Position Announcement: Institutional Review Board Chair

The Office for Research invites applications for the position of IRB Chair. If you are a faculty member with experience conducting research with human subjects, please consider this opportunity.

This position will begin at the start of the Fall 2026 semester. Applicants should send a cover letter  explaining their interests and relevant experience for this position, a current CV, and the names and contact information for two references.

All application materials should be emailed (IRB  Chair in subject line) to Michele Brumley (michelebrumley@isu.edu) and Chuck Rizzo  (chuckrizzo@isu.edu) by March 13, 2026.

Position Announcement: IRB Chair 
The position of Chair of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), also known as the Human Subjects  Committee, is open for applications. The term of the Chair is for three years, and may be  renewed. Although the IRB does not currently meet in the summer, the Chair must be available  for IRB-related business during the summer months. Compensation will be determined in  consultation with the Office for Research and the individual’s Department Chair and College  Dean, in an effort to meet the needs of the position and balance workload. A knowledgeable and  effective leader is crucial to an effective IRB. This individual has the full support of the Office for  Research and the IRB Responsible Official. The Chair plays an active role in the oversight of  all IRB activities and responsibilities. The IRB Chair has the responsibility for overseeing the  coordination and implementation of effective and efficient systems for human subject protocol  reviews by the IRB, in compliance with regulations applicable to the protection of human subjects  participating in research (45 CFR part 46). 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Associate or Full Professor, with tenure 
• Experience serving on an IRB 
• Experience conducting research with human subjects 
• Leadership experience 

Position Responsibilities 

The successful candidate will have an understanding of the importance of an effective IRB in  enhancing ISU’s educational and research mission and a commitment to leading an ethical and  compliant human subjects research program. They will demonstrate a high level of  professionalism and integrity, and have the ability to lead, be patient, tolerant, diplomatic,  tactful, and efficient. They must be willing to participate in and guide others towards IRB-related  training efforts during the term. 

Specific responsibilities include: 

• Lead regular IRB meetings (i.e., every two weeks). 
• Conduct or assign IRB members to review protocols suitable for expedited review 
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of human subject research regulations. 
• Be knowledgeable and conversant in current regulatory interpretations,  

contemporary practices, and trends pertaining to human subject research. 

• Ensure IRB members are knowledgeable of human subject regulatory  requirements. 
• Take lead on the development and oversight of an effective human subject research  program. 
• Participate in ad hoc compliance investigations involving human subject research. 
• Respond to human subject research compliance concerns.
• Work with the IRB administrator to: make sure all documentation is complete;  schedule meetings and maintain a quorum; create and distribute meeting agendas;  ensure all inspections and program reviews are complete; and ensure protocols are  reviewed, renewed, and amended; review and sign correspondence from the IRB. 
• Oversee the training of IRB members, principal investigators (PIs), and others. 
• Keep the IRB Responsible Official updated regarding the condition of the human  subject research program, compliance investigations, and protocol suspensions. 
• Lead development of policies and standard operating procedures for the IRB. 
• Serve as the liaison between the ISU administration and PIs. 
• Serve as spokesperson between the IRB and PIs. 
• Respond to urgent IRB matters that require immediate attention. 
• Serve as a source of human subject research advice and information for ISU faculty  and staff. 
• Attend training on IRB leadership and management. 

Compensation and Review Process 
It is the practice of the ISU Office for Research to provide compensation for faculty that serve as  the IRB Chair. Compensation can take the form of course(s) release time and/or summer salary.  Overload pay is not an option since the purpose of compensation is to release the committee  Chair from coursework to give them time to conduct committee business. The primary  consideration will be the number and timing of protocols managed by the committee. Because  compensation is likely to impact the faculty member's teaching and/or research, their  department Chair must approve all arrangements. 

A hiring committee will review all applications and make a recommendation to the IRB Responsible Official (Marty Blair, Vice President for Research and Economic Development).