Assistant Professor of Psychology (Developmental Psychology)

Ph.D. in Psychology with training and research in developmental psychology or a related subfield. ABD will be considered, but must successfully complete their degree by July 31, 2027.

N/A

The mission of the Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology is to engage in teaching, scholarship, and service, in order to promote and advance understanding of the science of psychology, its application, and its utility to our students, fellow scholars, the University, and the public. The department is dedicated to the mission and strategic plan of the university and to creating a nurturing and inclusive community that welcomes, respects, and supports all constituents.

The department has 46 full-time faculty members (35 tenure-track) with master's programs in Psychological Science, Industrial-Organizational and Human Resource Management, and School Psychology, and an APA-accredited Doctor of Psychology Program (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology. There are approximately 1450 undergraduate psychology majors and 90 full-time graduate students. Additional information about the Department of Psychology, the University, and the surrounding area is located on the Psychology website.

The successful candidate will teach 3 courses per semester. Undergraduate courses may include human growth and development, child and adolescent psychology or adult development, as well as other topics/courses such as research methods in psychology and senior capstone courses, depending on the candidate's area of research. Graduate courses may include developmental seminar. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a program of empirical inquiry to include peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and external grant applications. Candidates will be expected to involve undergraduate and graduate students in their research programs.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

ABD with reduction in rank and salary: ABD will be considered for this position. Evidence of successful defense of the dissertation must be received by July 31 for a fall hire or November 30 for a spring hire. If confirmation of defense is not provided by the deadline, the candidate will receive a new one-year fixed-term contract and be hired at the rank of Instructor. The candidate's salary will also be reduced to a lower rate commensurate with other full-time instructors in the same department. However, if degree verification is provided before the end of the one-year fixed-term contract, the candidate will be returned to the rank of assistant professor with commensurate compensation beginning July 1 of the following academic year.

No ABD consideration: Only candidates with an earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution will be considered for the position. Since ABD will not meet the minimum requirements, ABD will not be considered.

Initial review of applications will begin on October 15, 2026. Review of applications submitted prior to the deadline will continue until the position is filled. Applicants must submit the following documents in PDF format:

The above-mentioned materials should be submitted to Appalachian's application portal. Please direct inquiries to Dr. Reagan Breitenstein (breitensteinrs@appstate.edu), the search committee chair.

The continued employment of a special faculty member during the term appointment may be made expressly contingent on items such as the continued availability of funding from any source, on enrollment levels, or any other contingency established by the institution.