Founding Director

Founding Director, Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis

Location: Remote

Faculty Position: Full-time, 12-month, Open-Rank Tenure-Track Faculty and Program Administrator

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.

All position requirements outlined above reflect the minimum knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the role competently. This description is not intended to be exhaustive. Faculty may be assigned additional responsibilities and are expected to acquire new skills as needed. Lenoir-Rhyne University reserves the right to modify position responsibilities as appropriate.

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.

Compensation

Lenoir-Rhyne University offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

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.

Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university''s commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good.

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.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy

Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.

To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, LR has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.

LR values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.