"Open Rank – Associate Professor – Professor"

Job Details

Department: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy Program

Job Rank: Open Rank – Associate Professor – Professor (1.0 FTE)

Position #:00844862 - Requisition #: 38960

Job Summary:

The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus is a comprehensive urban research university serving more than 28,000 students in metropolitan Denver and online. We award nearly 4,000 degrees each year, including more graduate and professional degrees than any other Colorado public institution. With our solid academic reputation, award-winning faculty, and renowned researchers, we offer 119 highly rated degree programs through 13 schools and colleges. The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus is well known for its distinctive and highly productive research programs, its world-class health facilities at the Anschutz Medical Campus and its well-established partnerships in business, industry, and government. These campuses currently have over $400 million in research awards each year.

In addition to the wide array of health-related programs and facilities offered at the Anschutz Medical Campus, a significant number of undergraduate and graduate degree programs are taught at our comprehensive campus in the heart of downtown Denver. Denver is one of America's most vibrant urban centers and the downtown campus, located just steps from the Denver Center for Performing Arts and the LoDo District. The metropolitan area affords our students, faculty and staff access to a broad array of academic, professional, community, recreational and cultural outlets. Moreover, the state of Colorado offers ample outdoor activities through its 42 state parks, 8 mountain ranges, and 7 national forests.

The University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program seeks a dynamic and visionary faculty member to lead strategic initiatives in faculty development and curricular innovation. This position plays a pivotal role in advancing the program's mission and competency-based education (CBE) framework through innovative teaching, assessment, and educational scholarship.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Provide strategic leadership for faculty development initiatives aligned with the CU PT Program's mission, strategic plan, program goals, and evolving competency-based curricular framework.

Faculty Development Coordination

• Design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive faculty development programs that promote excellence in pedagogy, assessment, instructional design, educator identity formation, and academic integration.
• Lead quarterly faculty development days focused on key areas such as, but limited to, learning theory, competency-based education, feedback practices, and assessment strategies.
• Develop and oversee a coaching model to support faculty as learner-centered educators and professional role models, fostering peer-to-peer coaching and reflection.
• Serve as a mentor for selected junior faculty members and provide broad consultation on educational scholarship projects within your areas of expertise.
• Develop and maintain a framework for the mentorship teaching-track junior faculty member in collaboration with the Chair of the Senior Faculty Committee, Program Directors, and Associate Dean.

Curricular Integration & Assessment

• Collaborate with the Section Director of Curriculum (SDC), Associate Program Director, and Program Directors to ensure seamless integration of faculty development across curricular and clinical domains.
• Coordinate with the Curriculum Committee, Assessment Committee, and Educational Scholarship Group to align faculty development with curricular goals and student outcomes.
• Facilitate training on assessment practices that support competency acquisition and evidence-based strategies for identifying learners who require additional academic support.
• Promote faculty understanding of competency frameworks, including sequencing, scaffolding, and mapping competencies to learning outcomes using tools such as EXAAT and national standards (e.g., APTA CBE, ACGME).

Curricular Oversight & Innovation

• Assist the SDC with cycles of curricular review and implementation aligned with CAPTE re-accreditation and CBEPT evaluation timelines.
• Support the integration of curricular frameworks such as the movement system, ICF, exercise prescription, and CRAT across courses.
• Assist with integrating competency aligned assessment into the curriculum including simulation.
• Manage the annual simulation education budget and provide updates to the Program Directors.
• Serve as Assessment Coordinator in the new CBE model including lead assessment efforts for end-of-program competency assessments (Step 4 & 5).
• Collaborate with SDC and administrative staff to annually update course titles, descriptions, and credit/contact hour tracking to inform faculty of workload and scheduling.

Student Success & Program Policy

• Support implementation and refinement of program policies and initiatives that promote student success, including remediation and NPTE preparation, in collaboration with the Director of Student Affairs and Student Promotions Committee.
• Collaborate with program leadership and faculty to update the program remediation policies as needed.

Educational Scholarship

• Maintain a well-defined area of educational scholarship in accordance with university and accreditation expectations. Lines of inquiry may include, but are not limited to, curricular development, competency-based education, student retention, student assessment, or best practices in hybrid education.
• Actively contribute to the CU PT Educational Scholarship Lab.

Teaching Responsibilities

• Contribute to teaching in the Health Care Delivery and/or Capstone courses or other courses as assigned, integrating faculty development principles into classroom and clinical instruction.

This description is a summary only and describes the general level of work being performed, it is not intended to be all-inclusive. The duties of this position may change from time to time and/or based on business need. We reserve the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the supervisor and/or hiring authority.

Non-teaching time will be dedicated to scholarly activities and dissemination as well as program and department service. Participation in clinical service is possible with program approval and CU Medicine credentialing.

Work Location:

Hybrid – this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule: 3 days in-person on the Anschutz medical campus with 2 days remote.

Why Join Us:

Thank you for considering joining our team. Rehabilitation practitioners believe in an approach to clinical care and scientific inquiry that mitigates disability, promotes functional independence, and improves human performance.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine Physical Therapy Program in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is home to multiple educational programs: the Physical Therapy Program Residential Pathway at CU Anschutz and Hybrid Pathway at UCCS, residency programs for new faculty development as well as pediatric and orthopaedic physical therapy, a PhD Program in Rehabilitation Science, and dual track options for the DPT-MPH and DPT-PhD. The CU Physical Therapy Program has been ranked within the Top 5% of accredited physical therapy programs for two decades in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report, and the program is one of the first 25 educational programs still in existence in the United States. Additionally, our clinical and research partners include the Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Colorado Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, Craig Hospital, and Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

This is a position at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor based on experience and qualifications as indicated below:

Associate Professor:

• Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree (DPT) or other physical therapy degree plus terminal doctoral degree (e.g. PhD, EdD, or equivalent).
• Current or eligible for licensure as a physical therapist in Colorado.
• At least 5 years of experience in academic teaching and/or curriculum development in physical therapy education.
• Demonstrated experience delivering faculty development, curriculum design, instructional design, or educational leadership activities, evidenced by leading or contributing to multiple program‑level and/or national initiatives that enhance teaching effectiveness or educational outcomes.
• A record of academic experience and scholarship to qualify at the rank of Associate Professor at University of Colorado Anschutz, which includes:
  • Demonstrated excellence in at least one domain: research/scholarship, teaching, or clinical activity evidenced by record of peer-reviewed publications, funded grants, documented teaching innovations, mentoring, or development of new curricula.
  • Evidence of regional and/or national reputation in medical education, curriculum design, or faculty development demonstrated through record of invited presentations at professional conferences and/or leadership roles in professional organizations.
  • Meritorious service contributions demonstrated by leadership of department, program, or institutional committees, record of program administration or coordination, record of sustained service to the profession.
• Sustained professional growth since prior promotion, reflected in measurable achievements such as annual scholarly outputs, increased leadership roles (e.g., chairing committees, directing programs), and documented impact on educational, clinical, or research initiatives.
• Applied competency‑based education and assessment practices in curriculum design, instruction, or evaluation, such as mapping competencies to learning outcomes, developing assessment tools, or participating in program‑level CBE initiatives.
• Evidence of strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills shown through leading cross‑functional teams, managing multiple concurrent academic or programmatic projects, and producing high‑quality deliverables on schedule.

Professor:

• All the above
• At least 7 years of experience in academic teaching and/or curriculum development in physical therapy education.
• A record of academic experience and scholarship to qualify at the rank of Professor at University of Colorado Anschutz, which includes:
  • Demonstrated excellence in research or scholarly activity (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, grants, or educational innovations).
  • Demonstrated excellence in at least one additional academic domain evidenced by contributions such as leading or revising multiple courses, providing sustained mentorship to students or residents, achieving documented improvements in learner performance, or integrating patient‑care experiences into educational programs.
  • Established national or international reputation in medical education, curriculum design, or faculty development, demonstrated through invited presentations at regional, national, or international conferences; leadership roles in professional organizations; contributions adopted by other institutions; or scholarly outputs that have influenced educational practice.
  • Meritorious service contributions evidenced by successful leadership of departmental, school, or institutional committees; administration of academic programs or initiatives; or sustained service activities that resulted in measurable improvements to operations, educational quality, or program outcomes.
• A record of substantial, significant, and continued professional growth and accomplishment since prior promotion (e.g., to Associate Professor).
• Terminal Doctoral Degree or terminal degree in progress (e.g. PhD, EdD, or equivalent)

Preferred Qualifications Associate Professor: [list as in text]

Preferred Qualifications Professor: [list as in text]

Competencies (Knowledge Skills and Abilities) [list as in text]

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1. A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position
2. Curriculum vitae / Resume
3. Five professional references including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers.

Questions should be directed to: Angela Vondra at ANGELA.VONDRA@CUANSCHUTZ.EDU

Screening of Applications Begins: Immediately and continues until position is filled. For best consideration, apply by March 1st, 2026

Anticipated Pay Range: HIRING RANGE: Associate Professor: $124,000- $142,000 Professor: $150,000- $260,000