Description
TENURE TRACK FACULTY POSITION (open rank)
Rutgers University School of Social Work (RUSSW) invites applications for an open rank tenure-track appointment to begin on or after September 1, 2024. This scholar will be part of the Addressing Health Equity in Age-Related Disorders (AHEAD) cluster hire initiative. This multidisciplinary initiative seeks to advance knowledge of neurodegenerative disorders, treatments, and technology solutions, promote quality of life among individuals, families, and communities, and develop a deep understanding of the social, racial, and ethnic health disparities associated with the onset and treatments of neurodegenerative disorders to map a path towards health equity. It is expected that the success of the AHEAD cluster will inform later activities addressing other age-related chronic diseases (e.g., atherosclerotic heart disease, cancers, and foundational metabolic disorders). Moreover, the AHEAD cluster will complement the Rutgers Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center (RUADRC), a clinically driven center that is part of the Rutgers Brain Health Institute primarily aimed at identifying the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s Disease through novel in vivo and human-derived in vitro models as well new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The AHEAD cluster will emphasize the societal role and what factors lead to age-related health disparities specific to neurodegeneration, with interweaved expertise across engineering, kinesiology and health, cell biology and neuroscience, and social work to connect the cluster efforts to RUADRC. We seek a scholar dedicated to advancing excellence in research, teaching, and engagement with a focus on equity in aging, neurocognitive diversity, and mental health in middle and later life. The scholar also will join the RUSSW Hub for Aging Collaboration as a core faculty member.
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Social Work or a closely related field. A Master of Social Work and social work practice experience is also preferred, preferably in aging, healthcare, and dementia. Applicants should have strong methodological training, demonstrated research productivity, potential for publication in high-impact journals, and excellent teaching and communication skills. Prior experience with community-engaged research is also preferred. Faculty members are expected to maintain an extramurally funded research agenda, teach in the programs of the School (BASW, MSW, DSW, and Ph.D.), supervise Ph.D. students, and engage in service to foster the missions of RUSSW and the University.
The AHEAD Cluster is supported by funds from the Rutgers Presidential Diversity Hiring Initiative. These appointments are intended to advance Rutgers’s goals toward building diversity, equity, and inclusive (DEI) excellence on our campuses. Diversity refers to the variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. Such differences include race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, age, religion, language, disability status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more. In addition to this position, the cluster initiative includes recruitment for positions in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (Rutgers School of Engineering),the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience and Department of Kinesiology and Health (School of Arts and Sciences) Sciences, Institute for Health, Healthcare Policy, and Aging Research, and the Rutgers Brain Health Institute.
Faculty who join RUSSW will have the opportunity to work in one of the most diverse states in the nation and with a student body that represents a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and identities. Our faculty is an open and collegial group, with a commitment to the success of our pre-tenure faculty and to continued development of faculty at all ranks. To support these efforts, the Faculty Diversity Collaborative in the Office of University Equity and Inclusion provides individualized and targeted supports along the faculty life cycle to increase faculty engagement, ensure effective and inclusive mentoring, expand networking opportunities, and develop leadership skills to foster a sense of belonging and professional growth for diverse faculty in the academy.
RUSSW is committed to advancing diversity in all areas, including scholarship, instruction, and engagement at all levels. In their cover letter, candidates should address their contributions to DEI, current interests or activities, and/or future goals to promote a climate that values DEI. The cover letter should also include a research statement detailing how the applicant’s research interests align with AHEAD. Along with this cover letter, applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, list of references, and at least one writing sample. Formal review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Applicants may apply online: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/218236. Curriculum Vitae, letter of application (with cover letter), list of references, and at least one writing sample are required. The search committee is chaired by Dr. Patricia Findley, AHEADsearch@ssw.rutgers.edu.
