Assistant Professor of Social Work

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor

The School of Social Work in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor to start in August 2027. This is a standard nine-month faculty appointment. This faculty position is part of the Arkansas Health Research and Solutions cluster hire at the University of Arkansas. Driven by three Fortune 500 companies, booming steel and lithium sectors, world-class museums, and rich natural beauty, Arkansas is becoming a vibrant hub of opportunity and innovation.

Yet Arkansas also faces significant health challenges. Too many Arkansans experience chronic disease, high rates of infant and maternal mortality, mental health crises, and limited access to healthcare. Through this cluster hire initiative, the University will advance its land-grant mission by expanding capacity to address our state's most pressing challenges. Building on existing campus expertise, these new faculty members will advance their research agendas through collaborative work—both with other scholars and with communities across the state—that yields peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and new approaches to healthcare.

The successful candidate for this position will join a multidisciplinary community of scholars committed to confronting major issues, generating new knowledge, and providing research-based solutions that improve health outcomes for people living in Arkansas and beyond.

This is an in-person position. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

About the Department:
The School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas, housed within the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, advances social, economic, and environmental justice through excellence in education, research, and community engagement. As part of Arkansas' land-grant institution, the School prepares ethical, competent, and evidence-informed social work practitioners committed to improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities across Arkansas, the Ozark region, nationally, and globally.

The School offers fully accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs, delivering rigorous curricula across traditional face-to-face and online learning platforms. Our faculty lead dynamic research programs in rural health disparities, health equity, child welfare, aging, the criminal justice system, macro policy analysis, and behavioral health. The School emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, robust community partnerships, and student-centered mentorship in an academic environment that values research excellence and applied practice.

We are dedicated to fostering a community of culturally competent social work leader-practitioners. Through student-centered experiential learning, rigorous research, and committed community engagement, we prepare our students to become advocates for social and economic justice and equity. Our program integrates classroom knowledge with real-world application. We aim to empower social workers who will enhance the quality of life for individuals, families and communities in Arkansas and globally, believing that through our efforts, Arkansas can truly be a land of opportunity for all.

Duties will include:

• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance
• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
• 20% Academic Service Activities

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Social Work or a closely related field from an accredited institution (ABD considered, provided doctorate is completed prior to the start date) conferred by the start…