Duke University, October 2025

The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) has a 22-year history of convening social science researchers, supporting individuals, and cultivating connection across disciplines, schools, and programs at Duke. In a challenging and evolving higher education landscape, it’s more important than ever to envision an institute that will continue to leverage Duke’s strengths in interdisciplinarity and provide avenues for collaborative research, methodological training, exploration of new approaches to teaching, and engagement with partners beyond campus. We seek candidates with a track record of leadership and scholarly community-building who are eager to shape the future directions of this important university-wide institute.

Current Mission Statement: “SSRI’s core mission is to catalyze pioneering social science research and methods and their broad application.” (See specific ways in which this mission is carried out.)

I. UIC-Specific: Social Science Research Institute

  • Ensure that SSRI enriches and supports the full range of social science scholarship at Duke.
  • Maintain an appropriate balance between support for individuals (e.g., faculty members, students) and collaborative projects.
  • Update institute bylaws.
  • Partner with school leadership to ensure alignment of priorities in research and education related to social science, broadly construed. Foster appropriate connections with the humanities and arts, law, policy, engineering, business, and divinity, natural sciences, and applied and health sciences.
  • Ensure SSRI is a vibrant, supportive home for the Bass Connections Race & Society theme, with appropriate guidance to existing teams and ongoing efforts to recruit new faculty leads.
  • Partner with the Rhodes Information Initiative in stewarding the Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science.

II. Overall Leadership Description for Any University-Wide Duke Institute, Initiative or Center (UIC)

Leadership

  • Carry out and periodically refresh the organizational mission statement, ensuring that it remains aligned with university priorities.
  • Embed the Duke values of respect, trust, inclusion, discovery, and excellence across UIC programs, activities, and governance.
  • Serve as chair-equivalent for any faculty appointed in the UIC; oversee faculty appointments, renewals, performance evaluations, and promotions.
  • Supervise and mentor unit associate directors and staff, including hiring, performance reviews, and promotions.
  • Communicate university priorities to the UIC’s constituencies.
  • Serve on Duke committees and in other Duke roles as a representative of interdisciplinary leadership.

Community Building

  • Work with deans, chairs, and affiliated faculty to develop a shared and achievable vision for research, education, and engagement.
  • Develop and implement appropriate mechanisms for faculty input into the governance practices for the UIC as a whole, as well as affiliated centers and programs.
  • Identify arenas in which the UIC possesses a comparative advantage over schools, whether in catalyzing innovative research, pedagogy/training, or engagement and interaction beyond campus.
  • Work closely with the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Programs and other UIC directors to foster information sharing and the diffusion of best practices.

External Engagement

  • Collaborate with Alumni Engagement & Development and the Office of Research & Innovation to seek external funding in line with evolving UIC priorities.
  • Work with senior staff to prepare proposals, ensure follow through on grants and gifts, and provide stewardship reports to funders.
  • Where appropriate, develop capacity to assist faculty in pursuing interdisciplinary grant and fellowship applications.
  • Partner with the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and university communications to enhance visibility nationally and internationally.

Resource Management

  • Work with the Office of Interdisciplinary Finance and Administration to streamline operations (communications, IT, administration, finance, HR) and align resources with evolving priorities.
  • Deploy resources to foster emerging interdisciplinary collaborations.
  • Regularly review projects and sunset commitments as appropriate.

Mentorship

  • Provide guidance to center directors, primary faculty, and senior staff with regard to professional development and opportunities to integrate activities across the UIC.
  • Mentor and advocate for the next generation of leaders; identify and develop faculty for future leadership roles both in and outside of the UIC.
  • Ensure faculty have an intellectual home with opportunities for service and pathways to engage with the Duke faculty community writ large.

To Apply

Candidates should provide a CV and a letter of application that speaks to their intellectual trajectory, track record of leadership, and interest in the directorship no later than Friday, November 21, 2025. These materials can be sent via email to SSRI-DirectorSearch@duke.edu.

Individuals who proceed as finalists will be asked to provide a vision statement for the institute.