Founding Director, Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis

Position Summary

The College of Education & Human Services at Lenoir-Rhyne University invites applications for the founding director of its fully online Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program. This 12-month, open-rank, tenure-track appointment offers an opportunity for an accomplished scholar and academic leader to launch, shape, and grow a distinctive graduate program that prepares ethical, innovative behavior analysts for practice in schools, health care and community settings. The founding director will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the program, including academic vision, curriculum development, faculty leadership, student recruitment and success, assessment, curriculum verification and accreditation activities, and external partnerships. The position carries a 15-credit annual teaching load, with substantial reassigned time recognizing the administrative and leadership responsibilities of the role. Successful candidates will demonstrate excellence in teaching, scholarship, collaborative leadership and innovation, as well as a commitment to building a nationally recognized graduate program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the founding director and provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis program.
• Develop and implement the long-term vision, goals and strategic plan for the program.
• Lead curriculum development, assessment, continuous improvement and curriculum verification/accreditation activities.
• Recruit, mentor, evaluate and support full-time and adjunct faculty.
• Teach graduate-level ABA courses in the online program.
• Collaborate with Graduate Admissions to recruit and retain qualified students.
• Develop partnerships with schools, healthcare organizations, clinics and community agencies.
• Represent the program through professional organizations, conferences and outreach.
• Support scholarly activity, grant development and innovation within the program.
• Participate in college and university leadership, governance and service.

Required Qualifications

• Terminal degree in applied behavior analysis, behavior analysis, psychology, special education or a closely related field.
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential in good standing.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in higher education, graduate program administration, academic program coordination or comparable leadership within applied behavior analysis.
• Evidence of successful curriculum development, assessment and continuous quality improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to teach graduate-level courses in online learning environments.
• Record of scholarly, professional or clinical achievement appropriate for appointment at the assistant, associate or full professor rank.
• Demonstrated collaborative leadership with faculty, administrators, students and community partners.
• Commitment to student success, faculty mentorship and building an innovative graduate program.
• For ABD candidates, successful dissertation defense prior to appointment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a program director, department chair, clinic director or in a comparable academic leadership role.
• Experience launching or significantly expanding an academic program.
• Demonstrated experience leading initial accreditation and ongoing accreditation compliance with the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA).
• Demonstrated success recruiting, mentoring and retaining graduate students.
• Experience supervising faculty and clinical personnel.
• Experience developing partnerships with educational, healthcare and community organizations.
• Record of external funding or grant development.
• Sustained scholarly productivity and professional leadership in applied behavior analysis.
• Experience teaching in fully online graduate programs.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative academic culture.

Application Process

While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit a:

• Letter of Application, specifically discussing how the candidate meets the needs of the position
• Curriculum Vitae, including the names and addresses of three references
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy as it relates to LR's Teaching Scholar Model

The university's mission, vision, and values statements may be reviewed using About LR. To ensure full consideration, completed applications must be submitted by September 15th, 2026. Questions regarding the position or search process may be directed electronically to the search committee chair, Dr. Hank Weddington, at hank.weddington@lr.edu.

About the College of Education and Human Services

The College of Education & Human Services provides research-based instruction and intensive clinical experiences that prepare students for impactful careers serving individuals and communities. The college offers undergraduate programs in elementary education, middle grades education, secondary education, and human and community services. At the graduate level, the college offers master's degrees in teaching, human services, clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir-Rhyne is less than an hour's drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.