Assistant Professor – Behavioral ...

About the role

The Department of Health & Kinesiology in the College of Health at the University of Utah invites applications for a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Behavioral Science & Community Health. The successful candidate will develop an innovative, collaborative, and externally funded research program aligned with the department’s Behavioral Science & Community Health Research Theme, which focuses on multilevel factors influencing health and health behaviors and the development, evaluation, dissemination, implementation, and sustainability of approaches to improve health across diverse populations and settings.

Areas of research interest include, but are not limited to: designing and testing health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease self‑management across the lifespan; understanding health behavior change (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, weight management, sleep) and its behavioral, social, structural, or environmental determinants; dissemination and implementation science for community and clinical strategies; digital, mobile, LLM‑based, AI‑enabled, adaptive, or other innovative approaches to health behavior change; community‑engaged and community‑based participatory research; supporting priority populations experiencing disproportionate disease burden; and multilevel interventions spanning individuals, families, organizations, communities, health care systems, or policy environments.

The University of Utah is a Carnegie Research I institution located in Salt Lake City, adjacent to the Wasatch Range. The Department of Health & Kinesiology is part of the College of Health and University of Utah Health Sciences, serving approximately 1,700 undergraduate and graduate students in accredited programs. Faculty have access to the College of Health’s state‑of‑the‑science research facility, which includes seven laboratories (Exercise Intervention, Exercise Testing, Wet, Sleep/Circadian Physiology and Cognition, Metabolic Kitchen, Mobility and Stability, Musculoskeletal Biomechanics) and 24 university core facilities. Collaborative opportunities exist with the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Center for Metabolic Health, Center on Aging, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Responsible Artificial Intelligence Initiative, Digital Health Initiative, and College of Health Community Outreach and Engagement, among others. Faculty have secured extramural funding from NIH, CDC, DOD, and NSF. The university’s partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the upcoming 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City provide unique opportunities for interdisciplinary research and community health initiatives. Life in Salt Lake City offers access to eight world‑class ski resorts, extensive outdoor recreation, ten national parks within a day’s drive, and a vibrant cultural scene. Anticipated start date: July 1, 2027.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain an innovative, collaborative, and externally funded program of research.
• Disseminate research findings through high‑quality peer‑reviewed publications and presentations at national and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to collaborative and interdisciplinary research within the Department, College of Health, University of Utah Health, and broader University community.
• Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses consistent with departmental needs and the candidate’s expertise.
• Mentor undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students and contribute to the Department’s research‑intensive MS