ASSISTANT / ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND DIRECTOR OF DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH (DrPH) PROGRAM (Tenure Track, 12-months)

January 30, 2026

The School of Public Health at Samford University invites applicants interested in serving in a Christian university environment to apply for the position of Assistant / Associate Professor and Director of DrPH Program in the Department of Public Health. This tenure track faculty position is a 12-month appointment and will begin in August 2026. We are seeking a scholar-practitioner with strong quantitative skills and demonstrated expertise in global public health, epidemiologic methods, and disease prevention. The successful candidate will support teaching and research and contribute to the development of students' analytical competencies.

The School of Public Health is housed in the College of Health Sciences to include the Moffett and Sanders School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, and School of Health Professions. The College offers multiple degree programs and majors within the health sciences with a focus on inter-professional education that reflects today’s team approach to health care delivery and professional practice. The Department of Public Health in the School of Public Health offers 7-degree programs and 1 minor through an interprofessional curriculum. For more information, see the Department’s web page: https://www.samford.edu/publichealth/public-health.

Qualifications/special skills/training/experience desired:

Qualified candidates will hold a doctoral degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Global Health, Environmental Health, Public Health Informatics, Healthcare Analytics, Public Health, or a closely related field from an institutionally accredited university (or equivalent). Candidates must demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching excellence, research productivity, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Candidates should have knowledge and experience to teach courses in epidemiology, global health systems, disease surveillance, health disparities, and social determinants of health. Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including expertise in statistics, biostatistics, and the use of statistical software (e.g., SAS, R, SPSS), are essential. Experience with geographic information systems (GIS), digital health data tools, or public health informatics is preferred. Certification in data analytics, epidemiology, or health informatics (e.g., CHDA, CPH) is an advantage. Experience with Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation standards and procedures is preferred but not required. Experience with online or hybrid instruction is also desirable. To qualify for the rank of associate professor, a successful candidate will have at least 6 years of previous academic experience in higher education with a demonstrated record of scholarship, teaching, and service.

Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford (samford.edu) is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools with 450 full-time faculty. Samford is ranked #3 in the nation for career preparation and #7 in the nation for student learning opportunities as listed in The Wall Street Journal (2026). The University is dedicated to the promotion of rigorous academic inquiry in a Christian setting. The University seeks and prefers employee applicants of the Christian faith and offers competitive salaries with a generous benefits package.

Application

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue to be received through March 31,2026. Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vita with names and contact information of three professional references, evidence of teaching effectiveness, description of research interests and activities, along with an Application for Faculty Position, and Faculty Applicant Christian Mission Statement (links shown below). Academic rank and salary are dependent upon qualifications and experience. The successful candidate must pass a background check. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, as Samford will not sponsor any employment visas for this position.

“Application for Faculty Position” can be found at: https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/Human_Resources/application-for-faculty-employment.pdf

“Faculty Applicant Christian Mission Statement” can be found at: https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/academic-affairs/Faculty-Applicant-Christian-Mission-Statement.docx

Please submit all materials in PDF format to: FACAPP@samford.edu

ATTN: Asst/Assoc Prof Public Health and DrPH Program Director

For questions about the position contact:

Search Committee Chair
Carol Ratcliffe, DNO, RN, COI, FACHE
Email: cratclif@samford.edu