Assistant Professor: Physical Activity Behavioral Science

Position Description

The School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (ENS) at San Diego State University is searching for a full-time (10-month) tenure-track faculty member in the area of physical activity behavioral science. This position will be at the Assistant Professor rank and will begin August 2024.   

Qualifications

Required:

• An earned academic doctorate (Ph.D. preferred) in Kinesiology, Physical Activity Behavioral Science, Public Health, Exercise Science, or related field

Preferred:

• Post-doctoral experience
• Research expertise including (but not limited to):
  • Physical activity-related health behavior change mechanisms, interventions, and outcomes (e.g., physical and mental health)
  • Community-based physical activity research
  • Physical activity in youth and/or diverse and underserved populations
  • mHealth (including digital data capture through ecological momentary assessment, wearables, digital health)

Candidates with strong research backgrounds who conduct applied physical activity research in the community, have experience developing partnerships with organizations, and are actively addressing health disparities are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will have the potential for collaborating with other existing physical activity behavioral sciences faculty in the School of ENS and among outside centers and departments, such as: public health, psychology, physical therapy, etc. Teaching responsibilities may include undergraduate and/or graduate courses in the areas of physical activity/behavior change, research methods, and measurement/evaluation. In addition to teaching, the candidate will also be expected to mentor undergraduate and/or graduate students and provide University service.

The School of ENS is in the College of Health and Human Services, one of seven colleges at San Diego State University. The School offers B.S. degrees in Kinesiology (with emphasis areas in Pre-Physical Therapy, Fitness Specialist, and Exercise Science Generalist) and Foods and Nutrition; M.S. degrees in Athletic Training, Exercise Physiology, Nutritional Sciences, and concurrent M.S. degrees in Exercise Physiology and Nutritional Sciences; and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The School of ENS was the recipient of the Inclusive Excellence Award from the American Kinesiology Association, and is proactively addressing issues of social justice, anti-racism, and cultural diversity through curriculum modifications, equity-minded hiring and teaching practices, and inclusive pedagogy. For more information on the School of ENS, visit http://ens.sdsu.edu.

SDSU is the oldest institution of higher education in the San Diego region, with a campus and microsites in San Diego and locations in Southern California’s Imperial Valley and Tbilisi in the Republic of Georgia. The highly diverse campus community has a student population of approximately 36,000. SDSU is included in the Carnegie Foundation’s Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity category. Established in 1897, SDSU offers bachelor degrees in 97 areas, masters in 84 and doctorates in 23. See http://www.sdsu.edu for more information. SDSU is a large, diverse, urban university and an Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) as well as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Our campus community is diverse in many ways, including race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, pregnancy, medical condition, and covered veteran status. We strive to build and sustain a welcoming environment for all.

We are seeking applicants with demonstrated experience in and/or commitment to working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and members of underrepresented groups in their research and teaching. Candidates must show evidence that they satisfy two or more of the following eight Building on Inclusive Excellence (BIE) criteria: (a) are committed to engaging in service with underrepresented populations within the discipline, (b) have demonstrated knowledge of barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline, (c) have experience or have demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring underrepresented students, (d) have experience or have demonstrated commitment to integrating understanding of underrepresented populations and communities into research, (e) have experience in or have demonstrated commitment to extending knowledge of opportunities and challenges in achieving artistic/scholarly success to members of an underrepresented group, (f) have experience in or have demonstrated commitment to research that engages underrepresented communities, (g) have expertise or demonstrated commitment to developing expertise in cross-cultural communication and collaboration, and/or (h) have research interests that contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education. Please indicate in a separate diversity statement how you meet at least two (2) of these criteria. Additional guidance on our BIE program for applicants can be found at sacd.sdsu.edu/cie/guidance-candidates.

Application Instructions

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please include a teaching philosophy statement (1 pg), research statement (2 pg), and diversity statement (1 pg) related to BIE criteria as outlined above. Please include your curriculum vitae and two letters of recommendation. Review of materials will begin on September 15, 2023 and applications will remain confidential until the candidate accepts an offer for an interview.  Candidates should apply via Interfolio: http://apply.interfolio.com/126330. For questions, please contact Ashleigh Johnson, Search Committee Chair, ajohnson12@sdsu.edu

The minimum salary for this position is based on the current CSU salary schedule for Assistant Professors and may be revised based on contract collective bargaining. The anticipated salary range is from $90,000 to $95,000. Salary placement will be based on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience, and salaries higher than the published maximums may be offered in limited circumstances. San Diego State University offers a rich benefits package that constitutes a major portion of total compensation. For benefits information, click bfa.sdsu.edu/hr/jobs/benefits.

As part of its commitment to a safe and equitable “OneSDSU” community, at the time of application, SDSU requires that individuals seeking faculty employment provide authorization to conduct background checks if they become a finalist for the position; applications without this authorization will be considered incomplete and not considered.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

SDSU is a Title IX, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, medical condition, or covered veteran status.