Chair of the Applied Psychology Department

About the Opportunity

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

Our locations—in Boston; Arlington, Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; London; Portland, Maine; Oakland; San Francisco; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Toronto; Vancouver; and the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant—are nodes in our growing global university system. Through this network, we expand opportunities for flexible, student-centered learning and collaborative, solutions-focused research and discovery.

Northeastern’s comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs— in a variety of on-campus and online formats—lead to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. Among these, we offer more than 195 multi-discipline majors and degrees designed to prepare students for purposeful lives and careers.

The Bouvé College of Health Sciences has over 280 faculty members, with approximately 2,000 undergraduate and 2,400 graduate students. It is the leading national model for education and research in the health, psychosocial, biomedical, and population sciences and supports the University’s mission of educating students for a life of fulfillment and accomplishment and creating and translating knowledge to meet global and societal needs. Bouvé’s interprofessional and interdisciplinary learning, research and innovation mission leverages the global university system and the college’s health span mission that integrates person-centered, technology-enabled, data-informed, and community-engaged approaches grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging core values.

The Department of Applied Psychology houses two PhD programs (Counseling Psychology and School Psychology), four master’s programs (Applied Behavior Analysis, Applied Psychology, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology), two undergraduate minors (Health Psychology and Mindfulness Studies), and one certificate program (Early Intervention). Faculty research translates psychology principles to applied settings, including the design, evaluation, and delivery of interventions aimed at reducing risk and enhancing protective factors in children, youth, and families, and building resilient schools and communities, ultimately empowering communities, and population to lead healthy lives. These activities are conceptualized in an ecological model centering on social justice within culturally diverse contexts.

About the Opportunity

The Chair of the Applied Psychology department is a full-time tenured faculty position leading the department and  responsible for setting academic and intellectual priorities; maintaining standards of academic and pedagogical excellence; advancing experiential lifelong learning opportunities locally and globally; maintaining an impactful and robust portfolio of research, scholarly, and funding for students at all levels and postdocs; attracting, developing, and retaining high quality faculty and staff; collaborating with employers and partners; overseeing administrative aspects of the department while maintaining a fiscally thriving environment; engaging in entrepreneurship and development activities; contributing to the growth and innovation of the department while leveraging the college and global university system.

The Chair provides academic leadership and strategy for all teaching, service, research, and professional development activities within the department in alignment with the School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Northeastern University. The Chair represents and advocates for the department internally in a global university climate of rapid, transformative growth and leadership, and externally to relevant accrediting bodies, employers, partners, and many other stakeholders and invested parties. The Chair will report to the Dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences to advance the mission and strategic plan of the department, school, college and collectively contribute to the University’s Academic Plan.

At Northeastern University, we embrace a culture of respect, where each person is valued for their contribution and is treated fairly. We oppose all forms of racism. We support a culture that does not tolerate any form of discrimination and where each person may belong. We strive to have a diverse membership, one where each person is trained and mentored to promote their success.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be able to teach courses in their area of expertise to graduate students in the Department of Applied psychology. Typical teaching expectation upon transition is one course (or equivalent teaching workload) per year. They will also be responsible for mentoring students and leading an active line of funded research. In addition, the Chair is responsible  for setting academic and intellectual priorities; maintaining standards of academic and pedagogical excellence; advancing experiential lifelong learning opportunities locally and globally; maintaining an impactful and robust portfolio of research, scholarly, and funding for students at all levels and postdocs; attracting, developing, and retaining high quality faculty and staff; collaborating with employers and partners; overseeing administrative aspects of the department while maintaining a fiscally thriving environment; engaging in entrepreneurship and development activities; contributing to the growth and innovation of the department while leveraging the college and global university system.    

Broadly speaking responsibilities of the Chair include:

• Foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accountability.

• Collaborate with Bouvé college leadership, including Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, School Leaders, Department Chairs, to advance the mission of the college and university.

• Engage faculty in strategic planning regarding intellectual, scholarly and academic priorities aligned with the strategic plans of both the college and university.

• Collaborate with unit’s faculty to ensure the development and implementation of unit’s governance procedures, including departmental faculty approved committee structure and other service roles.

• Collaborate with unit’s faculty to provide oversight of the development and delivery of the high-quality academic programs offered by the department.

• Provide oversight and responsible stewardship of departmental resources, including staff and budget.

• Assign faculty and staff work in accordance with institutional policies.

• Evaluate faculty and staff performance, in compliance with the university policies and faculty handbook.

• Ensure that faculty and staff have mentoring and support necessary for their success.

• Ensure that applicable regional and programmatic accreditation standards are achieved, with input and in collaboration with the faculty; assist the university in meeting NECHE standards.

• Collaborate with unit’s faculty to achieve departmental excellence in all facets of research, scholarship, teaching, and service.

• Collaborate with Associate Dean for Research & Innovation to expand research.

• Recommend faculty and staff hiring/appointments, reappointment, promotion/tenure, and compensation after consultation with the faculty, according to unit’s faculty approved procedures.

Qualifications

Minimum qualification include:

• A terminal doctoral degree in Psychology or a closely related field (PhD or equivalent) from an accredited institution by the appointment start date, and a track record of research and scholarship, teaching, and service which merit appointment at the rank of Full Professor with tenure (promotion of an exceptional current Associate Professor will be considered)

• At least 2 years of experience in an academic leadership role (e.g., program director, chair, center director, assistant dean) with demonstrated success.

• Interpersonal and communication skills needed for successful collaboration.

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms, including supporting and growing a diverse faculty.

• Ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines, sectors, and regions locally and globally.

Additional Information

Interested candidates should apply with a curriculum vita that includes a list of publications, statements addressing the three prompts below, and at least three references. Applications will be reviewed beginning on November 15, 2023.

Successful chairs at Northeastern will be dynamic and innovative scholars with a record of research excellence, leadership success, and a commitment to contributing to improved equity, diversity, and inclusion. Please indicate how your experience, knowledge, and skills have prepared you to contribute to this work with written statements addressing the following prompts:

Research statement:

Please describe the focus of your research, including the questions you have identified, the funding you have received to support your work (if applicable), the results you have discovered, and the products of these efforts. Please also describe any research you have undertaken with students, with the external community, and/or with individuals from marginalized groups. Finally, please outline the research directions you foresee pursuing in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

Leadership and Service statement:

Please summarize your past academic leadership and service experiences, your leadership philosophy, and your strategies for communicating and collaborating to build/support a shared vision.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Belonging Statement:

Please provide a statement of your contributions to diversity that describes your past experience, activities, and future plans to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging in your teaching, research, and service. Your statement should demonstrate an understanding of the barriers facing marginalized communities in your field and be in alignment with Northeastern’s mission to reflect the diversity of the societies in which it maintains campuses and meet the educational needs and interests of its diverse population. Some faculty candidates may not have substantial past activities. If that is the case, we recommend focusing on future plans in your statement. A more developed and substantial plan is expected for senior candidates.

Position Type

Academic

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff.  Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other  characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity .