Chief Executive Officer

The EarthScope Consortium invites applications and nominations for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is responsible for the management of    the organization and its employees and is the public face of the EarthScope Consortium to the geosciences community, building and managing its partnerships with federal agencies, partners, and member institutions.

Candidates for the CEO position will have significant management experience as well as a background in leading complex research or facilities programs in academia, related government agencies, or industry. The CEO bears ultimate responsibility for the management of the EarthScope Consortium’s remote-first workforce (currently 126 employees) geographically distributed across the US. Candidates should be able to collaborate and negotiate strategically with other scientific and educational facilities, organizations, and agencies. This is particularly critical given NSF’s 2019 decision to support a single seismic and geodetic facility starting in 2025. The ideal candidate will have: a PhD, or equivalent professional expertise, in the geosciences; experience in the operation of geophysical facilities; experience of administration of federal awards; a comprehensive understanding of federal funding structures and requirements; and an ability to identify and pursue new and diverse funding sources.

The CEO should be a dynamic leader who communicates effectively with the EarthScope community, federal agency leadership, sponsors, and scientists. The ideal candidate has a record of successful scientific and administrative leadership and a demonstrated ability to proficiently engage with, and build consensus across, the geophysical community. The CEO promotes and embraces ethical values, diversity and inclusion across the EarthScope Consortium’s workforce, and global awareness. The CEO will enact the vision, conduct planning, and execute management in partnership with the governing Board of Directors.

A more in-depth description of the CEO position may be found here: CEO Position Description

Salary range for this position:  E-5:  $206,200 - $319,700

About EarthScope:The EarthScope Consortium is a university consortium dedicated to transforming global geophysical research and education. Our vision is an engaged society, resilient to geohazards, informed by geophysical discovery and global collaboration. EarthScope Consortium activities are wide in scope, and include a geophysical data management center, portable and network geophysical instrumentation centers, and a wide range of educational and outreach efforts. These national facilities underpin geophysical research across the US and internationally, providing data, software, hardware, and teaching resources to scientists of many disciplines as well as broader community members.

The EarthScope Consortium was formed in 2023 by the merger of the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) and UNAVCO. Over the past 30 years, the science advanced by both organizations has converged considerably. The EarthScope Consortium aims to realize the benefits of a multi-disciplinary, community-governed facility supporting research, and education within the geophysical community.

The EarthScope Consortium is funded primarily by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and its governance is led by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from within the academic research community and elected by representatives of member universities. Associate members of the EarthScope Consortium include federal agencies, and many international partners. This structure is designed to ensure close involvement of the research community in the ongoing evolution of the EarthScope Consortium's facilities. Community governance ensures that the evolving science needs of the research community are reflected in the objectives, activities, and management of EarthScope Consortium programs, including the currently NSF funded geophysical facilities for geodesy (GAGE) and seismology (SAGE).

Additional Information/How to Apply:

Requests for additional information should be directed to Gareth Funning, Chair, EarthScope Search Committee, employment@earthscope.org. Applications should include a curriculum vitae; a statement describing the applicant’s vision for the EarthScope Consortium for the immediate term and for the period beyond the 2025 expiration of the current GAGE and SAGE cooperative agreements; a statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the names and contact information of three references. Applications and nominations will be accepted and reviewed upon receipt until a new CEO is selected. For optimal consideration, interested parties are encouraged to apply by April 14, 2023.

Applicant packages must be submitted electronically to: ceosearch@earthscope.org

EarthScope Consortium Inc. is unable to provide sponsorship for work authorization within the United States.

EarthScope Consortium Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.