The Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies (CYAF) is seeking applicants for a full-time, tenure-track (9-month appointment) Assistant Professor with a focus in the areas of rural mental health and/or substance use to begin August 2026.
The successful candidate will bring expertise in research and teaching that will contribute to the national and international reputation of our programs, department, and university. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with the Rural Drug Addiction Research (RDAR) Center (https://rdar.unl.edu/), an NIH-funded Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), to engage in cutting-edge research that builds on the strengths of the RDAR Center. The faculty member will be well positioned to leverage RDAR Center data to better understand the causes and consequences of substance use and related outcomes, and to inform prevention and intervention approaches.
The candidate’s teaching and research will complement existing departmental focus areas (e.g., early childhood education, child development, adolescent and young adulthood, trauma, and health disparities across the life course). The successful candidate will conduct innovative research and provide high-quality teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the Human Development and Family Studies and Global Family Health and Well-Being programs in the CYAF department.
The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science/Studies or a related social science field (e.g., Sociology, Psychology) by the time of appointment. The position emphasizes rural mental health and/or substance use, broadly defined. Applicants whose research addresses related factors, such as behavioral health disparities, access to care, community well-being, prevention, or intervention in rural contexts are encouraged to apply. Candidates should clearly explain how their research contributes to the broader field of rural mental health and/or substance use. Successful candidates will demonstrate clear evidence of, or the potential for, securing external funding in areas related to rural mental health, substance use, or closely connected topics.
