The Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) seeks an accomplished scientist and leader to serve as Director of Science. This is an opportunity to lead the science team at NHMU, the largest natural and cultural history museum in the intermountain west. Founded in 1963 as the state of Utah’s natural history museum and part of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, NHMU has grown into a distinguished scientific and cultural institution with the mission to illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it.
NHMU’s collections and research team includes research curators (most of whom are jointly appointed faculty and represent six academic departments and four colleges across the University of Utah); collections managers and lab managers; registrars; digitization staff; postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate researchers and interns; and volunteers. NHMU’s natural and cultural history collections comprise more than two million objects, with notable strengths in Paleontology, Archaeology, Ethnography, and Biology of the west. NHMU also manages the Range Creek Field Station, which was established to facilitate scientific investigation and preservation of Range Creek Canyon’s rich archaeological record.
Reporting to the NHMU’s Executive Director, the Director of Science will provide strategic leadership for the Collections & Research (C&R) Department. This senior leadership role provides strategic direction for the museum’s research programs, collections stewardship, and field activities, ensuring alignment with institutional mission, public engagement, and scholarship in natural and cultural history. The Director of Science works with stakeholders to support, guide, and advocate for the Museum’s collections and research enterprise and provides managerial and mentoring leadership for C&R staff.
The Director of Science will support and collaborate on philanthropic and external agency funding efforts and represent the C&R Department as part of the Museum’s senior leadership team, reporting to the Executive Director. The Director will work with internal and external stakeholders to strategically amplify NHMU’s scientific reputation and relevance.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Provide long‑term, strategic leadership for the Department, ensuring excellence in research and collections stewardship.
• Collaborate with the C&R Department and Museum leadership to develop and implement scientific priorities that align with NHMU’s mission, institutional strategic plan, and the broader University of Utah research enterprise.
• Champion interdisciplinary, collaborative, and supportive scientific practices across the Museum.
Collections & Research Oversight
• Support research programs, collections management, and collection growth across the natural and cultural science disciplines represented at NHMU.
• Support the development, preservation, documentation, digitization, and accessibility of collections according to best professional practices, ethical standards, and applicable regulations.
• Support NAGPRA-related consultation and repatriation.
• Support and encourage impactful research, scholarship, and dissemination, including peer‑reviewed publications, exhibitions, digital resources, and public programs.
Management & Staff Leadership
• Provide effective managerial leadership for the C&R team.
• Foster a collegial, respectful, and supportive departmental culture that values mentorship, professional development, and collaboration.
• Oversee departmental planning, goal setting, performance evaluation, and resource allocation.
Funding & External Partnerships
• Assist and collaborate in identifying and pursuing external funding opportunities for research and collections projects, including grants, donations, and partnerships.
• Work closely with the Department, Museum leadership, and philanthropy staff on proposal development, donor engagement, and stewardship of funded projects.
• Cultivate relationships with the University of Utah’s Office of the Vice President for Research, funding agencies, peer institutions, Tribal partners, community organizations, and professional networks.
Museum & University Leadership
• Represent the Department as a member of NHMU’s Department Heads leadership team, contributing to institution‑wide planning, policy development, and strategic decision‑making.
• Collaborate with the C&R Department and other Department Heads to integrate research and collections into exhibitions, education, public programs, and community engagement initiatives.
• Serve as an advocate for the C&R Department within NHMU, the University of Utah, and the broader museum and scientific community.
Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:
Director, Administration Management: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 12 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 10 years of directly related work experience.
Required Qualifications
• Ph.D. in a scientific discipline relevant to NHMU.
• Record of progressive responsibility in collections management and scientific research, including leadership experience, supervision of professional staff, and management of complex programs or projects, and management of natural and cultural history collections.
• Experience leading and contributing to internal and external funding efforts (grants, contracts, philanthropy).
• Excellent communication, collaboration, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Preferences
Job Preference
• Experience working within a university‑affiliated museum or similar academic research environment
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical research and collections practices, as defined by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).
• Experience leading interdisciplinary or cross‑institutional research initiatives.
• Working knowledge of federal NAGPRA requirements.