Assistant or Associate Professor-Social Work-Fall ; Tenure Track positions

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville:
Knoxville Academic Units:
Social Work Location

Knoxville, TN

Aug 28, 2026

Sep 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

The University of Tennessee College of Social Work (UTCSW) invites applications for an assistant or associate professor in social work in any areas of social work practice and research. We seek candidates with an independent trajectory of research who can also build on and/or collaborate with current faculty’s areas of research strength and contribute to our broadening interdisciplinary and community-based research partnerships.

Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong program of scholarship and potential for extramural funding at the Assistant Professor level, or an established record of scholarship and externally funded research appropriate for appointment at the Associate Professor level. Further, the successful candidate will contribute to the highest-quality graduate and undergraduate social work education, have the ability to promote an atmosphere where all members of the university community feel welcome and can thrive.

We are open to all research areas but have special interest in research related to health and well-being, use of artificial intelligence and computing for the social good, and community-engaged research that focuses on local community conditions. All applicants who apply by the priority deadline will be considered.

Candidates for this position must have earned their Ph.D. in social work or a related health, social, or behavioral science field, including public health and public policy. Current doctoral students who are ABD and will finish their dissertation by July 31, 2027 are also invited to apply. The positions will be located on the Knoxville campus. The start date will be August 1, 2027.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a land-grant, flagship research institution, that imagines “a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership.” ( https://chancellor.utk.edu/vision/). The university is currently in the midst of unprecedented growth in enrollment, with approximately 40,000 enrolled students. The University is a Carnegie Foundation Research (R1) University with the designation of highest research activity and has achieved a Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement.

UTK offers a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for additional summer salary.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Social Work has almost 1,000 students enrolled in undergraduate, MSW, DSW, and PhD programs in Knoxville, Nashville, and online. The College is preparing highly skilled and culturally sensitive social workers to address areas of need across the state, the country, and the globe. The College is home to four research centers and several faculty research labs.

College faculty conduct interdisciplinary research addressing pressing social, behavioral, and health challenges across the lifespan and at individual, family, community, and systems levels.

The UTCSW is committed to the success of our tenure-track faculty. We offer a strong mentoring program, manageable teaching load, competitive start-up funds, pre-tenure teaching releases, and additional opportunities for internal research funding. The university also offers structural supports for teaching and research innovation.

The City of Knoxville is a hidden gem, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxville has a beautiful and walkable downtown, a diverse music scene, active neighborhoods, unique restaurants, outstanding athletic opportunities,…