President and Director

President and Director

Whitehead Institute seeks a President and Director with exceptional leadership qualities to succeed David C. Page, M.D., upon his completion of sixteen years of distinguished service in the summer of 2020. This is an outstanding opportunity to lead and envision the future of one of the world’s premier independent biomedical research institutions.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President and Director oversees the faculty and staff and serves as a faculty member of Whitehead Institute and of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is responsible for leading the advancement of science, developing and supporting a preeminent faculty and staff, and representing Whitehead Institute in the broader community.

The Director’s responsibilities will include: providing visionary leadership for Whitehead Institute’s next chapter; increasing connections to foster collaborative scientific opportunities; raising visibility and resources; and developing and cultivating Whitehead Institute’s talent and culture.

The President and Director will be a world-class scientist and will demonstrate excellence in the following areas:  scientific preeminence; inspirational leadership; skill and interest in external relations; and managerial acumen.

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a world-renowned, independent, nonprofit research institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. By cultivating a deeply collaborative culture and enabling the pursuit of bold, creative inquiry, Whitehead Institute fosters paradigm-shifting scientific advances. For more than 35 years, Whitehead Institute faculty members have delivered breakthroughs that have transformed the understanding of fundamental questions in biology with broad implications for our knowledge of health and disease, and the Whitehead Fellows Program is renowned for fostering generations of scientific leaders.

The Institute currently has 465 personnel, including 17 faculty members, 13 of whom are tenured, and three Whitehead Fellows. Its operating budget is $70 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2018.

The Institute is wholly independent in its governance, finances, and research programs. It shares a teaching affiliation with MIT, with all Whitehead faculty appointed to tenured or tenure-track appointments at MIT.

Nominations, inquiries, and expressions of interest should be directed in confidence to: whitehead@russellreynolds.com

Whitehead Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer