Department Contact: Karim Martinez, (575) 646-2390, karmarti@nmsu.edu
Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants
Advertising Summary: Seeking to fill an Extension position to provide statewide leadership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of unique, complex, research or evidence-based education in the area of behavioral health
Position Details
Position Title: Extension District/Specialist/Behavioral Health
College/Division: Cooperative Extension Service
Department: 310021-EXTENSN HOME EC PGM UNIT
Location: Las Cruces
Offsite Location (if applicable):
Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Starting $75,000, commensurate with education and experience
Appointment Full-time Equivalency: 1.0
FLSA Status: Exempt
Bargaining Unit Announcement: This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Contingent Upon Funding: Not Applicable
Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)
If Not a Standard Work Schedule:
Job Duties and Responsibilities: The office is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This is an in-person position with statewide responsibilities; may work evenings, weekends.
• Provide subject matter support, leadership, and professional development to Extension faculty and staff engaged in community behavioral health programming related, but not limited to, suicide, anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, and substance use disorders.
• Provide statewide leadership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of research- or evidence-based community education in the area of behavioral health, including development of educational curricula, products, and publications.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary collaborations with other Extension Specialists, university faculty and staff, and community partners to facilitate state-wide programming responsive to mental health and substance use needs of New Mexico communities, including youth and adult populations in rural and urban settings.
• Conduct research related to the intersection of community and behavioral health and advance the interdisciplinary focus of the Extension Family and Consumer Sciences department.
• Seek and secure external grant or contract funding, manage grants as a Principal Investigator, and supervise grant staff.
• Maintain accountability through reporting to Extension, internal and external stakeholders, and funding partners, document outcomes, impacts, and successes in Extension scholarship.
• Promote CES programs within the state to meet the LEADS 2025 goals prioritizing the program expansion to non-traditional demographics.
• Foster collaborations and participate in activities and on research teams that support the work of the Center for Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems (CESFAS.)
Qualifications
Required Education and Experience:
• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to counseling, social work, family studies, public health, human development, psychology, psychiatry, or a related field of study.
• 3 years of related experience including community experience in the mental health field.
Equivalent Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
• Ph.D. from an accredited institution in a field of study related to counseling, social work, family studies, public health, human development, psychology, psychiatry, or a related field of study.
• Licensed mental health practitioner with clinical experience.
• Experience working with Native American, Hispanic/Latino, and/or rural populations.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or English/NM Indigenous language).
• Extension, outreach, or teaching experience.
Special Certification/Licensure:
Personal auto required. Travel reimbursed at the current IRS rate per mile. Valid driver’s license required.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.
Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.
Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.