Assistant/Associate Professor of Exercise and Brain Health

The Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina (UofSC) Arnold School of Public Health (ASPH; www.sph.sc.edu) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin August 2022. Highly qualified applicants may be considered for Associate Professor. The successful candidates will have, or be able to develop, collaborative multi-disciplinary, translational research programs with a focus on applied physiology, exercise, and health which complement or enhance research within the department and across the ASPH.

Position: Exercise and Brain Health. Research programs of particular interest will be focused on exercise neuroscience, including, but not limited to, traumatic brain injury, exercise and cognition, performance psychology, nutritional/nutraceutical interventions, and/or autonomic regulation.

The successful candidates will have an earned doctoral degree at the time of appointment in exercise science, kinesiology, nutrition, neuroscience, or related fields, and demonstrated potential for an outstanding record of research accomplishments, publications, and extramural funding to support a research program and for serving as an effective instructor and mentor. Applicants wishing to be considered for the rank of Associate Professor must have a strong record of scholarship and funded research, with at least 5 years of experience as an effective instructor, student mentor, and researcher by the beginning date of employment.  

The Department offers degrees at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral level with programs in exercise science, athletic training, and physical therapy. The PhD program is currently the top ranked program in the US and among the top ranked in the world. The department currently serves approximately 1100 undergraduates and over 250 graduate students across all programs. The successful applicants will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching and research, as well as supervise graduate students.

The Department and Arnold School of Public Health have numerous brain and behavioral health researchers with faculty focusing on traumatic brain injury, stroke, neuromotor disorders, human and cognitive performance, and health psychology. Faculty members in the Department have established relationships with University Athletics, Prisma Health, the Columbia VA Medical Center, and US Special Operations Command. The larger University has a vibrant brain and behavioral science community spread across multiple departments and schools; and faculty members benefit from organizations such as the Institute for Mind and Brain and Network for Neurocultures. The Department, School, and University also have excellent facilities to conduct neuroscientific research and faculty members have access to high-density EEG and fNIRS systems, and 3-Tesla Magnet at the McCausland Center for Neuroimaging.

UofSC is a research-intensive University and has been designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a doctoral institution with highest research activity. UofSC has also been designated a community engaged institution, making it one of only 56 public universities to earn both the top-tier research classification and the community engagement classification from Carnegie. The university is located in Columbia, South Carolina, the state capital and the center of a metropolitan area that is home to over 800,000 residents. The low cost of living in the Columbia metropolitan area, coupled with abundant recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities provides the opportunity for an excellent quality of life. Filled with historic homes and charming, diverse neighborhoods, Columbia is a city on the rise, noted by Thrillist website as one of eight cities with the cool appeal of Nashville or Portland. Jogging and walking paths line the downtown and riverfront greenway, with parks scattered throughout the rest of the city. The popularity of downtown living has sparked the growth of independent restaurants, coffee houses, wine bars, breweries, galleries, boutiques, and street fairs. Other Columbia highlights include: the Columbia Museum of Art with continuous high-profile traveling exhibits; the Nickelodeon art house cinema; the South Carolina State Museum with its planetarium, observatory, and 4-D movie theatre; the nationally recognized Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; and Lake Murray. Columbia has a lively local music scene as well as national entertainment tours that visit the Colonial Life Arena. Known for its college athletics teams as a member of the SEC, the city also hosts a minor league baseball team (the Columbia Fireflies). Centrally located, Columbia is two hours from the South Carolina coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

UofSC strives to create an inclusive, diverse community that facilitates our commitment to social justice, equity and humility for the communities that we serve. We seek opportunities to recruit, retain and promote individuals from traditionally underrepresented populations to further this vision. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community engagement at the ASPH and university at-large is reflected by many programs and partnerships across campus.

UofSC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. The university does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, genetics, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

The University of South Carolina offers a robust benefits package described at: http://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/human_resources/benefits/index.php

How to apply: Complete applications will include: 1) cover letter, 2) curriculum vitae, 3) concise teaching philosophy, 4) statement on research focus, 5) a statement on your philosophy on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, and 6) contact information for three professional references. To apply for the Exercise and Brain Health Position, submit your application at the following link: https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/107710. Submit the complete application electronically (PDF format preferred). Applicants should contact Dr. Glenn Weaver at weaverrg@mailbox.sc.edu  with any questions. All finalists will be required to submit official transcripts from degree granting institutions(s). Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, including pregnancy & childbirth (or related medical conditions) sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, protected veteran status or genetics. The University of South Carolina and the Department of Exercise Science seek to promote equity, diversity, and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and community. Thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates whose research, teaching, and/or service align with this commitment. The University of South Carolina has been awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from Insight into Diversity for eight consecutive years.