Assistant Professor of Behavioral Health, Extension Specialist

Position Information

Classification Title Assistant Professor FLSA Faculty Rank Assistant Professor Contract Type Academic (9 mo.) Tenure Status Tenure Track

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

Earned doctorate degree in HDFS or closely related field (e.g., psychology, public health, gerontology, nutrition, etc.).

Position Summary

The Department of Human Development and Family Science within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at The University of Georgia is seeking applicants for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Behavioral Health Education and Extension Specialist, located at the Athens campus. This position is a full-time, academic year (9-month) appointment, with a 50% Extension, 25% teaching, 20% research and 5% service effort allocation.

Tenure-track faculty appointments begin August 1, 2026 and this position will be located on the Athens campus. Please refer to UGA's criteria for faculty appointment, promotion, and tenure.

The UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Extension network is a trusted partner of the Georgia healthcare system, advancing prevention and health outcomes in alignment with the university's land-grant mission. Health Extension bridges the gap between clinical care and everyday life, delivering health education, prevention strategies and behavioral change support to individuals, families and communities throughout Georgia. This position is funded by the Presidential Interdisciplinary Faculty Hiring Initiative and as such, a successful candidate is expected to develop and implement local, state, regional, national, and internationally-recognized programs broadly focused on behavioral health extension to improve health outcomes for individuals and families in Georgia.

This hiring initiative directly supports the land-grant mission of UGA and Extension and complements the new UGA medical school's focus on rural health.

The successful candidate will collaborate with Extension Specialists in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance, USDA NIFA, Georgia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, and other established partners. The successful candidate will work with 109 FACS Extension agents and educators serving 51 counties in Georgia.

A successful candidate will show the potential to take responsibility on externally funded, peer-reviewed projects concerning behavioral health education; present research at a minimum of one national or international conference per year, and participate in service on departmental, college, and/or university committees to support education and engagement missions. In addition, a successful candidate will be expected to teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

* Develop a robust Extension outreach program that considers the needs of Georgia Health Extension Agents and Educators and delivers programming, with measurable outcomes, to meet those needs.

* Work collaboratively with university faculty and Extension colleagues in diverse subject matter disciplines to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based educational programs focused on behavioral health issues.

* Develop a research program focused on contemporary allied health and behavioral health systems and write grants to secure extramural funding to support an innovative and sustainable extension and research program in Behavioral Health Education.

* Provide subject matter expertise for County Extension Agents through trainings, information, and research-informed, evidence-based programs that meet identified county and statewide needs.

* Publish in appropriate outlets for Extension and research audiences, including peer-reviewed journals.

* Disseminate applied research results and educational materials through extension publications and other types of written, audio, and/or visual works.

* Participate in graduate student mentoring and education.

* Assist in other tasks as assigned by the department.

Additional Requirements

The candidate must demonstrate evidence of innovative thinking, have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively with faculty, students, extension colleagues, and community stakeholders to develop a collaborative research and Extension program.

Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification

Preferred requirements include one year of experience with Extension programming or working with farmers.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

We seek a colleague with expertise in farm stress, health education delivery, prevention strategies and/or behavioral change to support individuals, families and communities.

The successful candidate should demonstrate potential for establishing a record of extramural funding, conducting research on behavioral…