The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) is searching for an Assistant Professor to start on August 1, 2025, whose scholarship focuses on health disparities associated with food and nutrition insecurity. This position will be part of a Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative designed to enhance UTK?s national footprint in food and nutrition security from a food systems perspective. The cluster initiative also will include faculty in the Departments of Nutrition; Public Health; Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; Agricultural and Resource Economics; Food Science; and Family and Consumer Sciences. The group of faculty in the cluster initiative will work across UTK and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture to collaboratively develop a strategic plan that will focus on transdisciplinary, community-engaged and impactful scholarship that emphasizes population representativeness; an inclusive research enterprise that supports a diverse and inclusive workforce; and interdisciplinary academic programing to enhance experiential training.

For early career faculty, the cluster initiative also offers a unique framework for professional development and mentorship within a rich transdisciplinary environment. For more information, please visit https://cehhs.utk.edu/cluster-initiatives/.

The ideal candidate for this position has a collaborative mindset and prioritizes working with colleagues to realize shared research and educational achievements, including large-scale proposals, joint publications, and new transdisciplinary curricular programming. This unique opportunity may include joint appointments in other participating departments. As Tennessee?s flagship, land-grant institution, UTK is particularly interested in recruiting faculty candidates who are deeply connected to the organizations and communities in which their work will have translational impact, as well as those who will contribute to a climate that values diversity and inclusion. Review of applications will begin on August 26, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.  

 College of Nursing

We are nurse scientists, health sciences scholars, expert educators, and passionate staff deeply committed to making substantial contributions to improving regional, national, and global health and health care, attracting the best and brightest students. We firmly believe our faculty and staff make a difference in each student?s life.

Highlights:

·       Competitive salary and benefits with a generous start-up package including relocation stipend and protected scholarship time for the first 2 years.

·       Scholarship and grant-writing support from the College?s Office of Research and Scholarship and the University?s Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development.

·       Interprofessional training and research opportunities specific to the Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative.

·       Resources and support from the National Hartford Centers for Gerontological Nursing Excellence.

·       State-of-the-art, accredited Health Innovation Technology and Simulation Lab run in collaboration with the Tickle College of Engineering.

·       Research collaborations with the University of Tennessee Medical Center, East Tennessee Children?s Hospital, Cherokee Health Systems, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

 University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee Knoxville is the flagship campus of the UT system, land-grant university, and a public Carnegie Research 1 institution. As an 1862 land-grant university and as Volunteers, serving our state and nation is key to our mission. UT enrolls approximately 36,000 students at its Knoxville campus. Under a united leadership across the UT system, university campuses, and colleges, UTK is undergoing transformational changes focused on solving some of the most audacious, pressing problems our country and world face today.

 The city of Knoxville is a hidden gem surrounded by eight gorgeous lakes, with a beautiful and walkable downtown, a diverse music scene including internationally recognized festivals, active neighborhoods, unique restaurants, and a robust offering of diverse cultural and outdoor activities. UTK is located within easy driving distance to the Great Smoky Mountains, Atlanta, Nashville, Asheville, Charlotte, Louisville, and Cincinnati. It is only a day?s drive to Memphis, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Knoxville and the surrounding counties have a population of more than 850,000 people. 

Qualifications

·       A PhD or equivalent degree in nursing, nutrition, public health, or related field by the time of appointment

·    Evidence of research in health disparities associated with food and nutrition insecurity

·       Interest and commitment to contributing nursing expertise to the goals of the Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative using a team-science approach

Desired Qualifications

·       Eligibility for RN license in Tennessee

The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University. Interested applicants must submit the following:

• A cover letter to address why this position is of interest and their vision for this position.
•  Curriculum vitae that includes research funding and publications, teaching experiences, honors, awards, employment, education, and certifications
•    A statement of professional goals highlighting (i) teaching and mentoring; (ii) research, including both disciplinary and transdisciplinary, as well as underlining research leadership initiatives; and (iii) collaboration and alignment with the University of Tennessee?s Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative cluster.  In addition, candidates may describe how they would help promote students? access to and inclusion in their teaching and research.
• Contact information for three to five references. Reference letters will be requested for applicants invited for an interview.

Contact conhr@utk.edu with questions.

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 accommodations of a disability should be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-3560 or eoa@utk.edu or (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 & Resolution 216 Business Incubator Building 2450 EJ. Chapman Drive Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 or (865)974-0717 or investigations@utk.edu.

About University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Our primary mission is to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate the citizens of the state of Tennessee, the nation, and the world. As the preeminent research-based, land-grant university in the state, UT embodies the spirit of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement attained by the nation’s finest public research institutions.

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