Faculty Position in Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Public Health, and Prevention Science

Open Rank Faculty Position in Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Public Health, and Prevention Science

The Pennsylvania State University Department of Kinesiology, housed in the College of Health and Human Development, is actively seeking applications for a tenure-track or tenured faculty position, rank open. This position will be co-funded by the university's Social Sciences Research Institute. The selected candidate will play a pivotal role in advancing leadership within the department and college focused on research and teaching in physical activity, public health, and prevention science as well as advancing social and behavioral science research across the university and nationally.

In line with the SSRI's strategic research foci and special emphasis area on social and environmental determinants of health, we are seeking a scholar with a specific interest in community-engaged scholarship that examines multiple levels of influence on physical activity behaviors. For example, we are particularly interested in scholars whose work directly addresses health disparities in access to support for physical activity, interventions that seek to reduce disparities in health outcomes related to physical activity, and research approaches that apply community-engaged methodologies.

The ideal candidate will complement our existing expertise, expand our ability to understand systems that impact physical activity and its related health outcomes, and have potential to drive innovation in public-impact research.

The responsibilities also include teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses, mentoring graduate students and supervising their theses/dissertations, conducting research, writing for publication and external grant funding, participating in department governance, and service to the department, university, and disciplinary field.

• Candidates at the rank of Assistant Professor will have an earned doctorate in physical activity, public health and prevention science, or related field prior to beginning at Penn State, and should have evidence of an exciting program of research and teaching and mentoring promise.
• Candidates at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor must also demonstrate an established record of excellence suitable for appointment with tenure at the Pennsylvania State University and should have evidence of an international reputation in the field, sustained research impact, evidence of excellence in teaching and mentoring, and a robust record of external research funding.
• The candidate should demonstrate a clear program of research and strong publication record, commensurate with rank.
• The candidate must show evidence of or potential for receiving extramural funding commensurate with rank.
• The candidate must show evidence of experience with teaching and mentorship commensurate with rank.

Departmental and Institute Context:

This position will be co-funded by Penn State's Social Sciences Research Institute.

SSRI recruits faculty with a goal of fostering collaborations among social and behavioral scientists, and others, working from the person to the population level to address critical human and social problems at the local, national, and international levels. SSRI has five strategic foci:
1) the causes and consequences of inequality,
2) human development and behavior,
3) the social and environmental determinants of health,
4) innovative and data intensive research methods, and
5) individual and community impact. SSRI supports interdisciplinary research by bringing together researchers across the university around emerging areas, and by providing consultation, seed grants and faculty fellowships, and core resources tailored to the needs of social and behavioral scientists.

Dedicated to enriching human well-being and strengthening intellectual, social, physical, economic, and emotional wellness, Penn State's College of Health and Human Development provides a solid foundation for positively impacting the way people live. The Department of Kinesiology is one of eight…