The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) within the School of Public Health at the University of Washington (UW) invites applications for three tenure-track faculty positions at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning in Autumn quarter 2022 (12-month full-time appointment). Salary will be determined based on qualifications and experience. Our department values diversity, rigor, and innovative approaches to environmental and occupational health research and practice. We seek candidates from all disciplines that inform environmental and occupational health but are particularly interested in applicants with scholarship in one of the following areas of expertise: (1) Occupational Health and Safety; (2) Environmental Epidemiology; and (3) Toxicology.
All University of Washington faculty engage in research, teaching, mentorship, and service. The successful candidates will be expected to develop an independent and sustainable sponsored research program and develop a teaching portfolio that enhances the Department's teaching mission, including classroom instruction at the graduate and undergraduate level. The successful candidates will be visionary scholars who enjoy working in a highly interdisciplinary team environment. Adjunct or joint appointments in another UW department, such as the Department of Epidemiology for the Environmental Epidemiology expert, may also be appropriate for successful candidates.
The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences is a premier research and education department. DEOHS research programs lead in the fields of toxicology, exposure assessment, environmental epidemiology, occupational health and safety, microbiology and infectious diseases, and environmental health practice-based and community- engaged research. Educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate level train future leaders in environmental and occupational health sciences. As part of the top-ranked UW School of Public Health DEOHS educates tomorrow's environmental health and safety leaders, directly impacting workers and communities through public service, innovative research, and cross-disciplinary partnerships.
Our program is ranked fifth in the world among academic environmental and occupational health sciences programs. The department is home to numerous training grants, research centers, grants supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; this includes an NIEHS Core Center (the Interdisciplinary Exposure, Disease, Genomics, and Environment Center, with a strong focus on functional genomics and molecular approaches), a Superfund Research Program, and the Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety (a NIOSH Education and Research Center). There is a rich history of collaborative research in the department and across the University; the network of collaborators supports new faculty.
The University of Washington (UW) is one of the world's preeminent public universities in impact and funding. Since 1969, UW consistently places among the top five for total sponsored research funding for all public and private universities in the country. The UW School of Public Health (SPH) is recognized worldwide for its strength in public health research. SPH research is greatly enhanced by partnerships with other excellent research organizations in the Puget Sound region, including the Fred Hutch, Kaiser Permanent, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Children's Hospital. SPH researchers also work closely with local and state governmental agencies, such as the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. In addition, faculty have built strong research collaborations with many national and international programs that support and/or conduct public health research.
Commitment to Diversity
The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington believes that every person should have a safe place to work and a healthy, safe neighborhood to call home. Our faculty, students and staff conduct research and provide a range of services that protect workers, improve health and strengthen communities. We are committed to advancing equity in health and educational outcomes, with a focus on reaching those who have historically faced power differentials, racism and other forms of oppression. We believe having a diverse and culturally competent faculty, student body and staff is the best way to serve communities in our region and beyond. We strive to create an environment that welcomes students, faculty and staff from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. Our DEOHS Diversity Committee meets throughout the year to develop, advocate for and maintain policies and initiatives that enhance diversity and promote a welcoming climate. UW and the SPH have developed specific programs to support new faculty, with a specific eye towards supporting faculty around diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, teaching, and service. Our faculty development offerings are listed here.
The work of equity, diversity and inclusion is the work of Public Health. We are committed to a future that is free of health inequities, that promotes the highest level of wellness for the communities we serve, and a diverse and inclusive public health workforce that embodies humility, respect, leadership and service on behalf of, and with, the diverse communities we are privileged to serve. For more information, please see the following website: http://sph.washington.edu/diversity/.
The successful applicant will have expertise in studies of environmental and/or occupational factors and their impacts on human health. A minimum of a PhD, MD, other appropriate terminal degree in a relevant field, or foreign equivalent, is required.
Positive factors for consideration
Positive factors for consideration include, but are not limited, to:
For the desired focus on Occupational Health and Safety:
Expertise in the relationship between work and health, including the understanding, characterization and control of safety and health hazards at work. Relevant research interests could include occupational safety, occupational hygiene, ergonomics and work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and health impacts of hazards, particularly as applicable to the Pacific Northwest. Interests may include primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of injuries, illness, and disability from occupational factors.
For the desired focus on Environmental Epidemiology:
Expertise in population-based studies of the relationship between environmental and/or occupational exposures and human health.
For the desired focus on Toxicology:
Expertise in mechanistic toxicology with potential applications for developing innovative biomarkers and translational strategies or for experimental and human population studies, and techniques for understanding molecular mechanisms of chemically-related illnesses.
A strong background in cellular and animal models (including, but not limited to, rodent and zebrafish models) using biochemical, molecular and physiological approaches.
Additional positive factors for consideration for all positions:
- A demonstrated capacity to secure external research funding
- Teaching experience, interest, and aptitude.
- Evidence of commitment—through research interests—in addressing Environmental Health Disparities.
- Evidence of commitment to serving a diverse student population.
- Evidence of commitment to serving the diverse population of Washington State.
This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials free of charge. Applications should be submitted to Interfolio; initial review will begin January 16, 2022 and will continue until the positions are filled. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the search committee.
Applicants should provide:
- Cover Letter that describes the applicant's suitability for this position and explains how the applicant's experiences, activities, and goals will lead to success in a department focused on the environmental and occupational health sciences, in a school of Public Health. Please indicate which position(s) the applicant is applying for.
- Comprehensive Curriculum Vitae
- Research Statement describing past and present projects and future directions.
- Three samples of scholarship such as publications, weblinks to online projects, and/or course syllabi.
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Diversity Statement describing experiences with and commitment to diversity in research, teaching, mentoring and/or service, and how the candidate has the potential to support the institution's commitments.
- Four references (contact information only, no formal letters requested at time of initial application).
Please submit these materials through this Interfolio link: apply.interfolio.com/98315
Search Manager or Chair Contact Information
Angie Wilson, DEOHS Standing Search Committee Manager, ehahr@uw.edu
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University's Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member's academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements and Information
Under Washington State Governor Inslee's Proclamation 21-14.1, University of Washington (UW) workers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. This requirement will be a condition of any offer associated with this recruitment. For more information, please visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement/.
