Associate or Full Professor in Indigenous Aging and Cognitive Health & Associate Director of Memory Keepers Medical

The Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team-Health Equity (MK-MDT) at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus, invites applications for an Associate Professor or Full Professor. This is a tenured position. The faculty member’s primary responsibilities will be to conduct collaborative research in a team science environment concerning aging and cognitive health in Indigenous populations and provide leadership support to the Executive Director of the MK-MDT.

MK-MDT conducts research on dementia and its associated risks, resiliencies, and comorbidities in collaboration with Indigenous and rural communities in Minnesota and beyond. MK-MDT faculty investigators work in an immersive, interdisciplinary research environment with 25+ highly qualified staff. The new faculty member will join a growing team of researchers with established community partnerships and a deeply embedded community-based infrastructure to support our research.

Our modern facilities were thoughtfully designed to foster team science, community-based approaches to research, and faculty/staff well-being.

We invite accomplished, innovative leaders to consider this distinguished opportunity. Applicants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds—including, for example, health sciences, social sciences, physical sciences, psychology, neurology, medicine, and neuropsychology—are encouraged to apply, particularly those with a strong record of securing competitive grant funding and producing impactful publications. Expertise in intervention design or implementation science is highly valued. Demonstrated commitment to Indigenous research models and participatory, community-based approaches will distinguish successful candidates.

Candidates should be prepared to expand their research portfolio into Minnesota and contribute to ongoing MK-MDT projects. While the heart of this position lies in advancing an Indigenous research portfolio, you’ll also find exciting opportunities to collaborate on rural research and outreach initiatives, broadening your impact and driving meaningful, sustainable change across diverse communities.

The University of Minnesota supports several research centers and initiatives that are available as partners and collaborators. These include additional Medical Discovery Teams:
Masonic Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, and Optical Imaging and Brain Science;
Centers and Institutes: N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, and the Minnesota Northstar Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (MNGWEP). There are also opportunities to partner with supports provided through the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Rural Health Research Center, and the Minnesota Population Center, among others.

The successful candidate will spend the vast majority of their time on research and administrative activities; however, academic service and teaching contributions are expected.

Research:
Spearhead innovative research initiatives focused on brain health, dementia, and healthy aging within Indigenous populations, in alignment with the mission and vision of the MK-MDT and the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus. Proactively pursue extramural funding from NIH and other funding agencies to advance groundbreaking research. Engage in dynamic, collaborative interdisciplinary team science with MK-MDT faculty, actively contributing to community engagement, impactful workshops, and competitive funding applications.

Administration:
Step into a pivotal leadership role as Associate Director of the MK-MDT on Health Equity, where you'll work…