NC Agromedicine Institute Associate Director

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East Carolina University ( ECU) is consistently ranked among the nation's top public universities for its commitment to research, innovation, social mobility, and public service. Classified as a R1 institution by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, ECU is among the top 5% of research universities in the United States, an elite designation reflecting the highest levels of research activity, funding, and doctoral output.

Founded in 1907, ECU is a public, four-year university located in Greenville, N.C., which and is widely regarded as the cultural, educational, economic, and medical hub of eastern North Carolina. Through education, research, healthcare, community engagement, athletics, cultural enrichment, and service, ECU enhances the quality of life for its students, the state and communities around the world. It is a great place to work, teach, and learn.

ECU's commitment to impactful scholarship is further demonstrated through its repeated Carnegie Community Engagement Classification (2010, 2015, 2024), as well as its 2024 designation as a Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose institution. These distinctions recognize the university's leadership in translating research into meaningful community partnerships and measurable societal benefits.

The university supports its workforce through a wide range of professional development opportunities designed to foster career growth and skill advancement. Eligible employees also benefit from a comprehensive benefits package that promotes a healthy work-life balance.

The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute is a collaborative institute between East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina A&T State University. East Carolina University is the managing university and collaborates with other institutions to promote the health and safety of farmers, fishermen, foresters, their workers, and their families through research, prevention/intervention, and education/outreach.

North Carolina Agromedicine Institute promotes collaborative interdisciplinary research that identifies and addresses rural population health and safety risks through ecological, epidemiological, and surveillance methods. Partnerships across professions, institutions, and among communities are essential to ethical research integrity in Agromedicine. Community-campus partnerships in research strengthen the integration and translation of research into population health interventions to improve the well-being of human, animal, and environmental factors, farmers, foresters, fishers, their families, and communities.

The Institute recognizes the civic and cultural context of research to move towards policy influences rural population health and safety. Thus, research outcomes should influence factors for improving behavioral and operational factors for farmers, fishermen, foresters, their families, and communities over time, in different settings, and at various levels through community empowerment to elevate rural ecological health.

The Brody School of Medicine ( BSOM) NC Agromedicine Institute at East Carolina University is seeking a (12-month, AT- WILL) Associate Director, NC Agromedicine Institute. The Associate Director serves as the Institute's lead for scholarly engagement, research development, and sponsored programs initiatives. Complementing the Executive Director's overall leadership and operational authority, this position advances the Institute's academic mission by expanding faculty participation, strengthening interdisciplinary research collaboration, and cultivating externally supported scholarly activity. The role emphasizes higher education partnerships, research excellence, and strategic growth across East Carolina University, partner institutions, and broader state and national networks in agricultural safety and health.

Project Management (55%) Promote the health and safety of farmers, fishermen, foresters, their workers, and their families by engaging in research, prevention/intervention, and education/outreach activities, as appropriate. Coordinate faculty affiliate engagement and member participation in research activities. Attend University Research Council and other research-centered meetings; translate opportunities into action. Work with Advancement, Foundation Relations, Corporate Relations, and research administration on funding initiatives. Identify and recruit new Institute Members across the three campuses and within the community; maintain regular communication with Members and provide support relative to their work in Agromedicine, as appropriate. Identify potential collaborative research, prevention/intervention, and education/outreach projects. Serve as liaison between the Institute and potential funding agencies, as needed. Monitor intra- and extramural funding opportunities available for core staff/faculty projects, Institute Members, and students. Communicate opportunities to individuals and teams, as appropriate. Identify and recruit project Director/PIs, where needed, and organize collaborative teams to perform identified projects and to produce grant/contract proposals to obtain funds to implement the projects. Coordinate faculty affiliate engagement and member participation in research activities. Attend University Research Council and other research-centered meetings; translate opportunities into action. Monitor project implementation; work with project team members to ensure compliance with project expectations; provide technical assistance as needed. Maintain an up-to-date database of Institute Members' publications, projects, and student activities having a direct relation to the Institute. Identify opportunities for recruitment of undergraduate/graduate students and post-doctoral candidates. Develop learning objectives and provide supervision for undergraduate and graduate students, as needed. Identify opportunities to work with other departments at ECU, NC State University, NC A&T State University, and community partners to develop additional on-campus, distance learning, and continuing education courses in Agromedicine. Support research dissemination through presentations, manuscripts, and reports. Promote compliance readiness, including IRB processes, best practices, and responsible conduct of research. Prepare dashboards and impact summaries demonstrating outcomes.

Strategic Planning (35%) Identify emerging academic, research, and funding opportunities aligned with Institute priorities. Develop strategies to expand faculty engagement across East Carolina University, partner universities, and external collaborators. Advance long-range plans for interdisciplinary agricultural safety and health research growth. Build sustainable partnerships with universities, centers/institutes, sponsors, and research networks. Contribute to Institute planning through metrics, environmental scanning, and opportunity analysis. Help position the Institute as a statewide and national leader in agricultural safety and rural health scholarship. Evaluate job performance of directly supervised personnel and students; provide input on job performance of other Institute personnel and students to the Executive Director, as requested. Manage the Board of Partners and the institute member program, including member recruitment, engagement, and bi-annual meetings. Serve as ECU Campus Coordinator and ex-offio member of the Board of Directors. Attend bi-annual and call board meetings, as appropriate. Serve as liaison with other ECU Centers/Institutes, on-campus departments, and West Academic Building co-tenants. Facilitate regularly scheduled meetings of the Executive Committee (includes Director, Associate Director, Campus Coordinators from NC State University ( NCSU) and NC Agricultural & Technical State University ( NCAT).Develop and implement a communication plan to ensure that all current and potential Institute stakeholders are informed about the work of Institute faculty, staff, and Members. Assist the Executive Director in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic goals based on the results of the Institute's 5-year review and action plan. Facilitate recordkeeping for use in preparation of the Institute's annual report. Serve as alternate signatory authority for the Institute in the absence of the Director. Oversee day-to-day management and operations of the West Academic building; serve as a member of the West Research Campus Usage Task Force, as needed. Prepare annual facility usage report for the US Department of Education.

Other Programmatic Duties (10%)Represent the Institute at events, meetings, and external engagements as assigned. Support student mentorship, workforce development, and educational initiatives when aligned with research goals. Assist with special initiatives that advance the Institute's mission. Perform other duties for the Institute that supplement the duties described above, as identified by the Institute Director.

Contingent upon the availability of funds

Master's degree and five (5) years of experience in agricultural safety and health, public, rural, behavioral, occupational, or environmental health, or agricultural and extension education.

Valid NC driver's license required.

Demonstrated experience in grant writing, procurement, and management as well as the ability to work effectively as part of internal and external interdisciplinary teams.

East Carolina University requires applicants to submit a candidate profile online to be considered for the position. Candidates must also submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references, including contact information, online.

At the time of employment, two or three original letters of reference, official transcripts, a criminal background check, and proper documentation of identity and employability are required. Please be aware that if selected for an interview, an automatic e-mail will be sent to the individuals entered by the applicant in the References section of the PeopleAdmin applicant tracking system. Letters of reference submitted via the PeopleAdmin applicant tracking system will be verified and considered towards meeting this requirement.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

East Carolina University is committed to workforce success and cultivating a culture of care for our employees. ECU prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment based on race/ethnicity, color, genetic information, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, political affiliation, and veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their protected veteran status or disability.

Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act ( ADAAA) should contact the ADA Coordinator at (252) 737-1018 (Voice/ TTY) or ADA-Coordinator@ecu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. ECU participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Department for People Operations, Success, and Opportunity at (252) 328-9847 or toll free at 1-866-489-1740 or send an email to employment@ecu.edu. Our office is available to provide assistance Monday-Friday from 8:00-5:00 EST.