Open Rank Faculty - Epidemiology Methods

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) invites applications for a faculty position in Epidemiologic Methods at open rank (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor), tenure-track or tenured. The role focuses on expanding expertise in quantitative and causal inference methods with opportunities to train the next generation of epidemiologists.

The candidate will have a primary appointment in Epidemiology and collaborate across departments to support innovative research with real-world

Qualifications

• PhD in Epidemiology or a related field.
• Expertise in causal inference and quantitative methods.
• Familiarity with g-methods, proximal causal inference, quasi-experimental designs, target trial emulation, and causal graphs.
• Scholarly portfolio with evidence of external funding potential.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring at undergraduate, graduate, and/or doctoral level.
• Ability to work in an environment that supports diversity and collaboration across backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a research program in epidemiologic methods and/or innovative applications of advanced methods within specific epidemiologic subfields.
• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in epidemiologic methods and quantitative approaches.
• Mentor doctoral and MPH students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty in methodological research.
• Contribute to departmental, school, and university service activities.

Skills

Causal inference

Quantitative methods

G-methods

Proximal causal inference

Quasi-experimental designs

Target trial emulation

Causal graphs

Teaching & mentoring

External funding potential

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in Epidemiology or related field

Job description

About the Department of Epidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology is a growing department within theVCU School of Public Health, committed to advancing populationhealth through rigorous research, innovative teaching, andmeaningful community engagement. Richmond provides a dynamicsetting with strong connections to state and local public healthagencies, healthcare systems, and community partners.

About the The School of Public Health

The School of Public Health at VCU was established in July 2023 andoffers four doctoral degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology,healthcare policy, and social and behavioral sciences, as well as aMaster’s of Public Health (in-person & online), and a Master’sof Science in Biostatistics. Our 54 full-time faculty provide our138 students with the opportunity to engage in developingreal-world solutions to overcome long-standing local, regional andnational health inequities. Faculty and students conduct researchfocused on improving the quality of life among populations inVirginia, the broader region and also internationally. The Schoolof Public Health is a member of the thriving academic and researchcommunities within VCU and is tied to an academic health systemwith a teaching hospital, children’s hospital, NCI-designatedcomprehensive cancer center and an NIH-funded center for clinicaltranslational science. VCU Health is also the largest safety nethealth system in Virginia, and its robust health sciences campus –with programs in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and healthprofessions – offers an ideal setting for the School of PublicHealth’s commitment to interdisciplinary public health educationand scholarship.

Work Life @ VCU

At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), we are UNCOMMON andUNLIKE any other university. We are a premier, urban, publicresearch university nationally recognized as one of the bestemployers in Virginia. VCU is a great place to work. It’s a placeof opportunity where your success is supported and your career canthrive.

A few reasons to consider choosing VCU as your next best place towork…

• UNSTOPPABLE commitment to growth and development - we wantto help you take your career to the next level!
• UNDERSTANDING culture of care and appreciation - theuniversity is dedicated to providing you with the resources andsupport you need to achieve a healthy work-life integration!
• UNEQUALED resolve to help employees thrive - from healthplans and retirement savings, to tuition benefits and employeediscounts, to short-term and long-term disability and maternityleave, our benefits support VCU employees with a wide range ofneeds and lifestyles!

Research @ VCU

VCU is a leading public research institution committed to servingboth its students and the broader community. Energized by its urbansetting in Richmond, VCU is a hub of innovation—pushing boundaries,challenging convention, and embracing bold, forward-thinking ideas.As a Carnegie ranked - R1 institution ranked among the top 50public research universities nationwide, VCU secured more than $506million in sponsored research funding from federal and othersources in FY2024, a nearly 50% increase since FY2020. We strive toprovide research opportunities at all levels of learning as One VCUwith opportunities in undergraduate and graduate programming - webelieve that every VCU Ram is a Researcher! The central heart ofresearch innovation and infrastructure at VCU is the Office of theVice President of Research and Innovation (OVPRI), whose mission isto foster transformative research, discovery and innovation throughexcellence in service. In addition to supporting schools anddepartments throughout the research lifecycle. OVPRI leads theResearch Development Advisory Council (ReDAC), which bringstogether Associate Deans for Research across the University toensure strong communication about research related infrastructureand needs, as well as to make policy recommendations to the VP forResearch and Innovation.

Community Engagement @ VCU

As a Carnegie Classified Community Engaged University since 2005, VCU fosters a deeply collaborative environment, leveragingcross-disciplinary partnerships across its schools and departmentsto drive discovery and deliver real-world impact. Through ourDivision of Community Engagement, led by Vice Provost and School ofPublic Health faculty member, we strive to build collaborativecommunity partnerships that support shared goals and contribute totransformative learning, impactful research, and mutuallybeneficial outcomes for the community. As part of VCU’s engagedmission, the division supports two place-based sites: the Mary andFrances Youth Center providing programming and training to enhancethe lives of youth in the Richmond metro area, and the VCU HealthHub at 25th, an education and wellness and activity center locatedin the East End of Richmond with the goal of providing activitiesthat promote community health and well-being while learningtogether.

Position Summary

The Department of Epidemiology in the VCU School of Public Health invites applications for a faculty position in EpidemiologicMethods at the open rank of Assistant Professor, AssociateProfessor, or Professor (tenure-track or tenured, commensurate withexperience). The Department is part of a vibrant, interdisciplinarySchool of Public Health, committed to advancing public healththrough rigorous research, education, and policy impact. Theincoming faculty member will expand the department’s expertise inquantitative and causal inference methods and contribute totraining the next generation of epidemiologists. VCU offers ahighly interdisciplinary environment for epidemiologic research,with opportunities to apply advanced methods across a wide range ofpublic health domains. The faculty member will have a primaryappointment in Epidemiology and may collaborate with otherdepartments and divisions, enabling cutting-edge research thatspans population, clinical, and translational science. Facultybenefit from strong connections with university-wide centers,public health agencies, and community partners, providing richopportunities to advance innovative methods of research withreal-world impact.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a research program in epidemiologic methodsand/or innovative applications of advanced methods within specificepidemiologic subfields (The following subfields are of specificinterest: aging, climate change, climate and environmentalepidemiology, reproductive and perinatal epidemiology, chronicdisease prevention and other public health domains)
• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in epidemiologicmethods and quantitative approaches
• Contribute to building strong method training environment,including mentoring doctoral and MPH students, postdoctoralfellows, and junior faculty in methodological research
• Contribute to departmental, school, and university serviceactivities

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• A PhD or equivalent in Epidemiology or a related field.
• Expertise in causal inference and quantitative methods.Experience in methods development, application of advancedepidemiologic methods, or both
• Familiarity with approaches such as g-methods, proximal causalinference, quasi- experimental designs, target trial emulation, andcausal graphs
• A scholarly/research portfolio appropriate to rank, withevidence of multidisciplinary applications and a record of, orclear potential for, external funding to complement and expandexisting expertise in the department
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring at theundergraduate, graduate, and/or doctoral level, as appropriate torank
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment ofrespect, professionalism, and civility with a population offaculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences,or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience collaborating with clinical, public health, orcommunity partners
• Experience teaching or developing graduate-level courses
• Experience working with large observational, administrative, orlinked data
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary, translational, andteam-based research

Salary Range: Commensurate

Benefits

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annualand holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: Yes

Rank: Open

Tenure: Open

Months: 12 months

Contact Information:

Contact Name: SOPH HR

Contact Email: [e-mail]