Tenured Professor and Chair of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS)

Chair and Professor in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences

GSPH-Behavioral & Community Health Sciences - Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh - (21006593)

The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health is accepting applications for the position of Tenured Professor & Chair of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS). Founded in 1948, Pitt Public Health spans seven academic departments, with nearly 650 students and 500 combined faculty and staff.

The Department of BCHS is dedicated to improving and promoting of health, wellness, and equity by engaging individuals, communities, and systems through research, teaching, and practice. The Chair will lead the faculty, staff, and students into a new era of community-engaged precision public health research. This expanded focus will build on the Department’s strategic priorities centered on community engagement, social influences on health, methods innovation, and promotion of health equity through tailored and population-specific intervention strategies.

Existing strengths in the department include research and educational efforts focused on community-based participatory research and practice, implementation and evaluation of health initiatives, social dynamics and community health, health equity, global health, sexual and gender minority health and wellness, women’s health, and healthy aging. In addition to action-oriented research, BCHS is recognized for its commitment to teaching and mentoring master’s and doctoral level students, emphasizing the growth of students both professionally and personally, and facilitating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience.

The new BCHS Chair is expected to expand existing partnerships with public health systems and community organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. BCHS has long standing collaborations across the School of Public Health and combined graduate programs across the University, including those with the School of Medicine, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and the School of Social Work. The new BCHS Chair is expected to play a key role in the expansion of interdisciplinary research and collaboration with other departments, schools, and institutions locally and across the globe by fostering an intellectual space that supports diverse perspectives and innovative approaches, and promotes action-oriented efforts. Two areas of growth of particular interest are the integration of behavioral and community research and practice with family medicine practice and the local Allegheny County Health Department. The Chair will also provide strong leadership in mentoring faculty to promote student success and nurture the career development of junior and senior faculty in the department.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• An outstanding track record of expertise through grants, publications, mentoring and engagement in community-engaged and mixed methods approaches, and in advancing population health and health equity.
• Transdisciplinary expertise in research translation and community engagement, and innovation in research, teaching, and service.

• A demonstrated record in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Engagement through grants, advances in faculty and student achievement, and expertise working with diverse populations.
• Knowledge and experience in educational programs and training of graduate students and advanced mentoring of public health trained individuals (masters, PhD, postdoc, and faculty).
• A successful record of leadership, management, effective public relations, community outreach, and fundraising through vision, implementation, and evidence-based evaluation.
• A strategic vision for short- and long-term development of the Department that supports the goals of Pitt Public Health and the University of Pittsburgh, and reflects the future of the field (e.g., precision public health, health equity, community engagement, health communication, global health initiatives).
• The ability to maintain a vigorous program of independent community-engaged and precision public health research.
• Demonstrated success in the mentoring and training of junior faculty members in helping them to obtain grants/funding and achieve career growth.
• A shared commitment to the Department’s core values of communication, collaboration, strength-based approaches, action, and social justice.
• Experience in creating a collaborative, positive, productive, community-oriented, sustainable, and effective work environment for all personnel including faculty, staff, and students.

The Chair is a full-time faculty position. Candidates (PhD, DrPH, MD or equivalent) must have a distinguished record of research, teaching, practice, service, and academic accomplishments that meet the criteria of tenured professor level. Formal training in public health (undergraduate, graduate, and/or post doc) is required. Experience in administration of externally supported research and training centers is desirable. Resources are available for intra-departmental program development, faculty recruitment, and cross campus collaborations.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Desired start date is as early as January 2022. Applicants should apply through requisition #21006593 at join.pitt.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Candidates should submit a letter of interest that addresses motivation to apply and summarizes professional accomplishments, a one-page diversity, equity and inclusion effort and vision statement, and curriculum vitae. Candidates from historically under represented communities are encouraged to apply.

For further information and details about Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, visit http://www.bchs.pitt.edu

 The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity, EOE, including disability/vets.