The successful candidate will be a visionary research leader who conveys a passion for the TRB's values and public service mission, possesses commensurate general management experience, and can demonstrate a proven record of achievement/success within a transportation research or scientific institution, corporation, government organization, private foundation, non-governmental organization, or university. The National Academies seek an innovative leader with strong project management skills who can champion and implement a culture of collegiality and transparency while developing powerful relationships and deep collaborations with internal stakeholders across the TRB, other National Academies divisions, and across the multi-modal TRB community.

Key Selection Criteria:

• A distinguished leader with at least 12 years of experience including six years in a management capacity within a complex research organization, corporation, government organization, foundation, nongovernmental organization, or university.

• Master's degree in a discipline relevant to the TRB mission; Ph.D. desirable.

• An understanding and experience in the TRB volunteer community is desirable.

• The ideal candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications, skills, and experiences:

  • Extensive Research management experience working with government agencies.

  • Experience with leading or staffing volunteer committees and volunteer efforts in research programs.

  • Experience in building consensus among volunteers with disparate views.

  • Demonstrated fiscal management experience.

  • Demonstrated performance management experience.

  • Demonstrated experience in managing an organization through challenging times.

• Demonstrated track record of program development and management in one or more of the following areas: cooperative research in highway, transit, airport, behavioral traffic safety, and innovations deserving exploratory analysis.

• Experience working with several of the following government agencies: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology, and a number of transportation related foundations and non-profit organizations.

Personal Characteristics Desired:

• Proven business acumen, a results-oriented approach, and a track record of delivering results with a thorough understanding of and experience leading strategic planning.

• Understanding of transportation issues from a researcher's and a practitioner's perspective.

• Ability to communicate a compelling vision for an organization and embrace and implement change.

• Ability to attract and retain a diverse, highly accomplished staff and volunteer network by working collaboratively, inspiring and motivating colleagues, and building trust within the organization.

• A creative approach to strategic innovation and intellectual curiosity to stay abreast of emerging trends and future opportunities.

• A keen understanding of how to engage in partnerships with government agencies, foundations, industry, and academia, and experience building collaborative enterprises with those stakeholders.

• Experience enhancing professional development for individuals and creating high-performing teams by communicating guiding goals, giving useful feedback, delegating appropriately, and promoting transparency.

• A thoughtful approach to navigating and problem-solving in a consensus-driven organization.

• Ability to cultivate an environment that fosters excellence through teamwork and entrepreneurialism.

• Adherence to the highest standards of personal integrity and ethical standards.

• Ability to provide high-level leadership to the team, including ensuring the training and development of staff and planning for succession across key roles.

• Experience holding teams accountable to complete projects on time, within budget, and of high quality.

• Ability to communicate clear expectations and be able to lead volunteer experts from many disciplines who serve on study committees.

Compensation Range: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine support equity, fairness, and transparency in our compensation programs. An estimated compensation range for this position is $152,940 - $238,965. Compensation offered to the selected candidate will be based on the candidate's relevant knowledge, skills, and work experience, commensurate with compensation of current employees in comparable positions with similar knowledge, skills, and work experience, and subject to budget parameters. Note it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the higher end of the range.

The National Academies' Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

We, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies), value diversity among our staff, members, volunteers, partners, vendors, and audiences. We recognize that talent is broadly distributed in society and that many perspectives enhance the quality of our work and drive innovation and impact.

We pledge to cultivate a workplace culture and climate that promotes inclusion, belonging, accessibility, and anti-racism; upholds equity; and values the participation of all who are engaged in advancing our mission. By embracing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our programs, institutional policies and practices, and products, we will be able to better advise the nation on the most complex issues facing society and the world.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

It is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that is consistent with equal employment, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, medical condition for which a person has been rehabilitated or cured, marital status, family responsibilities, genetic information, political affiliation, personal appearance, matriculation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified.

Any qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.

Please note NASEM has enlisted a recruiting agency to assist in filling this role. For questions and the full Recruitment Profile, please contact:

Melissa Petersen

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Stanton Chase

(M): 703-405-5091

Job Family: