Primary Purpose of Position
The primary focus of this position will be on Primary Youth (Cloverbuds), ensuring that K-2 children develop basic life skills, explore different interests, and build confidence through a supportive and playful environment. This position provides educational leadership in the development, management, implementation, and evaluation of research-based, integrative statewide Extension programs that meet the needs of limited-resource audiences. It delivers training and educational support materials for field staff and their clientele/customers in positive youth development for K-2 youth, aligning with the philosophy, policy, and overall mission, goals, and educational objectives of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Program. Specifically, it coordinates and develops formal and non-formal educational programs for Cloverbuds, which may be delivered in traditional classroom settings or community-based organizations across North Carolina.
This is a non-tenured track faculty (NTTF), twelve-month position at the rank of “Assistant/Associate Professor of Practice – 4H Youth Development Specialist” in North Carolina A&T Cooperative Extension. Position’s incumbent is eligible for title promotion and academically housed in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
As NTTF faculty, this position can be released, up to 25% of time and effort once per year, to teach for-credit academic coursework.
Primary Function of Organizational Unit
N.C. A&T is a public, land-grant, doctoral research institution and has been the largest historically Black university in the country for the past decade. With an enrollment of 14,311 students in Fall 2024, the university offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 36 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs. It is America’s top producer of Black graduates in Engineering and Agricultural Science bachelor’s programs, as well as a top five producer in numerous additional disciplines, including Liberal Arts and Communications/Journalism. It also ranks no. 3 in master’s degrees awarded to Black graduates in Engineering Technologies and Related Fields, no. 4 in master’s degrees in Engineering, and no. 11 best business school for women in the nation.
Nationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in STEM education and research, N.C. A&T is classified as “R2-High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classifications and is poised to achieve “R1-Very High Research Activity” status. It also holds Carnegie’s earned credential in Community Engagement and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation. With an annual economic impact of $2.4 billion, N.C. A&T plays a vital role as a higher-education economic driver in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and across a state that is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the second straight year as “best for business” by the CNBC financial network.
The Cooperative Extension Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an educational outreach organization within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Cooperative Extension at A&T provides researched-based educational information, programming and technical assistance to limited-resource audiences that address a diverse range of issues in four programmatic areas – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, Community and Rural Development, and 4-H Youth Development. Together with its partners – North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, state and county governments, a dynamic and resourceful system is formed. In addition to campus operations, The Cooperative Extension Program has professionally staffed offices in almost half of the 100 counties in North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Nation.
Minimum Requirements
- Requires Ph.D. - earned a doctorate in Elementary Education or related field
- Three or more years of experience in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- In-depth knowledge of state and national trends and relevant data supporting Extension program development for limited-resourced youth and their families.
Preferred Years Experience, Skills, Training, Education
- In addition to Ph.D., five or more years of professional experience in Cooperative Extension program development.
- Ability to interact and gain support from constituencies outside the university such as business and industry, state and federal agencies and non-profit and private foundations.
- Computer literacy (proficiency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Office).
- Strong oral and written communication skills as well as strong interpersonal skills.
- Ability to handle multiple demands and set priorities.
- Ability to think critically, solve problems and navigate complex situations professionally
- Experience planning, implementing, marketing and evaluating educational programs for youth in grades K-2 in formal and non-formal education settings
- Experience working in community based non-formal education settings.
- Experience working with community-based volunteers or organizations.
Required License or Certification
Is this position eligible for a remote or hybrid work arrangement, consistent with university and state policies.
On-site (Employees are primarily in the office and/or have a critical job requirement that requires dedicated office space on-site)
