What are the responsibilities and job description for the Teaching Instructor/Assistant Professor, School of Public Health (F77740,F77750,F77760) position at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)?
Mission or Goal of Unit: As an urban public research institution and safety-net provider, VCU has a long history of prioritizing the public health needs of communities. The School of Public Health at VCU was established in July 2023, bringing the departments of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Health Policy, and Social & Behavioral Sciences together under a unified focus on public and population health. The new school was developed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of VCU’s investment to increase the footprint of public health at the university and the commonwealth. The school provides students with the opportunity to engage in developing real-world solutions to overcome long-standing local, regional, and national health inequities. In addition, the school’s faculty and students conduct research focused on improving the quality of life of all populations in Virginia. The MPH program prepares students committed to public health careers in public, private, or nonprofit sectors. Students in the MPH program gain the skills needed for employment in a broad range of positions in local, state, and national public health agencies as well as private and academic research institutions, depending on the student’s selected degree concentration and interests. Located adjacent to the Virginia State Capitol and the Virginia Department of Health, the VCU MPH program is closely linked with local, state, and national public health agencies and professionals who help to enhance the students’ appreciation and understanding of how to apply public health principles to practice and research in the real world. VCU’s Master of Public Health program has been accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health since 1996 and has the first known concentration in cancer health equity science, alongside concentrations in epidemiology and applied public health, with numerous others in development. The MPH has dual degree options with social work (MSW), pharmacy (PharmD), and medicine (MD). After many successful years as an accredited program, VCU recently transitioned to the school accreditation category and is currently in a self-study period. The VCU School of Public Health is currently an applicant for accreditation with the Council on Education for Public Health. Chief Purpose of this position: The School of Public Health at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications for multiple Teaching Instructor/Assistant Professors. Appointment is for full-time 12-month, non-tenure eligible (term) faculty positions at the instructor or assistant professor rank, primarily focused on teaching activities in the MPH degree. The MPH program is centrally administered out of the dean’s office, with faculty from all departments in the school contributing to the MPH program. Faculty will have a departmental home in the Department of Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology, Department of Health Policy, or Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, based on the most appropriate fit for each candidate's background and expertise. We are a dynamic and growing school, and the selected candidates will have the opportunity to be innovative in preparing students to meet public health challenges in a rapidly changing society. The candidate’s primary responsibility will be teaching courses for VCU’s Masters of Public Health Program (MPH), including developing and delivering courses for an anticipated online MPH program. The position will contribute predominantly to developing and delivering courses, advising and mentoring students, and participating in service activities. We welcome candidates who can teach across multiple foundational areas of public health, including biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy, and social and behavioral sciences. While all areas of teaching will be considered, we are particularly interested in candidates in the following areas: (1) those with professional experience who can teach a range of foundational public health courses and guide practice-based integrated learning experiences; (2) those with broad expertise in the social and behavioral sciences, such as program planning and evaluation, health communication, community engagement, social justice, health equity and/or cancer disparities; (3) those with broad expertise in epidemiology, such as methods and applied data analysis. Position Responsibilities: Teaching The faculty members will support the school and department with teaching and mentoring responsibilities. Candidates will be expected to teach online, hybrid and in-person courses. This includes working with VCU Online to transition in person courses to the online modality. Although heavily focused on the master’s level, the successful candidate may also teach courses that serve doctoral students or undergraduate students. Teaching load is expected to be up to 3 courses in both the fall and spring semesters and 1 course in the summer. The candidate will supervise integrative learning experiences and mentor students in the MPH program and may advise students in the doctoral program, based on qualifications and departmental need. Service The faculty members are expected to serve on Departmental, School, and/or University committees as necessary. Research The primary purpose of the position is teaching; however, faculty members may engage in research activities, as effort permits and in consultation with their chair. Required Qualifications: Preferred Qualifications: All candidates are invited to apply. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, diversity statement, personal statement (including a statement of teaching philosophy, courses you are interested in teaching, teaching evaluations, a record of teaching accomplishments and innovations, and sample course materials). ORP Eligible: Yes
Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Full time equivalent: 100
Tenure: Ineligible
Rank: Open
Months: 12
Department:
School of Public Health
Salary: Commensurate
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Carrie Boyd
Contact Email:
Contact Phone:
