Division Chief, Surgical Sciences

The Department of Surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist / Wake Forest University School of Medicine seeks an accomplished and visionary academic leader to serve as Division Chief of Surgical Sciences.

The Division Chief will lead the strategic growth and operational excellence of the Department’s research enterprise, supporting a broad spectrum of basic, translational, clinical, and health services research. This individual will oversee research activities spanning multiple surgical subspecialties, providing leadership and infrastructure to enable collaboration among MD and PhD investigators.

The successful candidate will foster innovation, mentorship, and inclusive excellence—cultivating a diverse, sustainable, and well-funded research environment aligned with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s mission of advancing discovery, education, and clinical excellence to improve health outcomes for all.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and implement a unifying vision for the Division of Surgical Sciences that bridges clinical, translational, and basic science research.
• Collaborate with departmental, institutional, and system leadership to align research initiatives with clinical excellence, education, and health equity goals.
• Work with section and institutional leadership to direct strategic planning processes, establish and achieve long-range goals, and ensure that implementation of strategic plans aligns with the institution’s vision, strategic priorities, and goals.
• Serve as an advocate for research across all surgical subspecialties, enhancing the Department’s scholarly impact and national reputation.

Research Infrastructure & Operations

• Oversee and expand research infrastructure, including core facilities, shared laboratory resources, regulatory support, and data science capabilities.
• Ensure healthy and collaborative administrative relationships within the Estate of Surgery, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), and the Clinical Research Unit (CRU). Work closely with the Director of the Office of Clinical Research and others within CTSI on special projects for the Dean’s Office.
• Continually assess and improve the efficiency of systems and processes to promote operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and research productivity.
• Streamline operational workflows to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and facilitate investigator success.
• Build systems that enable both MD- and PhD-led projects to thrive within a coordinated research ecosystem.

Program Development & Funding Growth

• Drive growth of extramural research funding by supporting faculty in developing competitive grant applications and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Lead initiatives to diversify the Department’s research portfolio across the full spectrum—from discovery science to outcomes and implementation research.
• Foster partnerships with federal agencies, foundations, and industry to sustain long-term research investment.

Faculty & Trainee Development

• Recruit, mentor, and retain a diverse community of investigators and research staff across surgical specialties.
• Promote professional development and research career pathways for faculty, residents, fellows, and postdoctoral trainees.
• Cultivate a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity.

Scholarly Excellence & Collaboration

• Encourage and support high-impact publications, presentations, and national recognition for investigators within the Division.
• Facilitate cross-departmental and cross-institutional collaborations that advance multidisciplinary discovery and innovation across the Atrium Health Enterprise.