"Associate or Full Professor-Director, Center for Veterinary Social Work and All Things Great and Small Endowed Clinical Professorship in Veterinary Social Work-Social Work- Fall 2026"

Description

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) College of Social Work is seeking a highly regarded scholar to serve as the Director of the Center for Veterinary Social Work on the Knoxville campus. The new Director will be awarded the All Things Great and Small Endowed Clinical Professorship in Veterinary Social Work to support their work. As the only program in the country that represents a partnership between a College of Social Work and a College of Veterinary Medicine, the Center for Veterinary Social Work (CVSW) is an interprofessional collaborative unit that engages in research, education, and service through adaptive, participatory, and transdisciplinary approaches, as outlined below.

• Research. Center faculty (from various disciplines) conduct research and disseminate findings on the human-animal bond.
• Education. The Center offers for-credit and not-for-credit training to health- and science-related professionals in human- and animal-focused sectors. The Center hosts scholars and student interns. The Center markets educational modules to other institutions teaching in the discipline of VSW.
• Service. Faculty and staff affiliated with the Center offer mental health and social support for faculty, staff, students, and clients of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and other stakeholders within the veterinary and other animal- and human-related settings.

The Director coordinates Center staffing and resources in a manner compatible with the missions of the colleges. The Director is responsible for budget management and annual presentation of the budget to the college Deans and fiscal officers. The Director has a 50% administrative responsibilities to uphold these responsibilities. The Director will also have an appointment on the One Health Initiative leadership as a representative of the CVSW. The new Director will work with the advisory board, center faculty and staff, the deans of the two colleges, and other stakeholders to create and implement a vision for the continued development of the Center, including new opportunities to contribute to workforce development, innovative interdisciplinary research, and community-engaged service. The position is located within the College of Social Work, with a minimum of 40% time allocated to the College of Veterinary Medicine.

This endowed professorship offers an outstanding opportunity for an experienced researcher to pursue their program of research in veterinary social work, with significant potential for collaboration with creative colleagues and doctoral students. The ideal candidate will bring an interprofessional lens to community-engaged research and education; a strong record of scholarly activity; experience as a mentor to graduate students, post-docs, and pre-tenure faculty; and the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the access and engagement goals of the University. They also will meet the requirements for tenure at the appropriate rank for the University of Tennessee. Candidates should have an established record of substantial extramural funding (for professor level) or intramural and some extramural funding and indication of future sustained record of extramural funding (for associate level).

Candidates for this position must have earned their Ph.D. in social work or related field. Successful candidates with the required qualifications for Associate or Full Professor can be considered for tenure. The position will be located on the Knoxville campus. This is a 9-month position.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in social work or related field
• An established, active program of research in veterinary social work
• Evidence of a commitment to social work values in alignment with CSWE accreditation standards in their practice and research
• Evidence of high-quality teaching at the graduate level, and across modalities
• Evidence of commitment to mentoring graduate students, pre-tenure faculty, and/or post-doctoral fellows who are developing programs of externally-funded research
• Evidence of commitment to creating a welcoming, an inclusive, supportive positive climate in classroom and research settings, in alignment with where all participants students can succeed and thrive
• Experience leading large research projects and/or research teams with evidence of ability to assume responsibilities of a Director
• Candidates for Associate Professor should have preliminary evidence of external funding and clear potential for sustained external funding
• Candidates for Full Professor should have evidence of successful, sustained external funding.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work
• Experience and expertise in interdisciplinary research and collaboration
• Experience as Director or Assistant/Associate Director of an academic research center

How to Apply

Interested individuals should provide: (1) a cover letter addressing research, teaching, and practice experience as well as experience relevant to each required and preferred qualification, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) three sample publications, and (4) contact information for three professional references. In your letter, pay specific attention to your experiences that are not easily found on your CV. Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted by January 15, 2026 though review may continue until an appointment is made. Materials should be submitted electronically https://apply.interfolio.com/175527. Inquiries may be addressed to the search committee chair, Dr. Bridget Freisthler at bfreisth@utk.edu.