Executive Director of the Georgia Center for Developmental Science

Posting Details

Posting Details

Posting Number F2769P Working Title Executive Director of the Georgia Center for Developmental Science Department FACS-Fam & Cons Sci About the University of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state's flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University's main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University's enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department

The Georgia Center for Developmental Science is a university-wide hub that integrates expertise across developmental science, developmental cognitive neuroscience, public health, prevention science, and clinical and quantitative psychology. GCDS supports faculty across multiple colleges and departments through shared infrastructure for grant development, methodological consultation, data science and computational resources, and collaborative initiatives spanning basic, translational, and applied developmental science. The Center sustains active partnerships with rural communities across Georgia and advances research that addresses the social, environmental, and biological determinants of youth health, well-being, and resilience. In April 2026, GCDS hosted its inaugural conference, Pathways of Risk and Resilience: From Neuron to Neighborhood, signaling the Center's commitment to multilevel, multimethod, and translational developmental science. The Center's portfolio includes federally funded longitudinal neuroimaging and biobehavioral studies of youth growing up in adversity, secondary analyses of large-scale consortium data (e.g., the ABCD Study), and community-engaged prevention research, with active funding from NIH institutes including NIDA, NIAAA, NICHD, and NIMH.

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences, sixth largest at UGA in terms of undergraduate enrollment, is a student-centered college that emphasizes holistic student development and has grown rapidly in recent years to a current total enrollment of about 2,027 students. There are approximately 110 total faculty members in the College, where undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in all areas of family and consumer sciences, as well as collaborative programs with other schools, colleges, centers, and institutes at the University. The College provides a comprehensive graduate program, offering master's and doctoral degrees in all four departments with a current enrollment of about 250 graduate students. Administratively, the College is comprised of four academic departments (Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics; Nutritional Sciences; Human Development and Family Science; and Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) and houses the Georgia Center for Developmental Science as a College- and University-wide research hub. International opportunities are strongly supported in the College and the University. Programs of outreach and public service, including outstanding Cooperative Extension initiatives, extend the resources of the College and University to the general public and targeted audiences. Faculty in the College manage significant external grants and contracts for research and public service from NIH, USDA, DOD, NIMH, NIDA, DOE, CDC, and GEFA, among others. Additional information about the College of Family and Consumer Sciences is available at https://www.fcs.uga.edu/.

College/Unit/Department website Posting Type Internal (PEP) Retirement Plan TRS or ORP Employment Type Employee Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible Underutilization Advertised Salary Anticipated Start Date 10/01/2026 Effective End Date (for Limited-Term postings) Job Posting Date 08/11/2026 Job Closing Date 09/10/2026 Open until filled No Special Instructions to Applicants

This is an internal search restricted to current University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences faculty who hold tenure at the rank of Professor. Applicant screening will begin immediately. Candidates should submit their materials by Thursday, September 10, 2026. The application packet should include a cover letter detailing how the applicant's credentials and experience meet the needs, responsibilities, and qualifications stated above; a current curriculum vitae; a statement of research and leadership vision for GCDS (3-5 pages); and contact information for three references (who will not be contacted without further correspondence with the applicant).

Location of Vacancy Athens Area EEO Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

Position Details

Position Information

Classification Title Director, Division / Department AD FLSA Faculty Rank Professor Contract Type Academic (9 mo.) Tenure Status Tenured Minimum Qualifications

Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, Human Development and Family Science, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology, Prevention Science, or a closely related field.

Position Summary

This is an internal search restricted to current University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences faculty who hold tenure at the rank of Professor.

The University of Georgia (UGA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Director of the Georgia Center for Developmental Science (GCDS) in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences The Executive Director provides scientific and administrative leadership for a university-wide research hub advancing interdisciplinary inquiry, training, and community partnerships focused on child and adolescent development, behavioral health, and resilience. The Executive Director is responsible for setting strategic vision, building and sustaining the Center's extramural funding portfolio, developing shared scientific infrastructure (including grant development, data science, neuroimaging, and biobehavioral resources), cultivating cross-college and inter-institutional collaborations, translating science into community and donor-facing partnerships, mentoring the next generation of developmental scientists, and elevating the visibility of GCDS on the UGA campus, throughout the state of Georgia, nationally, and internationally.

Additional Requirements

• A nationally recognized, independent program of research positioned at the intersection of developmental psychopathology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, and prevention science.
• Current appointment as a tenured Full Professor at the University of Georgia at the time of application. As an internal search, this position is restricted to current UGA faculty who already hold tenure and the rank of Professor; the successful candidate will retain tenure and the rank of Professor at UGA upon appointment as Executive Director.

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

• Evidence of founding, building, or substantially expanding an interdisciplinary developmental science center, institute, or major research initiative including the design of its scientific mission, recruitment of affiliated faculty, and development of shared resources.
• Endowed professorship or comparable national recognition in developmental science.
• Established, nationally visible program of research at the intersection of developmental psychopathology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, and prevention science, addressing topics such as early life adversity and resilience, child and adolescent neurodevelopment, biobehavioral mechanisms of youth health, or substance use vulnerability.
• Direct role managing shared scientific infrastructure, including neuroimaging, psychophysiology (e.g., RSA, HRV, cortisol), biospecimen handling, behavioral paradigms, and data science platforms, to support a multi-investigator research community.
• Three (3) or more years of administrative or organizational leadership experience at the level of center director, institute director, graduate program director, research workgroup director, or comparable executive role.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Continuously sustained, independently held federal research funding, including current or recent role as Principal Investigator on multiple major federal awards (e.g., NIH R01 or equivalent).
• Demonstrated executive-level leadership of an interdisciplinary research center, institute, or comparable scientific enterprise, including responsibility for strategic direction, faculty affiliation, personnel, budget, and shared scientific infrastructure.
• Substantial record of high-impact peer-reviewed scholarship in leading journals, commensurate with a national reputation in developmental science.
• Demonstrated success translating research into actionable community partnerships and external engagement, including with families, service systems, foundations, and/or philanthropic sponsors.
• Demonstrated international scholarly reputation, as evidenced by a sustained record of invited keynote and plenary addresses, invited international colloquia and symposia, organized or chaired sessions at international scientific meetings, visiting professorships or international fellowships at leading institutions abroad, international collaborative grants or partnerships, and service to international scientific societies and journals.
• Continuously sustained R01-level NIH funding (e.g., from NIDA, NIAAA, NICHD, or NIMH) across multiple cycles, with demonstrated success leading multiple concurrent R01 awards.
• Track record of translating scientific findings into sustained community partnerships, including collaborations with rural and/or low-income populations, school systems, state agencies, and service providers.
• Demonstrated success in foundation engagement and donor-facing development, including securing foundation grants, philanthropic gifts, or named/endowed support for research, training, or scientific infrastructure, in coordination with university advancement professionals.
• Demonstrated expertise in multilevel and multimethod research approaches, which may include task-based and resting-state fMRI, psychophysiology, longitudinal modeling, structural equation modeling, and analysis of large-scale consortium datasets (e.g., ABCD).
• Sustained and demonstrable record of mentoring doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and early-career faculty, including engagement of undergraduate researchers.
• Editorial leadership in developmental science, including service as editor, associate editor, or editorial board member of leading peer-reviewed journals.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets, personnel, and shared facilities, and to apply effective project management methodologies.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to manage a variety of relationships with diverse internal, external, and donor-facing stakeholders.

Physical Demands Is this a Position of Trust? Yes Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? Yes Does this position require a P-Card? No Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No Is driving a responsibility of this position? No Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) Yes Credit and P-Card policy

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide visionary scientific and administrative leadership for GCDS, building on the Center's foundation and expanding its scope, scientific infrastructure, faculty affiliation, and national profile as a premier interdisciplinary hub for developmental science.
• In partnership with affiliated faculty, Center staff, and College leadership, develop and implement the strategic vision, mission, and long-range plan for GCDS, integrating developmental psychopathology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, and prevention science as complementary pillars of the Center's identity.
• Sustain and expand a continuously funded extramural portfolio, including a personal R01-level research program, while actively supporting affiliated faculty in pursuing major federal mechanisms (e.g., R01, P-, U-, T-, and K-series awards from NIH; NSF; AHRQ) and foundation sponsors.
• Lead the development, stewardship, and continued growth of shared scientific infrastructure, including neuroimaging, autonomic and psychophysiological assessment, biospecimen handling, behavioral and computational task paradigms, and data science platforms, that enable rigorous multilevel and multimethod developmental research and serve as a competitive draw for new faculty and grants.
• Translate the Center's science into durable partnerships with families, schools, health systems, service providers, and state and local agencies across Georgia, with deliberate attention to rural and historically underserved communities.
• Cultivate foundation, philanthropic, and donor-facing opportunities in coordination with the College's Dean and UGA Development and Alumni Relations, including the pursuit of foundation grants, named gifts, and endowed support for Center personnel, trainees, and shared infrastructure.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments, colleges, and partner institutions, building and sustaining a coherent intellectual community around developmental science at UGA.
• Recruit, mentor, and retain faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers.
• Design and oversee training programs in developmental science, including methodological short courses, formal mentoring structures, summer research experiences, and pipeline initiatives that strengthen Georgia's developmental and behavioral science workforce.
• Represent GCDS to internal and external stakeholders, including university leadership, state agencies, federal sponsors, foundations, scientific societies, donors, and the public; promote the Center's visibility on the UGA campus, throughout the state, nationally, and internationally.
• Convene scientific meetings (e.g., Pathways to Risk and Resilience) and support faculty and trainee participation in leading developmental, neuroscience, and prevention science societies (e.g., SRCD, SRA, Flux, ISDP, SPR, APS).
• Sustain a personal program of internationally visible, high-impact peer-reviewed scholarship positioned at the intersection of developmental psychopathology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, and prevention science, and contribute editorial and scientific leadership to the broader developmental science community.
• Manage the Center's budget, personnel, and operations in a sound, transparent, and accountable manner consistent with College and University policies.
• Promote international scholarly engagement through visiting fellowships, collaborative research, and partnerships with leading developmental science centers abroad.

Percentage Of Time 100

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• List of References with Contact Information
• Research Portfolio/Philosophy

Optional Documents