Assistant/Associate Professor Tenure-Track, Public Health

Assistant/Associate Professor Tenure-Track, Public Health

Location:
Knoxville, TN
Open Date:
Mar 2, 2026
Description:
The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) seeks applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor position to be appointed in the Department of Public Health. The position is part of the collaborative initiative (https://reacch.org/initiatives/) between UTK and River Valley Health to address cardiometabolic health in our local communities. Faculty hired as part of this initiative will work with River Valley Health, a nationally known, federally qualified health center. UTK has established an organizational memorandum of understanding with RVH to support collaborative research and academic programming between the two institutions.

The candidate will collaborate with two additional recently hired faculty within the initiative, with one based in the Department of Nutrition (Dr. Jared McGuirt) and the other based in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies (Dr. Chad Wagoner), to create a collaborative team within CEHHS whose work will target cardiometabolic health through a multi-level approach across the spectrum of care (system, provider-patient interaction, out-clinic-support). The candidate will spend the majority of their research effort working with the initiative to develop, execute, and sustain a long-term collaborative, scholarly agenda.

We seek an established scholar whose work targets the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease, primarily through adult human subjects research, particularly in populations who are low-resourced. The candidate should have familiarity with multi-level interventions, apply health-relevant theoretical frameworks in research, and have strong quantitative or mixed methods research skills.

Scholars with a strong interest and expertise in areas such as health services research, bioinformatics, and/or primary care would be a good fit and would complement, but not significantly overlap with, the existing cluster faculty (Drs. McGuirt and Wagoner) expertise in the fields of nutrition and physical activity. Applicants are advised to strongly consider how their research agenda will complement, rather than fully overlap with the existing cluster members when applying. Leadership experience in developing community-engaged initiatives and high-impact scholarship would be highly desirable.

The successful candidate will: (a) lead research programming within a team-science framework with Drs McGuirt and Wagoner, and be in alignment with departmental, CEHHS, and RVH research initiatives; (b) participate in related collaborative research programs; (c) provide teaching in the Department of Public Health's educational programs; and (d) mentor MPH/PhD students.

This 9-month, fulltime (1.0 FTE), position begins August 1, 2026. Starting salary is commensurate with experience. UTK has a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for summer salary. UTK is Tennessee's flagship land grant university and is currently in the midst of unprecedented growth in enrollment, with over 38,000 enrolled students. The University is also a Carnegie Foundation Research (R1) University with highest research activity and has achieved a Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Forbes Magazine ranked UTK as one of the best places to work in the US, several years in a row, including a ranking of ninth among public higher education institutions in the United States.

Qualifications:

The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to promote an atmosphere where all members of the university community feel welcome and can thrive.

Candidates must have earned their doctorate in public health, a related social or behavioral science field, or have a doctorate in another field with a history of research or work experience directly applicable to the RVH/UTK collaborative initiative.

Candidates for the Assistant Professor rank should:

have a doctorate degree OR be in the final stages of their doctoral studies and anticipate degree completion before the commencement of employment.

demonstrate a clear research trajectory, as evidenced by scholarly publications or work toward publications.

have high potential of successful extramural funding.

Candidates for the Associate Professor rank should:

demonstrate an established research agenda and record of scholarly activity.

have experience with successfully acquiring extramural funding.

The successful candidate must meet the qualifications for being an assistant or associate professor within the department. Successful candidates will have a research focus in one or more of the following areas: health services research (outpatient health delivery and patient support, health systems planning, electronic health records/patient portals), chronic disease prevention, behavioral health/medicine, and/or dissemination and implementation science. Candidate must have demonstrated experience in productive interdisciplinary collaborations and interest in community-engaged work. Preferred candidates will have leadership experience in team science, a research portfolio that is complementary to the existing faculty that are part of the initiative, a history of successfully obtaining and maintaining external funding and a strong desire to join a collaborative research team as described.

Application Instructions:
Individuals interested in applying for this position should submit electronically a letter of application, curriculum vita, and list of three references who can address the applicant’s leadership capabilities with complete addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. A cover letter that explicitly describes how the candidate meets the qualifications and the ways in which the candidate’s research agenda fits with the initiative’s goals is required. Applications that do not include a cover letter, that include only a generic cover letter, or that do not address how the candidate will fit with the initiative will not be considered. Potential applicants are encouraged to reach out to Search Chair, Dr. Angela Pfammatter angela@utk.edu with any questions.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.