Chair & Prof

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

The Family, Youth and Community Sciences Department at the University of Florida invites nominations and applications for the position of Department Chair.

Departmental Overview:

The mission of the Family, Youth and Community Sciences Department is to enhance lifelong learning and the personal, social, economic and environmental well-being of diverse individuals, families and communities through state-of-the art research, teaching, and Extension programs. Included in this mission are the following key elements:

• To extend the frontiers of knowledge through research and other scholarly endeavors.
• To build and enhance student competencies for successful careers.
• To apply research-based information through innovative outreach programs.
• To further advance the skills and knowledge of the department’s faculty members through continued education and professional development.

The Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences (FYCS) (http://fycs.ifas.ufl.edu) is a unit of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) at the University of Florida and is located at the Gainesville campus. The Department employs 29 faculty members, a dedicated advising team for undergraduate and graduate programs, and three administrative staff members. The interdisciplinary FYCS undergraduate major enrolls over 150 students with potential for growth. There are nearly 80 students minoring in FYCS with a substantial number also enrolled in the Nonprofit Organizational Leadership Minor. The Department offers both in-person and online M.S in Family, Youth and Community Sciences programs and an in-person PhD program in Youth Development and Family Sciences; currently, 49 students are enrolled in our graduate programs. The PhD program provides training in Prevention Science, Human Development and Family Sciences, Methodology, and Applied Research. Graduate students are mentored by faculty from a variety of disciplines. The Department is also home to an Online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.

The Department is interdisciplinary with faculty areas of focus falling under the three main domains of family, youth, and communities. Faculty are at the forefront of their fields of prevention science, human development and family science, human services, applied psychology, nonprofit management, public health, public administration, social work, economics, housing, and agriculture, among others. The Department also has robust Extension programming, including the areas of youth and human development; family science; consumer economics and resource management; mental health and well-being; community development, sustainability, and disaster management; and human nutrition, food safety, and health. Extension programs are implemented in collaboration with Extension faculty in all 67 Florida counties and statewide program leaders for Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development. The Department’s sponsored research and Extension activities have generated in excess of $24 million over the course of the past year. The department engages in collaborative working relationships with Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and other public and private universities both in and out of state and on a global scale.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Chair of the Family, Youth and Community Sciences (FYCS) Department provides overall leadership and administrative support for cutting-edge research, teaching, and Extension programs that create new knowledge, set future directions and respond to student and community needs. Responsibilities include: cultivating a cohesive and collaborative interdisciplinary department; fostering the professional development of a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students; advocating for the department; and enhancing the department’s visibility and reputation. Other administrative responsibilities include: budgetary and personnel management; representation of the department to state, federal and international agencies, professional and non-governmental organizations, and cooperating units within the University; and development of internal and external funding opportunities. The Chair works collaboratively with other IFAS administrators to provide leadership for delivering integrated programs that meet the needs of students, research sponsors, Extension clientele, community members, and key informant groups. The Chair supports the vision of shared governance within the department, college and university.

Background Information: 

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 60,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties. The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus.  UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.

The University of Florida’s main campus is located in Gainesville, which is often recognized as one of Florida's most livable cities and one of the best college towns in America. Located in the heart of beautiful North Central Florida, Gainesville maintains a small-town feel, but offers many amenities found in much larger metro areas. With an expanding downtown, a strong cultural arts following and a wide variety of shops and restaurants, world-class medical care and facilities, and relatively low cost of living, greater Gainesville is one of the best places to work, live and play. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

Commensurate with Education and Experience

• An earned doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in interdisciplinary and applied sciences including: Human Development, Family Studies, Psychology, Public Health, Social Work, Prevention Science, Family and Consumer Sciences or a closely related discipline.
• An outstanding record of scholarly achievement and professional activities that will qualify the individual to be a tenured full professor in the department;
• A record of excellence in leadership in the tenets of the land-grant mission, including research and scholarship, teaching, and Extension;
• Experience leading master’s and doctoral programs as well as online delivery of education;
• Proven skills consistent with those needed to lead an interdisciplinary and growing academic department such as: strategic planning, human and fiscal resource management, team-building, public and alumni relations, and private fundraising;
• Demonstrated experience in obtaining, leading, and managing significant extramural funding;
• Demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication and the ability to interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, administrators and external community members and key informants;
• Experience in leading interdisciplinary programs and teams;
• Capacity to navigate collaborative relationships within the university and at state, federal and international levels;
• Expertise in undergraduate and graduate student recruitment and retention for on-campus and distance education programs;
• Evidence of mentorship of interdisciplinary faculty and staff members; and
• Commitment to fostering a positive departmental culture with an emphasis on sense of community and transparency for faculty, students, and staff.  
• Commitment to UF core values.

For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit additional materials by 14 February 2025.  The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Employment Conditions:

This position is available July, 2025, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available.

Nominations:

Individuals wishing to nominate candidates should do so by contacting the Search and Screen Committee Chair by e-mail or telephone (contact information below) no later than January 15, 2025, to allow sufficient time to contact the nominee.

Applications:

Individuals wishing to apply must go online to Careers at UF and submit: 

• Cover letter stating applicant’s interest in the position, qualifications relative to the credentials listed above, previous professional responsibilities and achievements, administrative and management philosophy, and how these relate to the chairs’ position. The letter should include the applicant’s general strategy for building and sustaining this department 
• Complete vita (which includes statement of current position and responsibilities) 
• Names and contact information of three individuals who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s qualifications for this position 

Contact Information for Nominations and Questions:

Questions regarding the position may be directed to the Search and Screen Committee Chair:

Dr. Renée Goodrich

Chair, Search & Screen Committee

Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition

PO Box 110370

Gainesville, FL 32611-0270

Tel: 352-392-2022

goodrich@ufl.edu

The selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws.

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information, and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotion, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.