The Anthropology Department at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in
Evolutionary and Biocultural Approaches to Aging. This position is part of BU’s major investment in convergent research , bringing together bold ideas, deep expertise, and perspectives from across disciplines to take on society’s most critical challenges. We seek a biological anthropologist specializing in the evolution of human aging, senescence, and life-course health trajectories. Using evolutionary, comparative, and life-course approaches, the successful candidate will investigate how biological, environmental, and social factors interact to shape aging, longevity, and disease across generations. The position will help bridge biological and population approaches to aging, with opportunities to apply computational and AI methods to large biomedical datasets and collaborate across disciplines. This is a tenure-track position. This cluster hire builds on BU’s strength in Health Across the Lifespan , an area of significant expertise and opportunity across the University. BU is home to renowned studies of aging including the Framingham Heart Study and New England Centenarian Study , as well as innovative interdisciplinary research centers focused on the demography and economics of population aging , Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias , the biology of aging , and more. The Future of Healthy Aging draws on this foundation, bringing together faculty from anthropology, biology, business, communications, epidemiology, law, physical therapy, sociology, and surgery to pursue transformative research questions about how we age and the biological, cultural, environmental, technological, legal, and social factors that shape healthy aging as well as the structural factors that prevent some from aging well. The cluster hire will add new ideas, methods, and perspectives to this work, connecting fundamental discovery, population health, and translational research to advance healthier aging across the life course and to meet the challenges of an aging global population. The Department of Anthropology is a globally engaged and interdisciplinary community of scholars spanning sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology. Faculty pursue wide-ranging research across diverse populations and cultural contexts with strong collaborative interests in health, aging, care, inequality, and human adaptation. The department offers a vibrant, supportive home for scholars whose work intersects with health and aging, while providing broad disciplinary depth. Since its founding in 1839, Boston University has embraced a mission of openness and access, becoming one of the first universities in the nation to welcome all students of ability regardless of race, gender, or creed. That tradition shapes our enduring commitment to academic freedom, free inquiry, and the robust exchange of ideas. Please visit https://www.bu.edu/values/ to learn more about our shared values. We seek scholars who will contribute to our community of teachers and researchers through excellence in innovative scholarship, engaged teaching, and participation in the intellectual life of the University. Boston University provides an environment where faculty and students work together across disciplines, perspectives, and experiences to advance knowledge and address society’s most pressing challenges. Position Qualifications Candidates should have a PhD or equivalent degree in Anthropology or a related field, a demonstrated ability to lead an independent research program, and a commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching, education, and mentorship of students. Successful candidates will be expected to lead an independent research program; actively engage in collaborative research; teach and mentor students; and provide rank-appropriate service to the department, university, and profession. The salary allocated for these roles is $100,000 to $115,000. Final salary determination and rank placement will be based on the candidate's academic record, research background, years of qualifying experience, and a variety of other factors, including but not limited to licenses, specialty, departmental budgets, training and internal pay comparison. The stated hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. Application Requirements Applicants should provide a personal statement that describes their interest in both the convergent area of the Future of Healthy Aging and the department; a curriculum vitae; a research statement describing their research interests and experience; a teaching and mentoring statement detailing their approach to teaching and mentoring in an inclusive and diverse learning environment; and the names and contact information of 3 references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of November 15. Applications will close November 30.
