Asst/Assoc/Full Professor Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative, Fall 2026

The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) seeks applications for an open rank 9-month Tenure-Track faculty position in the Food and Nutrition Security Cluster Initiative (https://research.utk.edu/cluster-hire/). This position will be in a new department that will start in August 2026, that will combine the current Departments of Nutrition and Public Health in CEHHS. This position will also include a joint appointment in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA).

The cluster is designed to enhance University of Tennessee Knoxville’s (UTK’s) national footprint in food and nutrition security, using a food systems perspective. This position and a new hire in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics will join four additional new faculty in the departments of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; Nursing; Food Science; and Family and Consumer Sciences. The group of faculty in the cluster initiative will work collaboratively across UTK and UTIA.

Associate/Full Professor:

This position will include the Haslam Family Endowed Professorship and will have a 30% administrative appointment for leading cluster initiatives to enhance UTK’s national footprint in food and nutrition security, using a food systems perspective. This position will have the responsibility to collaboratively develop a strategic plan that will help lead UTK in building a robust identity in food and nutrition security. This strategic plan will focus on transdisciplinary, community-engaged and impactful scholarship that emphasizes population representativeness; an inclusive research enterprise that supports diverse and inclusive workforce; and interdisciplinary academic programing to enhance experiential training.

Furthermore, as a member of CEHHS’ Scholarship Council and working closely with the CEHHS’ Executive Associate Dean for Research and Operations, this position will have the unique opportunity to provide leadership to the college on scholarship quality and impact and cluster-focused initiatives.

Assistant Professor:

This position will be part of a new cluster designed to enhance UTK’s national footprint in food and nutrition security, using a food systems perspective. This position will have the responsibility to help implement a strategic plan that will help lead UTK in building a robust identity in food and nutrition security. This strategic plan will focus on transdisciplinary, community-engaged and impactful scholarship that emphasizes population representativeness; an inclusive research enterprise that supports diverse and inclusive workforce; and interdisciplinary academic programing to enhance experiential training.

This 9-month, fulltime (1.0 FTE), position begins August 1, 2026. Starting salary is commensurate with experience, and granting of tenure upon appointment will be based on qualifications. UTK has a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for summer salary. The start-up package for the position is designed to support the launch of the cluster hire. UTK is Tennessee's flagship land grant university and is currently in the midst of unprecedented growth in enrollment, with approximately 38,000 enrolled students. The University is also a Carnegie Foundation Research (R1) University with the highest research activity and has achieved a Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement.

Qualifications:

Associate/Full Professor:

We seek an established and recognized scholar whose work targets enhancing diet quality in populations experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. The candidate will provide leadership in the cluster hire and related initiatives, apply health-relevant theoretical frameworks in research, have strong quantitative or mixed methods research skills, and have expertise with interdisciplinary collaboration. The successful candidate will: (a) lead interdisciplinary academic and research programming in food and nutrition security; (b) participate in related collaborative research programs; (c) mentor faculty hired within the cluster hire initiative; (d) provide limited teaching in the newly formed department’s educational programs; (e) mentor MS/PhD students; and (f) provide limited outreach and service in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (joint appointment).

Candidates must have earned their doctorate in nutrition or public health or a related discipline in the social or behavioral science field. Candidates for the Associate Professor rank must have an established research agenda and record of scholarly activity, successful experience with acquiring extramural funding as the lead investigator and meet the qualifications for being an associate professor within UTK’s faculty handbook. Candidates for the full professor rank must have an extensive record of extramural funding, which includes being a lead investigator; an extensive record of scholarly productivity; and have experience with successful faculty mentoring; and meet the qualifications for being a full professor within UTK’s faculty handbook. Candidates with demonstrated experience in productive interdisciplinary collaborations, successful team leadership, experience in team science, have a scholarship focus in food is medicine, and/or administrative experience are preferred.

Assistant Professor:

We seek a scholar whose work targets enhancing diet quality in populations experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. The candidate should be able to apply health-relevant theoretical frameworks in research, have quantitative or mixed methods research skills, and have experience with interdisciplinary collaboration. The successful candidate will: (a) support interdisciplinary academic and research programming in food and nutrition security; (b) participate in related collaborative research programs; (c) develop a scholarly identity in enhancing diet quality in populations experiencing food and nutrition insecurity; (d) provide teaching in the newly formed department’s educational programs; (e) mentor MS/PhD students; and (f) provide limited outreach and service in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (joint appointment).

Candidates must have earned their doctorate in nutrition or public health or a related discipline in the social or behavioral science field. Required qualifications include a successful record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals relative to their years as an academic, along with evidence of the ability to develop an innovative research program supported by external funding. Candidates with experience in interdisciplinary collaborations and/or team science, have a scholarship focus in food is medicine, have post-doctoral experience, have teaching experience, and/or are a registered dietitian are preferred.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Individuals interested in applying for this position should submit electronically at https://apply.interfolio.com/171127, and include a letter of application outlining how the candidate fits the qualifications and expectations of the position, curriculum vita, and list of three references who can address the applicant’s capabilities with complete addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Questions can be directed to Dr. Hollie Raynor, search committee chair, at hraynor@utk.edu.