equal Education/Employment Opportunity. Members of historically underrepresented social groups in higher education, women, and persons with disability or veteran status are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will have consented to and successfully completed a criminal background check. Fort Hays State University is a state-supported liberal and applied arts institution governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. It primarily serves the western one-half of Kansas. More than 10,000 students are enrolled in 4 colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business and Leadership, Education and Technology, and Health and Life Sciences) and a Graduate School, which have a combined total of 340 full-time faculty members. The campus is modern, spacious (4,160 acres), and attractive, and it has outstanding museums, galleries, and cultural and recreational facilities. Hays, Kansas is a city of approximately 20,000 located roughly midway between Kansas City and Denver on I-70. It is a regional center serving the cultural, health, educational, business, service, and transportation needs of much of western Kansas. Medical and educational facilities are superior. Manufacturing, medicine, education, retail sales, farming, ranching, and oil comprise a large part of the local economy. One public elementary school recently was rated among the top 25 in the country by a national publication. Paid for by Fort Hays State University
