Director - Clemson University Extension Center for Health Outreach Location:
Poole Agricultural Center (P&A), Clemson, SC
Open Date:
Apr 9, 2024
Description: The College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences at Clemson University invites applications for the position of Professor and inaugural Director of Extension Center for Health Outreach (ECHO).
Clemson University is a Land Grant institution designated as an R1 university with strong community engagement. The College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences is deeply rooted in Clemson University's heritage as a land-grant institution, advancing founder Thomas Green Clemson's vision of higher education that benefits South Carolina, its people, land, natural resources, and economy. World-class education, research, and Extension merge for scientific discoveries of global impact, while partnerships with industry and state and federal agencies foster innovation and provide unique opportunities for faculty and students.
Clemson University's Extension Center for Health Outreach (ECHO) is the centralized home of health innovation through extension. It strengthens the partnerships between Clemson faculty across the university, Extension staff, and community stakeholders to collaboratively address significant public health problems through research, education, and service. ECHO capitalizes on the success of the Extension Rural Health and Nutrition Team and academic partners from the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, and the College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences.
ECHO is home for the Extension Rural Health and Nutrition Team. The SC legislature recognizes the potential impact of a statewide rural health Extension program and provides recurring funds that support 2 faculty positions and 20 Extension agent positions located throughout the state focused on improving health in South Carolina and program operations. In addition to these state funds, the Rural Health and Nutrition Team currently receives over $1.2 million dollars annually in grant and cooperative agreement funds to operate research and education programs. ECHO will build on the team's current success to expand funding for multi-disciplinary research addressing chronic disease prevention and management, improving healthy food access, increasing accessibility to safe places for physical activity, and women and children's health.
General Duties and Responsibilities The Director serves as the principal internal and external spokesperson for ECHO and its mission. The Director will hold faculty rank and provide leadership and support to maintain and advance strong integrated research and Extension programs appropriate for the ECHO vision and mission.
The Director will provide a vision for innovative research and educational initiatives and foster a collegial working environment and collaborative relationships with faculty across all colleges within the Clemson University system, community partners, external funding agencies, research collaborators at partner institutions and other key constituency groups.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Plan and execute strategies for growth and sustainability of the Extension Rural Health and Nutrition team.
- Establish processes and procedures for efficiency of programs and initiatives.
- Complete scholarly work through research projects and rigorous evaluation of health and nutrition initiatives.
- Leverage resources to meet ECHO needs and activities.
- Coordinate undergraduate and graduate student experiential learning through internships, graduate assistantships, and thesis and doctoral dissertation opportunities.
- Ensure ECHO sustainability.
- Foster diversity and inclusion among students, faculty and staff.
Qualifications: Clemson University seeks a strategic and visionary scientist to lead ECHO. The successful candidate will have experience in a premier academic setting and can serve as a strong advocate for faculty, staff, and students. The candidate will also have demonstrated accomplishments, impacts, and programmatic vision of relevance to the research and Extension programs of ECHO.
Additional Required Qualifications Include: - Achievements comparable with qualifications commensurate with Associate Professor with Tenure
- Minimum of 6 years in an Extension leadership role
- Demonstrated scholarly achievements
- History of successful grant awards
- Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams
- Demonstrated experience working across sectors of healthcare, public health services, Extension Services, and academic departments
- Registered Dietitian (preferred)
Education The successful candidate will have earned a Ph.D. in nutritional sciences, public health, food science and technology, or health science related discipline.
Application Instructions: For full consideration, please apply by May 8, 2024. This position will be posted until it is filled.
Applications should include 1) a detailed curriculum vitae, 2) a letter of interest that addresses the requirements described above and the applicant's motivation to apply, 3) a statement of vision (2-page max) for the ECHO Director role including leadership style and values, and diversity, and 4) names, titles, and contact information for at least three references. All application materials are required to be submitted electronically via .
Inquiries and nominations can be submitted confidentially to Dr. Sarah Griffin ().
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Clemson University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against any person or group on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, pregnancy, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information.
