The University of Tennessee

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

Department of Public Health

Knoxville, Tennessee

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

The Department of Public Health is seeking to fill one tenure-track position at Assistant or Associate Professor rank, with expertise in epidemiology (nine-month tenure-track position). This on-campus appointment begins no sooner than August 1, 2024. Minority and historically underrepresented applicants are encouraged to apply.

Department: The Department of Public Health is one of eight departments within the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Our MPH is in its 53rd year of CEPH accreditation. Ours is a growing department, providing public health training and education at the MPH and doctoral levels, with an expanding undergraduate presence. We have a history of strong and positive relationships with local public health organizations and workforce, the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Since 2011, we have had a formal agreement with the Knox County Health Department, establishing the first Academic Health Department (AHD) in the state of Tennessee. The AHD focuses on practice-based research, student education, practice-informed teaching, and workforce development. Our MPH degree offers concentrations in Community Health Education, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, Veterinary Public Health, and Nutrition. The MPH Distance Education program includes concentrations in Community Health Education, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, and Veterinary Public Health. We also have dual MPH degrees with Master of Science in Nutrition and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The UTK Public Health department offers an undergraduate minor, and a PhD in Public Health Sciences with a method-focused core curriculum that allows for flexibility in focus through the cognate options. Our faculty are active scholars and recognized for their significant contributions to the field of public health. Our students are diverse in their backgrounds and interests, adding to the richness of the program. As a department, we hold strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity and strive to infuse and advance this into our curriculum, professional development opportunities, and day-to-day business operations.

University:

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is the state's flagship university, a premier public research (R1) institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates, and a premier graduate institution. As a land-grant university, UTK is committed to excellence in learning, scholarship, and engagement with society. In all its activities, the university aims to advance the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate society. The university welcomes and honors people of all races, genders, creeds, cultures, and sexual orientations, values intellectual curiosity. The University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the university. The university intends that its graduates will promote the values and institutions of representative democracy and be prepared to lead lives of personal integrity and civic responsibility. Visit http://www.utk.edu for detailed information.

City:

Knoxville is situated in a valley between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cumberland Plateau, areas of great beauty and the most bio-diverse in the U.S. Knoxville is a city of 200,000, offering many amenities of urban life. Knoxville has a beautiful and walkable downtown, active neighborhoods, and eclectic cultural activities, restaurants, and shopping. Trip Advisor recently named Knoxville a Top Ten Destination on the Rise. Knoxville is located within easy driving distance to Asheville, Atlanta, and Nashville.

Salary:

Competitive and commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes choices for health, retirement, and long and short-term disability. To learn more about the benefit package, please visit our website at https://hr.tennessee.edu/benefits/

Qualifications:

Assistant Professor Rank

Required: Earned doctoral degree, at time of hire, in epidemiology, biostatistics or closely related field; published research in refereed journals; demonstrated potential for or track record of obtaining extramural funding for research; demonstrated ability to collaborate; and effective interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with diverse groups.

Desired: Terminal degree from a nationally accredited school or program. An MPH from a school or program accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is also desirable; demonstrated ability to teach epidemiology and/or biostatistics related courses, experience working with SPSS, SAS and/or R; face-to-face or online teaching experience; and evidence of collaboration in research.

Responsibilities:

Establish and maintain an independent, extramurally funded research program that results in refereed journal publications. Teach undergraduate and graduate courses, in epidemiology, biostatistics, or quantitative methods. Serve on departmental, college, and university committees to advance the Department of Public Health. Advise graduate students and direct doctoral dissertations. Provide professional services for the department, college, university, and discipline, as appropriate.

Associate Professor Rank

Required: Earned doctoral degree, at time of hire, in epidemiology, biostatistics or closely related field; established track record of publication in refereed journals and presentations relevant to the discipline; established  track record of obtaining extramural funding for research;  experience teaching epidemiology and/or biostatistics related courses at undergraduate or graduate level; track record of successfully mentoring Masters and doctoral students; and effective interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with diverse groups. Documented evidence of previous and/or current grant activity commensurate with rank is required of those applying for the rank of Associate Professor. Ability to work well with others and evidence of successful research collaborations.

Desired: Terminal degree from a nationally accredited school or program. An MPH from a school or program accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is also desirable;  record of teaching epidemiology and biostatistics related courses using SPSS, SAS and/or R; face-to-face or online teaching experience; record of collaboration within the department and beyond; record of mentoring Masters students conducting thesis research and/or directing doctoral dissertation; work experience in public health practice; evidence of serving as a supportive team member in leadership and membership roles.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an independent, extramurally funded research program that results in refereed journal publications. Teaching will include primarily graduate level courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, or quantitative methods. Candidates should be interested in or prepared to teach one or more undergraduate courses based on the department’s needs. The faculty member will advise primarily graduate students and direct doctoral dissertations and serve on departmental, college, and university committees to advance the Department of Public Health. The faculty member will engage in collaborative activities and provide professional services for the department, college, university, and discipline, as appropriate.

Application review will begin on December 1st, 2023 and continue until the position is filled.

Interested applications should submit the following in a single PDF document to: http://apply.interfolio.com/134963

• Cover letter addressing the required qualifications, desired qualifications, and how you will contribute to the commitments and goals of the department and university

• Curriculum vita,

• Research statement

• Teaching philosophy statement

• Names and contact information for three references

Inquiries regarding the position should be sent to: Jiangang (Jay) Chen, PhD, jchen38@utk.edu