Assistant Professor of Public Health

About the Role

The College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, invites nominations and applications for an Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation. This is a 9-month, tenure-track, full-time faculty position. The successful candidate will complement existing strengths within the Public Health Program and the College of Education and Health Professions.

This faculty position is part of the Arkansas Health Research and Solutions cluster hire at the University of Arkansas. Driven by three Fortune 500 companies, booming steel and lithium sectors, world-class museums, and rich natural beauty, Arkansas is transforming into a vibrant hub of opportunity and innovation. Yet Arkansas also faces significant health challenges. Too many Arkansans experience chronic disease, high rates of infant and maternal mortality, mental health crises, and limited healthcare access. Through this cluster hire initiative, the University will advance its land-grant mission by expanding capacity to address our state's most pressing challenges. Building on existing campus expertise, these new faculty members will advance their research agendas through collaborative research—both with other scholars and with communities in the state—that results in peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and new approaches to healthcare. The successful candidate for this position will join a multidisciplinary community of scholars committed to confronting major issues, generating new knowledge, and providing research-based solutions that improve health outcomes for people living in Arkansas and beyond.

This is an in-person position. On-campus presence is an essential function of this position. Extensive in-person engagement in activities such as office hours, student advising, collaborative work, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is required to advance student success, departmental effectiveness, and the mission of the college and the university. Through teaching, research, and service, this position supports the University's 150 Forward priorities of student success, research excellence, and an employer-of-choice environment. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an ongoing record of research, seeking external funding to support research endeavors, and disseminating research through peer-reviewed publications and presentations
• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Public Health
• Supervise Integrative Learning Experiences for MPH students, dissertations, and honors projects
• Mentor and advise both undergraduate and graduate students
• Provide service to the department, college, university, community, and profession

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned doctorate from an accredited institution in Public Health or a related field, conferred by the start of employment
• An established or emerging research agenda with a clear trajectory toward external funding. The area of research inquiry is open, but focal areas include the following areas: implementation science and behavioral health; community-based participatory research, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; prevention and early intervention in behavioral health; translational health research; big data analytics in public health
• Record of refereed peer-reviewed publications and presentations

Preferred Qualifications

• MPH degree from an accredited institution conferred by the start of employment
• Postdoctoral experience
• Evidence of or strong potential to obtain external funding
• Evidence of effective teaching and student mentorship
• Evidence of or strong potential to engage in interdisciplinary collaborative research

Additional Information

This position is a Designated Research Position and is regulated by the Arkansas Research Education Protection Act of 2025. Prior to issuance of an offer of employment, the University is required to request and obtain additional information about an applicant's background and, if required, conduct an additional review of that background information.

Benefits

The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.