SERC Director

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the leading environmental research institute of the world’s largest museum complex, is searching for its next Director. SERC is focused on advancing environmental knowledge and sustainability in the coastal zone. Since its founding nearly 60 years ago, SERC has been conducting world-class, peer-reviewed research to understand the causes and consequences of accelerating environmental change.

More About SERC:

SERC’s headquarters comprise 2,654 acres of diverse landscape and 15 miles of protected shoreline, wetlands, and forests on the nation’s largest estuary - Chesapeake Bay – just 25 miles from the nation’s capital.  The site serves as a natural laboratory for long-term and cutting-edge ecological research.  It is home to a diverse staff of senior scientists and engages an interdisciplinary team of more than 180 researchers, technicians, and students carrying out their work at SERC and at diverse field sites with collaborators across continents around the globe. SERC communicates environmental science in innovative ways that change how people view the biosphere and inspire them to take an active role in sustainable stewardship of the Earth.  

More About the Role:

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Science and Research of the Smithsonian Institution, the Director oversees all aspects of SERC’s performance and will lead the development of the strategy that will enhance its global profile and impact. The Director provides vision and strategic leadership for research, education, programs, fundraising, and community engagement activities. As the leader of one of the Smithsonian's preeminent scientific centers, the Director will be an external spokesperson on behalf of SERC and the broader institution to national and international scientific communities and the local and broader public.

The position is based in Edgewater, Maryland and requires periodic travel.

Ideal Experience: The next Director of SERC will have the credentials and experience to raise the profile of the Center and will quickly garner the confidence, respect, and trust of the communities involved, internally and externally. This leader will have an entrepreneurial spirit and will continue to scale the organization while collaboratively engaging with the scientific community, policy makers, and funders to solve real world issues, including the impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems. The next Director will ideally bring:

• Strong scientific credentials, with a Ph.D. in a directly related field and a knowledge of and passion for the work of SERC; a body of work that gains immediate credibility with the scientific team
• Relevant management experience in a diverse scientific research and education organization
• Experience building strong partnerships with other scientific institutions, domestically and globally
• Experience deepening relationships and eliciting support from a wide range of current and potential funders
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to represent SERC’s mission at all levels, internally and externally

The Search Process

The Smithsonian Environment Research Center is being assisted in this recruitment by the international leadership advisory firm Spencer Stuart and welcomes nominations or expressions of interest. To submit comments, nominations, or expressions of interest, please send an email with any supporting materials to the confidential address: SERCDirector@SpencerStuart.com.

As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, the Smithsonian Institution does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, ancestry, or veteran status.