Are you a passionate expert in design thinking, dedicated to helping others become experts in the field? Do you get excited about being on the forefront of educational opportunities in this rapidly growing industry, further advancing the highly diverse and expanding number of career opportunities in design thinking and innovation? Do you enjoy teaching others and leading teams to accomplish complex goals? Then we invite you to apply for the Executive Director role launching and managing Duke University’s Master of Engineering in Design Thinking and Technological Innovation housed in Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering (Durham, NC).

The Master of Engineering in Design Thinking and Technological Innovation is a new degree in Pratt’s Institute for Enterprise Engineering. Duke Engineering’s mission is to create leaders who transform organizations, improve performance and accelerate innovation. As a part of this mission, the Institute for Enterprise Engineering provides high-impact education to meet fast-evolving industry needs, providing world-class educational opportunities for both graduate students and working professionals.

The major responsibilities of this new Executive Director position will be (1) to launch the new Master of Engineering in Design Thinking and Technological Innovation, focusing on both the internal and external work required to execute a leading degree offering in design thinking and emerging technology, 2) to be the Academic Director of the degree, and (3) to teach two courses per year. In this role, you will be expected to:

• Enhance and oversee a world-class interdisciplinary academic program.
• Collaborate across program, institute, department, and school boundaries.
• Identify and hire innovative faculty to teach the curriculum.
• Develop and deliver innovative and applied, problem-based courses.
• Maintain an industry-relevant curriculum through regular industry interaction.
• Support the development of co-curricular activities for students.
• Recruit industry and community partners to serve as clients for student projects.
• Promote the program to external constituencies.
• Direct student recruiting and student admissions process.
• Collaborate with our career center to ensure robust hiring of the graduates.
• Engage with industry leaders through seminars, an advisory board, and project experiences.
• Use best practices of culturally inclusive communication and pedagogy in partnerships and pedagogy.

Preferred candidates will have design thinking experience in a corporate, academic, or government setting. The ideal candidate will also have a master’s degree or commensurate industry experience/expertise in Design or Visual Arts, as well as workshop/teaching/course development experience. Existing industry relationships in the design thinking and innovation space are highly desirable. This position is expected to be full time, but other levels of commitment may be considered. The appointment is expected to be an Executive in Residence, although other faculty categories will be considered depending on applicant qualifications.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values. Information about Duke Engineering’s diversity, inclusion, and antiracist work can be found at https://pratt.duke.edu/about/diversity.

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.