Associate/Full Professor; Department Chair and Program Director - Physical Therapy

The search will remain open until the position has been filled.

The Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Rhode Island invites applications for a tenure-track Professor or Associate Professor who will serve as Department Chair and Program Director in Physical Therapy. We are looking for a leader with extensive experience in teaching and scholarship who complements the mission of the Department, College, and University. Appointment will be made at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, depending on qualifications. The position is a calendar-year appointment with a start date of August 2026.

The well-established Physical Therapy Department is located within the College of Health Sciences. It is recognized for excellence in teaching, research, service, professional leadership, strong clinical education partners, and an on-site physical therapy clinic. Annually, a cohort of 32 DPT students are accepted and taught by a dedicated and experienced faculty. The Department's faculty leads several research laboratories to conduct research in motor control, exercise science, mobility assessment, and rehabilitation across various populations. Faculty are affiliates of the Ryan Institute of Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, and Rhode Island Collaborative for lnterprofessional Education and Practice.

Faculty also recruit and advise graduate students from the PhD in Health Science program which has a specialty in physical therapy, the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, and Kinesiology, Psychology, and Biomedical Engineering departments.

The Department, College, and University recognize that the field of physical therapy needs to be strengthened by contributions from a broad range of perspectives. The Department of Physical Therapy is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and seeks to serve as a representative inspiration for the next generations. As such, we particularly welcome candidates from groups historically underrepresented, marginalized, and/or excluded in the field of physical therapy who will support the mission of both URI and the Department of Physical Therapy to expose students to different perspectives. Candidates will demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity to enhance a sense of belonging and academic success among students from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Duties and Responsibilities: The successful Department Chair and Program Director candidate will be expected to lead and administer for the Department with oversight of: fiscal, curricular, personnel, outcome assessment, and accreditation components based on a shared vision aligned to the missions of the Department, College, University, and APTA; mentor and support the professional development of faculty and students (DPT and PhD); contribute directly to the delivery of the DPT curriculum; foster links with academic and professional colleagues on campus and throughout the community; and be active in the APTA and ACAPT. In general, individuals who will contribute to the Department's commitment to scholarship, evidence-based practice, collaborative and inclusive teaching, and who strongly advocate for the Department are encouraged to apply.

Major Responsibilities

Leadership in Academic Excellence:

• Serves as a direct liaison between the academic functions of the DPT program and the business functions and provides strategic direction for maximizing resources and efficiency. Identifies resources required for the implementation of the strategic plan and potential obstacles that need to be addressed.
• Provides innovative leadership and ensures the integrity of the academic programs.
• Leads program curricula planning, implementation, evaluation, and revision in collaboration with the faculty.
• When appropriate, represents the DPT at the college and university levels and leads DPT implementation of university-wide initiatives related to academic affairs, such as those to promote greater diversity and inclusion among graduate students.
• Determines faculty needs to support current and future academic programs.
• Provides support to effectively and efficiently align faculty with academic programs, teaching activities, and career development.
• Assures accountability in academic programs for effective utilization of all capital, personnel, and revenue resources for priorities and budget forecasts for the academic mission.
• Represents the DPT on various DPT and University committees and serves as a liaison across the university, providing leadership and strategy for DPT's engagement in campus-wide initiatives.

Faculty Recruitment and Development:

• Cascades DPT's strategy/mission statement throughout the organization for maximal alignment and develops appropriate rewards/recognition and coaching/corrective practices to align personnel with DPT goals.
• Leads strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of initiatives to determine teaching needs, and provides strategic leadership for faculty development, mentoring, and recruitment.
• Collaborates with faculty, staff, college administrators, University resources, and Student Affairs to develop faculty abilities to work with students with diverse learning needs.
• Oversees the orientation of part-time faculty.

Administration and Management:

• With the aim of financial stability, assists the Dean to marshal limited resources to the most productive uses and identifies potential areas for revenue generation.
• Drives performance measures for the operation (including a consideration of efficiency versus effectiveness).
• Identifies needed infrastructure and secures resources to support academic programs.
• Responsible for identifying the faculty and staff needs to support the academic programs and ensuring judicious use of these human resources.

Qualifications

Required:

1. A PhD or equivalent terminal academic degree.
2. Record of teaching, research and service commensurate with a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of associate or full professor.
3. Eligible for physical therapist licensure in Rhode Island.
4. Experience in teaching graduate students in a clinical program.
5. Experience in securing funding for research.
6. Demonstrated proficiency in oral communication skills.
7. Demonstrated experience in working with diverse groups/populations.
8. Current APTA membership.

Preferred:

1. Experience as a Department Chair, Program Director, or a comparable leadership position.
2. Demonstrated experience in interdepartmental and interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Demonstrated knowledge or experience with accreditation processes, including outcome assessment.
4. Demonstrated competence in professional fiscal management.
5. Demonstrated successful teaching in areas that complement the existing curriculum.
6. Demonstrated research in areas that complement existing programs and foci in the Department, College of Health Sciences, and/or other affiliated entities.
7. Demonstrated experience in graduate student and junior faculty mentoring.
8. Evidence of leadership in obtaining successful CAPTE accreditation.
9. Demonstrated success in securing external research funding.
10. Demonstrate a strong scholarship record.
11. Demonstrated professional involvement at the state, national, or international level.

The University of Rhode Island is an equal-opportunity employer. It is the policy of the University of Rhode Island to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability.

Union: Tenure Track
Status: Full-time, Tenure-track, Permanent, Calendar Year
Department: Physical Therapy

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach the following 4 (PDF) documents to your faculty online Employment Application:

1. Cover letter.
2. Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact information of three professional references (as one complete pdf document),
3. Teaching Philosophy Statement
4. Other Document - PDF reprints of up to 3 publications that you feel best highlight your suitability for the position (not necessarily those publications in journals with the highest impact factor) (as one complete pdf document).

Position Number: 106040
Posting Number: F00426
Posting Date: 09/12/2025
Closing Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes

To apply, visit https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/16482