TURI Director

Posting updated 9/3/2026. (Minimum qualifications have been revised.)

General Summary of Position:

The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) a renowned research practice and education institute located at UMass Lowell in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences is seeking a collaborative leader to serve as its next Director and to provide strategic organizational and fiscal leadership to the Institute.

Established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1989 as part of the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) has a mandate to help protect workers communities and the environment from toxic chemicals and pollution. Working at the intersection of and in close collaboration with businesses of all sizes as well as government agencies local communities and international organizations TURIs work supports actions to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in manufacturing. With these partners TURI helps identify actions companies and communities can take to protect workers and public health. It does this by promoting adoption of toxics use reduction pollution prevention and safer chemistry through education and training policy advocacy research laboratory services provision of information and technical support for companies and communities and grants to industry academic researchers and community and governmental organizations.

TURI is entering a new exciting phase in its history as it establishes an affiliation with UMass Lowells Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy which is the universitys epicenter for sustainability safer materials climate change and renewable energy. For close to a decade the Rist Institute has led efforts to establish UMass Lowell as a go-to location for energy and sustainability partnerships. Recently reflected in the universitys Platinum AASHE STARS rating UMass Lowell is the only campus to have achieved this recognition in Massachusetts and one of only fourteen globally.

Building on UMass Lowell and TURIs track record of excellence in environmental protection alternatives assessment and advanced materials and manufacturing the Rist Institute is actively building a new research and engagement center focused on sustainable materials. Leveraging opportunities from growing research capacity outstanding industry engagement and national and international relevance it is envisioned that the new TURI Director will have an important role to play in advancing TURIs work and prominence through close internal and external collaboration with the Rist Institute. More information on the Rist Institute is available here.

The TURI Director reports to the Dean of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and oversees a staff of fifteen and a budget of approximately $1.6M. The Director will provide high-level strategic organizational and fiscal leadership for the Institute in collaboration with TURIs dedicated and passionate professional staff and affiliated UMass Lowell faculty. The ideal candidate will have an inclusive participatory and transparent leadership style and the ability to protect and steward TURIs mission and stellar accomplishments elevate and expand its impact support and invest in staff and position the Institute for balanced growth through new strategic collaborations.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing high-level strategic organizational and fiscal leadership to advance TURIs mission and broaden its impact
• Working with TURA partner agencies the MA Office of Technical Assistance and Technology (OTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and engaging with relevant federal agencies such as the US Environmental Protectional Agency to implement the TURA Act and fulfill TURIs mission
• Maintaining relationships with a broad range of university government industry and community stakeholders and developing new relationships with potential partners and collaborators from a variety of sectors
• Sustaining and elevating TURIs strong reputation through dissemination of its accomplishments to external audiences and by expanding TURIs impact and visibility nationally and internationally
• Contributing to the development of the Rist Institutes hub focused on sustainable materials pollution prevention and toxics use reduction
• Seeking to expand and diversify revenue sources for TURI over time through for example advocacy philanthropy federal and private grants industry partnerships and fee-for-service activities.
• Fostering research among TURI staff and collaborators and supporting efforts to expand TURIs research portfolio
• Prioritizing and fostering a supportive collaborative and transparent workplace culture with opportunities for professional growth

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

• Masters degree in environmental science or policy environmental health engineering occupational health business sustainability organizational management or a related scientific or technical discipline.
• Minimum 10 years research and/or practical experience in a related area.
• *Will consider candidateswith a PhD in environmental science or policy environmental health engineering occupational health business sustainability or a related scientific or technical discipline and 7 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated strategic program or organizational leadership experience that includes supervising experienced professional staff
• Collaborative leadership style and skills
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse stakeholder communities such as industry non-profit academic and government
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity/inclusion

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience specifically in pollution prevention or toxics use reduction
• Experience in leading professional staff conducting a diverse array of projects and in mentoring new staff
• Demonstrated ability to lead develop strategy and provide forward momentum for a multi-faceted research and practice organization
• Experience managing conflicting perspectives from diverse stakeholder groups
• Demonstrated knowledge of environmental policies
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with a variety of audiences who have a wide range of technical understanding
• Demonstrated ability to identify new strategic opportunities and execute expanded programmatic directions
• Demonstrated ability to connect research to practice settings in industry
• Demonstrated ability to acquire external funding such as through research grants industry collaborations or philanthropic sources

Special Instructions to Applicants:

This position is a full-time benefited and a non-unit professional position in grade P24. Anticipated salary based on qualifications for range minimum: $th quartile: $144333 and midpoint: $163159.

This position is an in-person position located in Lowell MA and contingent upon continued funding.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled; however the posting may close when an adequate number of qualified applications is received.

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. The cover letter should summarize your experience in relation to the position qualifications. Names and contact information of three references who can speak to the qualifications outlined in this position will be required at the time of application.