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The College of Agriculture at Auburn University invites applications for the position of Department Head of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2025.

Responsibilities: The Department Head serves as the senior faculty administrator in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology and promotes excellence in teaching, research, and extension/outreach programs. The position demands performance of professional level duties requiring leadership, vision, strategic planning, and decision-making skills in the management of departmental programs and personnel. The department head is responsible for recruitment, supervision and evaluation of personnel, department budgets, extramural funding, and professional development of faculty and staff. The department head will also serve as an advocate and representative of the department/college interests, needs and programs through interactions and fundraising activities. Expectations in this role include fostering academic programs that promote student success, creating an environment for impactful research, and supporting extension programs that serve stakeholders in Alabama. The department head establishes and maintains working relationships with other departments within the university, commodity groups, agribusiness representatives, governmental and private agencies in addition to students and alumni. Effective communication skills are essential. The successful candidate will report to the Dean, College of Agriculture and Director, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station while maintaining a close collaborative working relationship with administrators and staff in the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

The candidate must have an earned PhD from an accredited institution in Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology or related field and must have achieved the academic and professional qualifications to be awarded tenure at the level of Full Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. The successful candidate must possess excellent interpersonal, communication, leadership, and organizational skills. In addition, they must have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and/or extension/outreach activities. Ability to secure and sustain extramural funding and leadership/service activities in professional societies is required. Knowledge and commitment to the land-grant university mission is essential. The successful candidate must meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the proposed term of employment.

Applicants must apply online at https://www.auemployment.com/postings/49374 and submit: I) cover letter addressing the candidate’s experience pertinent to the responsibilities of the position, 2) current curriculum vita, 3) statement on leadership philosophy. When prompted during the on-line application process, please provide names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Only complete application materials will be considered. Active review of applications will begin January 7, 2025, but the search will continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position should be directed to:

Dr. Steve Hague, Search Committee Chair, Auburn University

Phone: 334-844-3850

Email: shague@auburn.edu

Auburn University is a land-grant institution with a student enrollment of more than 30,000. As an R1 institution, the University provides instruction in approximately 70 academic departments and maintains graduate research and public service programs of a broad scope. The University is located in the city of Auburn in east-central Alabama near the metropolitan areas of Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama, and Columbus and Atlanta, Georgia.

The Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology consists of 18 full-time faculty and staff conducting programs in research, teaching and outreach/extension activities. More information can be found at http://aers.auburn.edu/.