Director, CYFS and Full Professor

University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Nebraska; On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Nebraska seeks a Director for their interdisciplinary research center. The candidate must hold a doctorate and have compelling research leadership experience. Responsibilities include expanding external funding and guiding strategic planning. Preferred qualifications include experience in managing complex research enterprises. This full-time role emphasizes mentorship, communication with stakeholders, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate in a discipline aligned with the social, behavioral, or educational sciences.
• Evidence of success in obtaining and managing externally funded research.
• Proven ability to mentor and support staff across their career spans.

Responsibilities

• Sustain and expand external funding.
• Guide long-term strategic planning.
• Oversee fiscal and administrative operations.

Skills

Research leadership experience

Grant writing and management

Communication skills

Education

Doctorate in a relevant discipline

Job description

Director, CYFS and Full Professor

Location: Lincoln, NE

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Nelson Institute for Children, Youth, Families and Schools (CYFS) seeks an accomplished research leader to serve as Director. CYFS is a revenue-generating, interdisciplinary research center within the College of Education and Human Sciences.

Responsibilities

• Sustain and expand external funding.
• Guide long‑term strategic planning.
• Strengthen interdisciplinary research collaborations.
• Oversee fiscal and administrative operations.
• Position CYFS for continued growth, visibility, and scholarly impact.
• Shape research priorities and mentor research faculty and staff.
• Cultivate internal and external partnerships at the university, community, state, and national levels.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Earned doctorate in a discipline aligned with the social, behavioral, or educational sciences.
• Academic and scholarly achievements that support the rank of full professor with tenure, including peer‑reviewed publications and sustained contributions to the field.
• Evidence of success and an established record in obtaining and managing externally funded research.
• Experience serving as principal investigator or co‑principal investigator on competitively awarded grants from external sources, including federal agencies.
• Demonstrated research leadership experience, such as directing a research center, institute, or large program of research, or leading multi‑investigator and/or interdisciplinary research initiatives.
• Proven ability to mentor and support staff and colleagues across the career span.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with an emphasis on communication with a variety of stakeholder groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading and managing a complex research enterprise, including financial, physical, and human resources.
• Demonstrated skill in working across disciplinary and programmatic boundaries.
• Experience with proposal development, submission, and post‑award oversight for complex research projects.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. https://equity.unl.edu/notice-nondiscrimination/