University of California Los Angeles: Open Rank Professor Position in Aging and Community Health

Institution (Location)
University of California Los Angeles
Position Description

The Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (FSPH) invites applications for a tenured/tenure-track faculty member at the assistant, associate, or full professor level, with expertise in the areas of aging and the health and well-being of older adults.

In recent years, public health researchers have grappled with the complex challenges posed by an aging population, including increased healthcare needs, social isolation, and the intersections of age with other social determinants of health. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the vulnerabilities of older adults, bringing renewed attention to the importance of gerontological public health research and interventions. In response, the field of public health has increasingly emphasized the critical need to address the unique health challenges and disparities faced by older adults.

The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS), one of five departments within FSPH, is concerned with the social and behavioral research applied to health, health promotion, and public health practice. The focus is on programs, policies, and actions that can promote health in the context of social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors. The faculty is multidisciplinary and includes those whose primary training is in the social sciences, behavioral sciences, medicine, nutrition, demography, economic, and health promotion and education.

For this position, we seek applicants who are strongly committed to cutting-edge research, high-quality graduate and undergraduate teaching, and public service related to aging and advancing health equity within communities. Specifically, we are seeking scholars whose research focuses on the process of aging across the life course with an emphasis on middle and older adulthood. Although the specific health field and specialization is open, we welcome scholars who have a demonstrated record (or the demonstrated potential) of aging-related research that addresses complex public health challenges.

We are particularly interested in research that:

• Assesses the impacts of aging and the well-being of older adults at various ecological levels (i.e., individual, interpersonal, community, and institutional)

• Explores the interplay of aging, policy, and population health

• Elevates evidence-based approaches and community interventions to improve the health and well-being of older adults

• Addresses health equity and social justice issues in aging populations

• Utilizes innovative research methods, including Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and data science approaches

Our department seeks to expand its capacity and complement existing strengths in aging-related research. We are looking for candidates who can contribute to and enhance our current work in various aspects of health equity and social justice as they pertain to aging populations. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

• Mental health and well-being among older adults

• Prevention and management of chronic diseases in aging populations

• Intersections of aging with other key public health concerns

• Aging experiences of socially marginalized communities, including but not limited to: Latinx and Black Americans, LGBTQ+ older adults, refugee and migrant communities, unhoused individuals, and other underserved populations.

We welcome research that addresses these issues and populations, recognizing the complex and multifaceted nature of aging in diverse communities.

The ideal candidate will have interdisciplinary scholarship experience, a commitment to translating research into practice, the ability to teach core courses and foundational methods in Community Health Sciences, as well as specialized courses in their area of expertise, and a dedication to mentoring students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Faculty in the Department of Community Health Sciences utilize a wide array of methodological approaches in their research and teaching. For this position, we are excited to add to our methodological diversity. Candidates should have expertise in quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches. We are especially interested in growing our capacity in specific methodological areas related to aging research, including:

• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

• Survey methodology

• Program planning and evaluation

• Implementation science

• Data science and health informatics

Candidates with demonstrated expertise in one or more of these areas will be given special consideration. Additionally, clinicians and public health practitioners with research experience are especially encouraged to apply, as their practical insights can greatly enrich our research and teaching endeavors.

UCLA offers a rich environment for collaboration on aging research and is home to the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA)-funded Center for Health Improvement of Minority Elderly (CHIME), a Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR). We would encourage successful applicants to affiliate with CHIME, as well as other campus wide centers such as the California Center for Population Research, Center for Health Policy Research, and Center for Policy Research on Aging.

Candidate’s Qualifications (who should apply)

Candidates must have a doctoral degree in public health, social and behavioral sciences, or related disciplines (e.g., PhD, ScD, MD, DrPH or equivalent) by the time of appointment. They must also demonstrate:

• Independent research and peer-reviewed publications in areas central to the issues of aging, health equity, and social justice
• Documented (or potential for) success in obtaining extramural funding
• Interdisciplinary research collaborations
• A commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship, particularly in core Community Health Sciences courses and methods
• Expertise in one or more of the emphasized areas: CBPR, health equity, LGBTQ+ health, mental health, data science and health informatics, or chronic disease prevention and management identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy (http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct).
Questions about this position may be emailed to the search committee chair, Dr. Courtney S. Thomas Tobin (mailto:[email protected]).

The posted UC Salary Scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. The salary range for this position is $78,200-$205,400, negotiable based on experience. Salaries must be approved by the Chancellor. Consistent with recent hires, and based on experience, it is expected that this base amount will be supplemented by an additional 50-55% off-scale rate, equal to a maximum off-scale range of $121,200 to $318,400. This salary does not include other components of pay raised through extramural funds, which would yield compensation that is higher than this range.

How to Apply

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit the following documents no later than [November 17, 2024]:

• Curriculum Vitae (C.V.): Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter: Letter addressed to the search committee, which highlights your interest in, qualifications for, and fit with this position.
• Statement of Research: A research statement highlighting scholarly contributions of recent research and plans for the near future.
• Statement of Teaching: Teaching statement outlining your teaching philosophy, classroom and/or mentorship experience, and description of courses you would like to teach at UCLA. You may also choose to include previous teaching evaluations.
• Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Statement addressing past, current, and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service. To learn more about how UCLA thinks about contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion, please review our EDI Statement FAQ document.
• References: Contact information for at least three professional references. Please complete and upload the Reference Check Authorization Release Form. We will solicit letters of recommendation at later stages of the search process.
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, bullying and other demeaning behavior, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists to whom departments or other hiring units would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists’ current and prior places of employment to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted employment reference checks

To apply, please visit: https://apptrkr.com/5723184

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy, https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction

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