Associate Extension Specialist, Nutrition Education

Department of Nutritional Sciences 

Spring 2027

POSITION: The Department of Nutritional Sciences (NSCI) in the College of Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University invites applications for a career-track faculty position at the rank of Associate Extension Specialist. This 11-month, full-time, career-track faculty position has an anticipated start date of January 4, 2027.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develop and maintain a comprehensive and current knowledge base in community nutrition education programs.

Collaborate with county extension directors and district directors in placement, supervision and performance appraisal of CNEP employees off-campus.

Interpret federal regulations to develop a successful funding proposal for the program (USDA NIFA Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, EFNEP) including a plan of work, approaches, personnel management and budget.

Provide leadership in all aspects of hiring, training, supervising, appraising performance and development of EFNEP personnel.

Provide leadership in all aspects of program delivery and effectiveness; manage the evaluation system.

Partner with colleagues on grants and programs that focus on Community Nutrition.

Work with Extension colleagues to support the land-grant mission and enhance general health and wellness knowledge for Oklahomans.

Provide sound fiscal management of OSU Community Nutrition Education Program (CNEP).

Prepare and submit progress reports to funding agencies and OCES administration.

Review EFNEP program accomplishments and provide feedback to OCES District Directors and Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) District Program Specialists.

Disseminate evidence-based information through a variety of media and professional outlets.

Assure program compliance with all Extension, federal, state, university, agency, partner, and department reporting requirements.

Collaborate with other agencies and partners at the university, state, and federal levels.

Assist with statewide functions and perform committee assignments related to Extension programs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Earned Masters in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics, Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Sciences, Health Education or a related field.

Experience and documented success in program planning, proposal development, and personnel and budget management.

Administrative or project management experience of federally administered grants.

Experience leading, managing, and evaluating nutrition education programs.

A successful candidate must provide evidence of employment eligibility as required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Registered Dietitian (Nutritionist) or Master of Public Health (MPH) credential.

Demonstrated commitment to professional and community service and development.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: Salary will be commensurate with education, experience, qualifications and contingent on available funding. Benefits include comprehensive medical and retirement plans. Information on benefits can be found at https://hr.okstate.edu/benefits/index.html

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The Department of Nutritional Sciences (NSCI): NSCI has approximately 15 full-time faculty members, 265 undergraduate students, and 60 graduate students (Ph.D. and M.S.) who are interested in promoting the health and wellness of individuals as well as communities. Faculty in NSCI have active research programs and projects funded by diverse State and Federal entities, including NIH, USDA, and industry totaling over $4,000,000 in 2023. NSCI faculty lead research programs with shared access to large, multi-user laboratories including an approximately 3,500 sq ft cellular and molecular laboratory, 2,100 sq ft clinical and metabolic laboratory, and 650 sq ft metabolic kitchen. As an undergraduate major in Nutritional Sciences, students can declare options in Allied Health, Human Nutrition/Pre-Medical Sciences, Dietetics, and Public Health Nutrition. Working with master’s degree and doctoral students, our graduate faculty are preparing the next generation of nutritional scientists. Our dietetic interns earn master’s degrees while completing their supervised practice. Faculty members working with the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services affect the lives of Oklahomans for the better by applying research findings to real-life settings in homes, schools, and businesses. For more information, visit http://education.okstate.edu/nsci

The College of Education and Human Sciences includes 7 academic units, 172 faculty, and nearly 200 full-time staff. Additional information regarding the College of Education and Human Sciences may be found at http://education.okstate.edu/.

Oklahoma State University, an R1 comprehensive land-grant institution with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students. The university offers 87 undergraduate majors, 84 Master’s programs and 48 programs at the doctoral levels at campuses in Stillwater and Tulsa. Stillwater is a micropolitan community of approximately 49,000 people with high-quality amenities and a comparably low cost of living. Oklahoma City and Tulsa are within a 1-hour drive and cities such as Fayetteville, AR, Joplin, MO and Wichita, KS are within a comfortable 2-3-hour drive time of Stillwater. In addition to excellent healthcare, education (public and private primary and secondary schools), and recreational services, the community affords a rich variety of cultural activities typical of a major university environment, including museums, music, art, and theater. Providing a combination of larger city amenities with an airport and cultural life, while maintaining the charm of a smaller community with affordable housing and excellent schools, Stillwater is ranked one of America’s safest cities. See http://VisitStillwater.org for more information.

APPLICATION INFORMATION: Applications will be accepted online at jobs.okstate.edu. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For further information or to nominate a potential candidate, contact the search committee chair: Dr. Nila Pradhananga, nila.pradhananga@okstate.edu

Required submissions include:

Cover letter      

Curriculum vitae

A two-page statement describing Extension, scholarship and program leadership, including experience with community-based nutrition education, program evaluation, grant development and collaborative partnership

Contact information for three (3) professional references