The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS; www.hhdev.psu.edu/HDFS) in the College of Health and Human Development invites applications for a tenure-track faculty member, rank open, whose research examines (a) developmental pathways to substance use, misuse, and addiction and/or (b) the effects of substance misuse and/or dependency on the health and well-being of children, youth, adults, and families.

Inherent in this HDFS open rank position will be a focus on obtaining knowledge that can address the broader aim of preventing substance misuse over the life course and/or more immediate time scales.

Potential areas of focus include, but are not limited to:  parental substance use and effects on children; substance misuse prevention and intervention; risk and protective factors; marital and co-parenting relations; parent-child dynamics; family, peer, neighborhood, policy and media influences; genetic, physiological, and neurodevelopmental factors; pathways to recovery; policy impact analysis; as well as other areas. A successful more senior applicant will be a leader of a program of research with demonstrated impact on policy and/or practice, a strong publication record, and a proven track record of securing external funding. A successful junior applicant will show strong promise in these arenas. Responsibilities include directing a research program focusing on substance abuse, teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses, and directing theses/dissertations. An earned doctorate in the behavioral or social sciences by the time of appointment is required.

This position is part of The Pennsylvania State University’s recently launched Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse (CCSA); https://CombatSubstanceAbuse.ssri.psu.edu, which seeks colleagues whose research interests and expertise fit within the broad areas of pathways to addiction, criminal justice, and/or spillover effects of substance abuse to families and communities. Our expectation is that these new colleagues will work actively to build a powerful inter-disciplinary community of scholars focused on illuminating the multi-level processes that give rise to addiction; designing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating novel, evidence-based approaches for prevention of, treatment for, and recovery from addiction; and identifying and ameliorating the effects of substance misuse on families and communities. The successful faculty member can also work with faculty within and external to HDFS to translate research findings into economic and policy-relevant language and spur policy change.

Rated by the U.S. News and World Report as one of the top developmental science programs in the country, and #1 in a recent survey of HDFS doctoral programs in North America (http://u.osu.edu/adventuresinhdfs/the-hdfs-report-claire-kamp-dushs-ranking-of-hdfs-programs-in-north-  america/), the Department of Human Development and Family Studies administers graduate, undergraduate, and research programs in its core, signature areas of individual development, family science, prevention/intervention, and developmental methods. HDFS is a dynamic, multidisciplinary and collaborative department, committed to excellence, innovation and impact in understanding and improving

the lives of individuals and families in diverse contexts. The successful faculty member will have opportunities to collaborate with the Department’s superb group of research methodologists with expertise in prevention/intervention trial design, administrative/intensive longitudinal data analysis, and within- person/within-family methods that assess, analyze, and interpret daily and real-time information about ongoing individual-environment interactions. HDFS has extensive links with key College and University Centers of Excellence, networks, and Institutes that provide research infrastructure and extensive collaboration opportunities, including the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (http://www.prevention.psu.edu/), the Child Study Center (http://csc.la.psu.edu/), the Methodology Center (http://methodology.psu.edu), the Quantitative Developmental Systems Core (http://quantdev.ssri.psu.edu), the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network (http://solutionsnetwork.psu.edu/), the Population Research Institute (http://www.pop.psu.edu), the Center for Healthy Aging (http://healthyaging.psu.edu/), the Penn State Addiction Center for Translation (PS ACT); Penn State’s Administrative Data Accelerator,  http://www.accelerator.psu.edu; and the Social, Life and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center,  https://www.imaging.psu.edu. CCSA faculty will also have access to research infrastructure in Penn State’s cross-university research institutes, including the Social Science Research Institute, the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, http://ctsi.psu.edu/; the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences  https://www.huck.psu.edu/; the Institute for CyberScience, https://ics.psu.edu/; the Penn State Cancer Institute https://cancer.psu.edu/; and the Penn State Neuroscience Institute  https://hmc.pennstatehealth.org/neuroscience-institute.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue to be accepted until the position is filled. To apply, submit a letter of application, statements of research and teaching interests, a curriculum vitae, at least three letters of recommendation, and selected supporting material (e.g., reprints, preprints).  For more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Maggs (jmaggs@psu.edu).  Please indicate “Combating Substance Abuse – HDFS search” in the subject line of email correspondence. Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce.