Assistant or Associate Professor, Pubic Health, Tenure Track

Description

Pacific University achieves excellence and distinction by investing in exceptional people to think, care, create, and pursue justice in our world. We embrace discovery in a close nurturing environment that leads to genuine transformation. Our community is diverse, sustainable, and dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship and practice. 

At Pacific University we thrive in an extraordinary environment, surrounded by the beauty of the great Pacific Northwest, with campus locations in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, and Eugene. We humbly acknowledge and thank the original caretakers of the lands on which we live, work, teach, acquire and share knowledge.

Tenure-Track Position in Public Health

The Public Health Program of Pacific University invites applications for a tenure-track, full-time, 9-month position (FTE 1.0) beginning August 2025. 

The Position and the Institution

We seek a new colleague at the Assistant Professor rank (Associate Professor rank may be considered) who brings promise for excellence in both teaching and mentorship of undergraduate students. We encourage applications from individuals of all identities and backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone feels respected and valued.

Responsibilities for this position include teaching a variety of introductory and upper-level courses in both the Public Health program and core undergraduate curriculum, as needed. The successful candidate will be expected to introduce new courses in their area of expertise to the curriculum, maintain an active and productive research program, demonstrate a strong commitment to the values and principles of a liberal arts education, and collaborate effectively with colleagues within the program and across the university. 

Teaching expectations

We seek candidates who have potential for excellence in teaching, which is a critical focus of our faculty. In particular, we seek a new colleague who can contribute to creating engaging and inclusive learning environments for our student body: more than 20% of our students are first-generation college students, we are designated as an Asian American Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and we are pursuing status as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with 18% of current undergraduates and 20% of the incoming class identifying as Latino/a/x/e. As a program, we explore and support innovative and inclusive pedagogical approaches that will help us meet those goals, which might include contributing to one of these minors: Indigenous Studies, Latinx Studies and/or Asia-Pacific studies.

Specific teaching responsibilities include core departmental courses (e.g. lower-division epidemiology and program development/evaluation), upper-division electives taught on a rotating basis, and contributing to the general liberal arts curriculum as needed. Preference will be given to applicants with expertise in developing curriculum and teaching in race and ethnicity (e.g., Indigenous health, Latinx studies, antiracism, multiracial studies). Candidates with a background in mental health and/or disability studies are also especially encouraged to apply.

Pacific faculty typically teach a 20 credit course load (5-6 classes per year, typically 2 and 4-credit courses), which are spread across fall, winter (Jan. term), and spring terms. In addition, all tenure-track faculty are expected to serve as academic advisors and contribute in meaningful ways to departmental and university-wide service beginning in year two.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold a PhD in public health or a closely related field, by the beginning of the academic year (candidates with a terminal degree in public health are preferred). Demonstrated teaching effectiveness, a strong commitment to student engagement, and evidence of ability to engage in a promising research agenda is essential. Pacific particularly values experience and interest in including undergraduates in research. 

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the US. We are unable to sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment Visa for this position at this time.

Who we are

Pacific University is an independent, comprehensive university in Forest Grove and Hillsboro, Oregon (about 25 miles west of Portland). The Public Health Program is part of the College of Arts and Sciences (ca. 1400 students, located in Forest Grove), a liberal arts undergraduate college where faculty and staff are committed to a culturally responsive, personalized education. The University also includes a College of Health Professions (including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Pharmacy, Dental Science, and Professional Psychology), a College of Optometry, a College of Education, and a College of Business. 

The Public Health program at Pacific is an interdisciplinary major grounded in the social sciences. Details can be found at https://www.pacificu.edu/public-health.

The Forest Grove area

Pacific University is located in Forest Grove, OR, a town of around 25,000. The town is home to some of the state’s oldest and most respected wineries, but you’ll also be able to find an abundance of local beer, kombucha, sake, artisan sourdough bread, and local farm-fresh produce. May through October there is a Wednesday farmer’s market in the small but vibrant downtown area. Forest Grove is within the TriMet district and is served by a public bus line which operates 7 days per week. Pacific University has been the most distinctive aspect of the town throughout its history, and Old College Hall on campus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Forest Grove is within a 30-minute or less driving distance of downtowns for Portland, Beaverton, and Hillsboro. Forest Grove also provides easy access to many exceptional natural areas for a variety of outdoor activities (hiking, biking, surfing, climbing, etc.), including the Cascade and Coastal Mountain Ranges, volcanos, rivers, lakes, high deserts, and the Oregon Coast.

Detailed Application Instructions

Please upload all requested materials with your application. The details below are intended to help you prepare your best application. To standardize the review process, material beyond page limits will not be reviewed. 

Please combine all application materials into a single file (.doc or .pdf), in the order listed below. The application materials include:

• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) describing your candidacy, addressing your training, experience, knowledge, and skills to demonstrate how you will succeed at Pacific. Specifically, embed your approach to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion as you discuss: 
  • Your interest in a Public Health faculty position at an undergraduate-serving liberal arts institution like Pacific University.
  • Your approach to mentoring undergraduate researchers, with attention to supporting students from diverse backgrounds.
  • Identify one or two possible special topics courses that you would be interested in teaching within the Public Health Program. Describe your ability or potential to teach one of the classes you identify, including how your teaching methods are inclusive and culturally responsive.

• A CV (no page limit). Summarize your educational and professional experiences and accomplishments.

• A brief teaching statement (maximum 2 pages) that addresses your approach(es) to teaching, including strategies you use to engage undergraduates with learning and to create a culturally responsive learning environment. We are interested in details about teaching you have done (especially any examples where you were in charge of designing activities, modules, or classes), as well as ideas you have from pedagogical training (e.g., workshops, Future Faculty-style courses, etc.). Descriptions of activities, assignments, examples of teaching practices, or pedagogical trainings should include explanations for how they enhance student learning and belonging for all students, including strengths or interest in experiential and relationship-based teaching. While teaching experience of some kind is required, we are also interested in the promise of excellence in teaching at Pacific. Thus, you may discuss both approaches you have used (successful or not) and ones you would like to try. 

• A research statement (maximum 2 pages) that describes a plan for your research program at Pacific, at least for the pre-tenure years. Please focus on future plans, though of course you may also review prior work and accomplishments briefly. Highlight any approaches that enhance accessibility or inclusion in your research. Specifically, address the following (in any order/format): 
  • What question(s) will you address, and why are they significant?
  • How are you prepared to address them?
  • What approach(es) will you use? 
  • What resources will you need to carry out this program? 
  • How will undergraduates be involved in your research, over the summer or during the academic year?

• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g. summary of course evaluations, peer observations)

• Names and contact information for three references who can address your teaching experience and potential, your potential for establishing a successful research program with undergraduates at a liberal arts college, and (or) your EDI values and alignment with Pacific’s mission. We will contact these letter-writers directly for short-listed candidates later in the review process. 

Review process

The search committee will include Public Health faculty, non-Public Health faculty (internal and external to the School of Social Sciences), Public Health students, and a non-voting administrator who is responsible for ensuring equity in the review process. All applications will be initially evaluated using a rubric that includes teaching experience, ability or potential to teach, research experience, experience or promise in mentoring undergraduate research, potential for success in the area of scholarship, preparation to teach a diverse student body, and commitment to service and community engagement. Contact Dr. Rebecca Schoon (rebecca.schoon@pacificu.edu) with questions.

Review of applications will begin January 31, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. 

At Pacific University we are dedicated to providing experiences that are authentic, holistic, equity minded, and responsive. We continue to develop our equity practices with a particular focus on racial equity.

For qualifying employees, our benefits include generous paid time off for vacation, holidays (including winter break) and sick leave. We offer medical coverage with alternative care (in-network services covered at 100% after payroll deduction), comprehensive dental, vision plans, 9% contribution to retirement after one year of service with no match required, free mental health appointments, and tuition remission for employees and their dependents. We cover employer paid life, short term disability, and long term disability insurance. On campus benefits include free access to our sports facility and library, with discounts on campus food, bookstore purchases, clinic services, and gear rentals through our outdoor program (kayaks, snow shoes, bikes and more).

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  Studies have shown that candidates that are female and/or BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications they find in the job description. We are seeking the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be a person who comes from a less traditional background. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every minimum qualification described or are unsure if your experience could be considered related experience.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

It is the policy of Pacific University not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion or religious creed, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military, veteran or Vietnam Era status, or any other protected classification recognized by applicable law, in admission, access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or any other applicable state or federal law, or city ordinance. Questions or complaints may be directed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116, provost@pacificu.edu.

Application materials will be screened and interview candidates will be selected and notified by telephone or email.  The hiring process normally consists of several interviews and can last several weeks depending on the position.  All applicants will be notified once the position is filled.  Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.