"Open Rank Faculty Position in the Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology"

The Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology (HSHP) at The University of Iowa invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor with a focus on established or emerging areas of strength within the department. Current departmental strengths include aging and aging-related conditions (e.g., cognitive aging, vascular aging, sarcopenia, hypertension), biobehavioral/psychosocial stress, cancer and related conditions (e.g., cachexia, cancer survivorship), diabetes/obesity, pharmacological and modifiable lifestyle behaviors (e.g., aerobic and resistance exercise, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, diet, tobacco/vaping), noninvasive neurophysiology and poststroke motor control, pregnancy complications (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, diabetes) and related maternal and offspring health. While we will consider applicants who focus on any of the above existing areas of strength, we are particularly interested in candidates who specialize in 1) sensorimotor neurophysiology/neuroscience or neuromechanics in health and neurological diseases including but not limited to stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, aging, and/or dementia, or 2) health promotion, physical activity psychology, and/or lifestyle behavior change in cancer prevention or survivorship including but not limited to, behavioral intervention design, implementation science, digital health technologies, health behavior theory, and/or community-based participatory research in individuals affected by cancer.

Candidates with an emerging (assistant professor) or established (associate professor or professor) scholarly research program in any of the areas above are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and/or sustain a robust, nationally recognized research program and to develop interdisciplinary collaborations within the department and across campus in the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Pharmacy, and/or Engineering. The faculty candidate will also be required to direct and teach core and/or elective courses in our undergraduate and graduate degree programs within their area of expertise.

The Department of HSHP was formed in 2010 by the merger of three pre-existing departments/programs (Integrative Physiology, Health and Sport Studies, and Leisure Studies) within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Since its inception, the department of HSHP has observed a >500% increase in undergraduate student enrollment and is now the largest department on the University of Iowa campus with 2400+ undergraduate students and 100+ graduate students. The department offers six undergraduate majors: BS in Exercise Science, BS in Human Physiology, BA in Health Studies, BS in Health Promotion, BS in Therapeutic Recreation, and BS in Sport and Recreation Management. Importantly, the department also offers MS (thesis and non-thesis) and PhD graduate degrees in Health and Human Physiology. The department has averaged ~$3.4 million per year in external funding over the past five years, ranking it in the top three departments in the college (faculty size adjusted) for external funding.

There are also many exceptional research Institutes and Centers that facilitate collaboration and offer pilot funding opportunities, including but not limited to the Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Iowa City VA Healthcare, and the University of Iowa Healthcare. Outstanding research space is available in the Department, and clinical research infrastructure is available in the University of Iowa Institute for Clinical and Translational Science. A new, six-story, $249 million facility Health Sciences Academic Building, that will serve as the new home of HSHP, as well as the Departments of Physical Therapy and Communication Sciences and Disorders, is currently under construction and has a scheduled completion and move-in date of spring 2026.

The University also provides Dual Career Services to assist spouses/partners of faculty candidates seeking employment in the greater Iowa City area.

For consideration at the rank of Assistant Professor: The successful candidate will have relevant postdoctoral or equivalent (e.g., Assistant Professor, Research Assistant Professor) experience, possess a record of peer-reviewed publications in high-quality scientific journals, and strong evidence of the potential to acquire external funding for research in any area of research listed above. For consideration at the rank of Associate Professor/Professor: The successful candidate will possess a strong and sustained record of peer-reviewed publications in high-quality scientific journals and a strong history of securing external funding for research in any area of research listed above.

The candidates at any rank will be expected to develop and sustain scholarly work at the University of Iowa yielding peer-reviewed publications in respected journals, obtain extramural funding for research, teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advise and mentor graduate students, serve on graduate comprehensive examination and thesis committees, and conduct departmental, collegiate and professional service activities. The standard effort allocation for tenure-track faculty is 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% service. A relevant terminal doctoral degree is required before the start date, and salary and start-up support will be highly competitive with peer institutions. The position will begin on August 19, 2026.

REQUIREMENTS

• Terminal doctoral degree (e.g., PhD in Human Physiology, Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Health Promotion, Health Sciences, Epidemiology, or related field).

• Evidence of research scholarship through publishing in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

• Assistant Professor rank: Relevant postdoctoral (or equivalent) experience, with evidence of potential to acquire extramural grant funding and develop a nationally recognized research program.

• Associate Professor rank: A record of securing extramural grant funding and a nationally recognized research program for at least six years.

• Professor rank: A sustained record of securing extramural grant funding and a nationally recognized research program for at least 10 years or more.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous classroom teaching experience as the primary course instructor at the college/university level.

• Previous classroom teaching experience at the college/university level as a graduate teaching assistant.

• Evidence of scholarship that aligns with current strength(s) of the department.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Questions about this opportunity can be directed to Dr. Anna Stanhewicz at anna-stanhewicz@uiowa.edu, search committee chair, or Dr. Gary Pierce at gary-pierce@uiowa.edu, HSHP department chair. Questions about the application process can be directed to Justin Kahler, HSHP Department Administrator at justin-kahler@uiowa.edu. To apply for this position, visit The University of Iowa's jobs website at http://jobs.uiowa.edu, requisition #75706. Application must include: 1) a brief letter of interest (1-2 pages), 2) full curriculum vitae, 3) research statement, including summary of research accomplishments and future 3–5-year research plan (3-5 pages), 4) teaching experience and philosophy (1 page), and 5) names and contact information of 3 individuals who can provide letters of recommendation if asked by search committee. Review of applications will begin September 30, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.