Biomedical Researcher Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

The Opportunity
The University of Central Florida seeks an innovative, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine. The Vice President and Dean will advance medical education, biomedical research, and academic health partnerships at one of the nation's largest metropolitan research universities. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President and Dean will serve as the university's senior advisor on health affairs while leading the UCF Academic Health Sciences Center and College of Medicine.
Established in 2006, the UCF College of Medicine was founded to educate and train the next generation of physicians and scientists through innovation, technology, creative problem-solving, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Located at UCF's Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona Medical City, the college is part of a rapidly evolving environment that brings together medical education, biomedical sciences, research, and clinical partnerships alongside nationally recognized healthcare and research organizations. The College of Medicine includes the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and works closely with partners across UCF's health-related colleges and academic units to advance discovery, improve patient care, and help shape the future of workforce development, biomedical innovation, and the technologies transforming healthcare for Florida and beyond.
The Vice President and Dean will provide strategic leadership to shape the next chapter of UCF's College of Medicine and Academic Health Sciences Center, strengthening research growth, faculty excellence, student success, growth of the clinical enterprise and clinical training opportunities. This leader will foster interdisciplinary collaboration across UCF, healthcare systems, industry, and community partners to advance innovation in medical education, biomedical research, and patient care. The successful candidate will help position UCF to meet Florida's evolving healthcare and workforce needs while expanding the university's impact on the state's economy, health outcomes, research enterprise, and future talent pipeline. They will join a university defined by bold action, collaborative innovation, and a commitment to inventing the future of healthcare and higher education.
Minimum Qualifications:
The successful candidate must hold an MD or an equivalent clinical doctoral degree from an accredited institution and demonstrate a record of teaching, research, and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure in the College of Medicine.
Tenure track candidates must be eligible for appointment as a tenured professor of medicine upon hire. The selected candidate must have a demonstrated record of teaching, research, and service commensurate with a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of professor of medicine in the College of Medicine.
Preferred Qualifications:

• A proven leader with significant administrative experience and the ability to both articulate and execute a clear vision.
• Demonstrated ability to build infrastructure and recruit personnel necessary to expand the research enterprise and attract extramural funding from government and private sources.
• Ability to strengthen and diversify clinical partnerships, including building relationships with Central Florida health systems to expand training opportunities, enhance community engagement, and increase the College's regional impact.
• Proven capacity to grow and support faculty, expand high-demand disciplines, build depth in existing areas, and secure the resources needed to sustain growth.
• Evidence of the ability to strategically expand UCF Health and generate resources to reinvest in education, research, and community service.
• Ability to operationalize a technology-driven college and deliver undergraduate and graduate education that leverages UCF's strengths in engineering, optics and photonics, modeling and simulation, and artificial intelligence.
• Capacity to foster innovative educational programming, steward existing programs, and identify new academic offerings aligned with evolving student interests and emerging workforce needs in healthcare and biomedical sciences.
• Ability to advance medical education partnerships and affiliations to create new opportunities for medical students, residents, and fellows.
• Demonstrated success in securing philanthropic support through strong, sustained relationships with donors, alumni, foundations, industry partners, and public stakeholders.
• Substantial experience as both a medical researcher and a leader of a research enterprise, including recruiting faculty, developing laboratories, securing extramural funding, and translating discoveries into clinical impact.
• An agile and innovative leader who is comfortable navigating strategic risk in response to shifting federal funding landscapes, rapid technological advancements, and evolving academic healthcare dynamics.
• Ability to build and sustain partnerships across the university and with external stakeholders while effectively managing complex, multi-stakeholder relationships.
• A genuine people-centered leader who inspires collaboration, leverages faculty expertise, reduces silos, and fosters a culture of shared purpose and ambition.
• Commitment to sustaining a high-quality MD program while expanding faculty and resources to support continued excellence.
• Demonstrated experience growing revenue through multiple channels and aligning resource deployment to institutional strategic priorities.
• A broad, integrative perspective that leverages collaboration across UCF's academic colleges to advance the health sciences mission.
• A decisive leader who is comfortable prioritizing resources, making bold decisions, and demonstrating resilience in navigating challenges and pursuing ambitious goals.
• Eligibility for an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of Florida (or ability to obtain licensure upon relocation) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification.

Additional Application Materials Required:
Applications, nominations, and inquiries should be directed to the search firm contact listed below. While applications and nominations will be accepted until a new Vice President and Dean is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials to our consultant at the address below by August 15, 2026, for full consideration. Application materials must include a current CV and letter of interest.
UCF VPHA and Dean of Medicine Search
Funk Associates
2911 Turtle Creek Boulevard, Suite 300
Dallas, Texas 75219
Email: Krisha.Creal@funkassociates.com
The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.
Questions regarding this search should be directed to: Krisha Creal at Krisha.Creal@funkassociates.com.
Special Instructions to the Applicants:
On March 10, 2026, UCF received clarification that the current State moratorium on H-1B visas applies not only to new sponsorships but also to H-1B transfers into the institution. This means we are unable to process transfers for individuals currently holding H-1B status with other employers. UCF will share updates as soon as State guidance changes or additional details become available.
Job Close Date:
Open until filled. Review of candidates will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by August 15, 2026.
Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as 'Open until filled' may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.
Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?
As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you'll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You'll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you'll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you'll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.
Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options.
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions.
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment.
• And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.
Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:
Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.
The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.
Department
College of Medicine (COM)
Work Schedule
Varies
Type of Appointment
Regular
Expected Salary
Negotiable
The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.
UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.
If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu.
For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.