"Urban Child Institute Endowed Professorship in Child Health and Well-Being-Social Work-Fall 2026"

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work (UTCSW) is seeking a highly regarded scholar to fill the position of Urban Child Institute Endowed Professorship in Child Health and Well-Being on our Nashville campus. The successful candidate will also be the founding director of a new center broadly focusing on research, education, and engagement around topics related to child and family well-being. This position provides a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to help us shape the mission and vision of the center and provide leadership and oversight to the center activities.

This endowed professorship offers an outstanding opportunity for an experienced researcher to pursue their program of research in child health and well-being. Topic areas around child health and wellbeing are open, though scholars with expertise in early childhood are especially welcome. Research programs founded within the social determinants of health framework along with intervention models to promote health and well-being with children and families will find 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, and/or 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 appointment at the appropriate rank for the University of Tennessee. To this end, the candidate should have an established record of substantial extramural funding (for professor level) or intramural and some extramural funding and indication of future potential for a sustained record of extramural funding (for associate level).

As an endowed professor, the candidate must commit to a collaborative partnership with the Urban Child Institute and to nurturing existing and building new collaborations with community and research agencies in Shelby County, TN and the surrounding area. The successful candidate will help the UTCSW move forward our mission.

Candidates for this position must have earned their Ph.D. in social work or related field. Successful candidates would need to meet the qualifications in order to be eligible to pursue tenure upon initial appointment. The positions will be located on the Nashville campus. This is a 9-month position.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in social work or related field
• An established, active program of research in child health and well-being, with a priority for early childhood and the social determinants of health, along with intervention models to promote health and well-being with children and families.
• 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 evidence of external funding and clear potential for sustained external funding.
• Candidates for Full Professor should have evidence of successful, sustained external funding and experience leading research teams.

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

Interested individuals should provide: (1) a cover letter addressing research, teaching, and practice experience, initial vision for a Center for Child and Family Health and Well-being, and 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 October 1, 2025 though review may continue until an appointment is made. Materials should be submitted electronically to https://apply.interfolio.com/173444. Inquiries may be addressed to the search committee chair, Dr. Bridget Freisthler at bfreisth@utk.edu.