Associate Dean, Aerospace and Business

Associate Dean, Aerospace and Business

Salary

$63,738.62 - $82,135.99 Annually

Location

Lakeland

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

202600181

Org

Provost Admin

Opening Date

08/20/2026

Closing Date

9/21/2026 8:00 AM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Please label all uploaded documents with your full name (for example: Jane_Doe_Resume). This helps ensure your materials are properly matched to your application.

If you are a currently active Polk State College employee, please create an account using your polk.edu staff email address. Our HR system will not recognize you as an active employee.

Description

This position reports to the Provost of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development. The Associate Dean, Aerospace and Business provides academic and operational leadership for Polk State Colleges aerospace and business programs. This position oversees curriculum, faculty, staff, flight operations, and continuing education and industry partnerships. This position is responsible for program quality, safety, and regulatory compliance across both the academic and flight operations sides of the program. This position develops industry partnerships and integrates hands-on learning opportunities with a focus on workforce development.

The Associate Dean works with faculty, students, and industry and government partners to strengthen the programs reputation, support student recruitment, program matriculation (interest, recruitment, admission, registration, advising, academic progression/success, articulation participation, job placement, and alumni activity), and prepare graduates for careers in aviation, aerospace, business and related fields.

Essential Functions/Duties

Academic leadership:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the aerospace and business departments and their academic programs.
• Develop plans for the facilities to support faculty and program growth.
• Oversee curriculum development, assessment, and continuous improvement across aerospace and business programs.
• Manage the departments administrative and academic functions, including course assignments, enrollment, and partnerships for field-based learning.
• Ensure programs maintain required academic accreditations and certifications.
• Support collaboration across Polk State College programs and academic disciplines.

Flight operations, safety, and compliance:

• Provide oversight of flight operations, including academic alignment, operational performance, and safety culture.
• Oversee the Safety Management System (SMS) and the ongoing improvement of flight training, simulation, and operational infrastructure.
• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations, accreditation standards, and institutional risk management requirements.
• Align flight training capacity, staffing, and instructional quality with enrollment growth and academic quality priorities.
• Coordinate the programs financial and operational planning with college-wide financial and enrollment management and academic outcomes.

External relations and engagement:

• Represent the aerospace and business programs to industry partners, government agencies, students, faculty, alumni, and professional organizations.
• Build and maintain relationships with aviation, aerospace, and educational and business industry partners.
• Support student recruitment, retention, graduation, post-graduation job placement, and alumni engagement.
• Support professional and continuing education initiatives aligned with industry needs.

Supervisory responsibilities:

• May supervise faculty, professional/technical, career, OPS, and work-study employees as assigned.

Committee and consulting responsibilities:

• May serve on or lead committees with other college personnel as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

Required skills, knowledge, and abilities/duties:

• Experience in aviation accreditation, safety, and regulatory environments, including FAA-related programs, compliance frameworks, flight education, and flight operations or flightline management.
• Experience in academic leadership, including program-, department-, and college-level strategic planning and decision-making.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies in aviation, including advanced air mobility, unmanned systems, and related innovation.
• Professional aviation credentials, flight experience, flightline management or maintenance experience, or related certifications.
• Knowledge of curriculum development, instructional methods, and evaluation of professional development programs.
• Experience recruiting, retaining, developing, evaluating, and mentoring qualified faculty.
• Strong oral and written communication skills for working with faculty, administrators, and external partners.
• Experience building and sustaining industry partnerships.
• Ability to manage departmental records and prepare reports according to college guidelines.

Working Conditions/Additional Information

• This position is a full-time on-campus position located at our Airside East and/or Lakeland campuses; the position will travel between College and community locations as necessary. (Remote/hybrid options are not available.)
• Weekend and evening work may be required.
• Position may be required to work during College closures (such as winter/spring break and inclement weather closures).
• Reliable transportation is required for travel to campuses, centers, and community locations. Possession of a valid Florida's Driver's License is required (or must be eligible to obtain a Florida's license within 30 days).
• Standard office work environment with potential for long periods of sitting and extended time at a computer.
• This position will require the ability to lift at least 10 lbs.

Salary and Benefits Information

• This position is level P17.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.

Required Education:

• A Masters degree in aerospace, aviation, or engineering from an accredited college or university with relevant coursework in business-related subject matter is required.

Preferred Education:

• An earned Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field (such as Engineering Mechanics or Materials Science) from an accredited institution with relevant coursework in business-related subject matter is preferred.

• An MBA with relevant graduate coursework in aerospace, aviation, engineering, or business is preferred.

Required Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of professional work experience in aerospace programming or a closely related field.
• A relevant combination of documented success with project management, business operations, academic programming, class instruction, or training administration is required
• Demonstrated effective professional leadership with progressively increasing leadership responsibilities during field-specific employment is required.

Supplemental Information

Submissions that do not include all parts of the following required information will not be considered:

• a resume.
• an electronic job application (all sections MUST be completed).

Important Information

• If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.
• Polk State College participates in E-Verify. Candidates must provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States. Polk State College does not provide visa sponsorship.
• To request Veteran's Preference, please be sure to upload all necessary documents (DD-214, etc.) to your application.
• Polk State College is a drug-free workplace.
• Polk State College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Employment visa sponsorship is unavailable for this position. Applicants requiring employment visa sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., F-1 STEM OPT, H-1B, TN, J1, etc.) will not be considered.
• Reference checks, successful completion of a background check, and third-party Education Verification for all stated degrees will be required prior to employment.
• Polk State College does NOT provide relocation assistance for this position.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Polk State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities, or employment. For information about the College's equal access and equal opportunity policies and procedures, or to file a complaint, please contact:

Title IX Coordinator

3425 Winter Lake Road

Lakeland, FL 33803

863.669.2903

compliance@polk.edu

For additional information, visit polk.edu/compliance

We encourage applicants to provide feedback on their experience or request help at Careers@polk.edu.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page.

01

Are you over the age of 18?

• Yes
• No

02

Are you currently authorized to work in the United States for any U.S. employer?

• Yes
• No

03

Will you now or in the future require any type of employer sponsorship or immigration-related support to legally work for Polk State College? (This includes but is not limited to the following: H-1B, H-1B1, J-1, TN, E-3, O-1, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT.)

• Yes
• No

04

Are you currently in a period of F-1 CPT or OPT or seeking employment under one of these programs?

• Yes
• No

05

Are you a United States Veteran or a qualifying family member seeking to use Veterans Preference? (Please upload your DD-214 documents to your profile/application.)

• Yes
• No

06

Are you a current employee at Polk State College?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you bilingual?

• Yes
• No

08

I am able to work 100% on campus and I do not require a remote or hybrid schedule.

• Yes
• No

09

Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?

• High School Diploma/GED
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Masters Degree + 18 graduate hours
• Doctorate Degree

10

Do you have a Masters Degree or higher in aerospace, aviation, or engineering from an accredited college or university with relevant coursework in business-related subject matter?

• Yes
• No

11

Do you have an MBA with relevant graduate coursework in aerospace, aviation, engineering, or business from a regionally accredited college or university?

• Yes
• No

12

How many years of professional experience in aerospace programming or a closely related field do you have?

• No experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
• 2 years but less than 3 years of experience
• 3 years but less than 4 years of experience
• 4 years but less than 7 years of experience
• 7 years but less than 8 years of experience
• 8 years but less than 9 years of experience
• 9 years but less than 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years of experience

13

Do you have a relevant combination of documented success with project management, business operations, academic programming, class instruction, or training administration?

• Yes
• No

14

Do you have demonstrated effective professional leadership with progressively increasing leadership responsibilities during field-specific employment?

• Yes
• No

15

How many years of managing or supervising staff experience do you have?

• No Experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
• 2 years but less than 3 years of experience
• 3 years but less than 4 years of experience
• 4 years but less than 5 years of experience
• More than 5 years of experience

16

The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be verified and documentation may be required. Please be honest and accurate as possible. You may be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a work sample or during the interview. By completing this supplemental questionnaire, you are attesting that the information you have provided is accurate. Any misstatements, omissions, or falsification of information may eliminate you from consideration or result in dismissal.

• Yes, I understand and agree
• No, I do not agree

Required Question

Employer Polk State College

Address 999 Avenue H NE

Winter Haven, Florida, 33881

Phone 8632971055

Website www.polk.edu