Tenure-Track Assistant or Associate Professor

Nutrition; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

University of South Carolina in Columbia invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position (Assistant/Associate Professor) focused on Food is Medicine research integrated into health care and community settings. The role emphasizes impact, equity, and partnerships to translate nutrition science into practice across populations in the Southeast.

The successful candidate will advance nutrition, health equity, and implementation science with opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration,

Qualifications

• PhD in public health, nutrition, behavioral or social sciences by start date.
• Strong potential for scholarly productivity or funded research, plus teaching/mentoring experience.
• Commitment to health equity and community engagement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a robust extramurally funded Food is Medicine research program.
• Publish findings in peer‑reviewed outlets and teach in-person and online.
• Collaborate across disciplines and with community, health care, governmental, and external partners to implement and scale programs.

Skills

Food is Medicine research

Implementation science

Community engagement

Grant writing / external funding

Teaching and mentorship

Education

Doctoral degree in public health, nutrition, behavioral or social science, health services research, implementation science, or closely related field

Job description

The Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) at the University of South Carolina (USC) Arnold School of Public Health invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor.

We seek a scholar whose research focuses on Food is Medicine, broadly defined as the integration of food- and nutrition-based interventions into health care and community settings to prevent, manage, or treat diet-related chronic disease and improve population health. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, medically tailored meals or groceries, produce prescription programs, nutrition screening and referral systems, food insecurity interventions, nutrition incentive programs, community-clinical linkages, or policies and payment models that support the integration of nutrition services into health care.

The successful candidate will complement and expand existing departmental expertise in nutrition, healthy eating, behavioral interventions, implementation science, health economics, health communication, community-engaged research, global health, and health equity. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work addresses the implementation, evaluation, dissemination, or scaling of Food is Medicine programs and policies in real-world settings. Research that generates knowledge to help address the needs of rural, underserved, or historically marginalized populations, including communities in South Carolina and the broader southeastern United States, is especially relevant to this position.

The Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior emphasizes both impactful research and meaningful community engagement. Faculty members examine how policy, environmental, institutional, health care, community, and individual factors influence health and work collaboratively to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for all. HPEB faculty members conduct research in areas including nutrition and healthy eating, implementation science, community-based research, health communication, global health, health services use, chronic disease prevention, and the translation of interventions into practice and policy. This position will strengthen the Department’s capacity to advance Food is Medicine research and develop collaborations among health care systems, community organizations, public agencies, food and nutrition assistance programs, and other partners.

USC provides a rich interdisciplinary environment, with faculty across the Arnold School of Public Health and campus contributing to initiatives such as the Global Health Initiative, Nutrition Consortium, Prevention Research Center, Office for the Study of Aging, Consortium for Latino Health Studies, Big Data Health Science Center, and SmartState Centers. Opportunities also exist to collaborate with health care systems, state agencies, community-based organizations, and other partners throughout South Carolina and the Southeast. The University has been designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a “doctoral institution with highest research activity” and a “community-engaged institution.”

The Department offers two undergraduate minors, including one in Nutrition and Food Systems, master’s programs including an MPH and online professional MPH, a doctoral PhD program, and graduate certificates in aging, global health, and health communication. Department faculty also contribute to teaching in the Arnold School’s undergraduate degree programs.

USC is located in Columbia, South Carolina, a vibrant capital city offering abundant cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities. Columbia enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine annually and provides ready access to beaches, lakes, rivers, and mountains. The city hosts historical and cultural attractions, festivals, performing arts and sporting events, parks, and outdoor recreation, including Congaree National Park and 50,000-acre Lake Murray.

Applicants should have a doctoral degree in public health, nutrition, behavioral or social science, health services research, implementation science, or a closely related field by the start date of employment. For the rank of Assistant Professor, applicants must demonstrate strong potential for scholarly productivity, excellence in teaching and mentoring, and success in establishing an externally funded research program. Applicants for the rank of Associate Professor must have a strong record of funded research and scholarship, along with at least five years of experience as an effective instructor, mentor, and researcher by the start date of employment.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a robust, extramurally funded program of Food is Medicine research; publish findings in peer-reviewed outlets; contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in both in-person and online formats; and mentor master’s and doctoral students. The candidate will also be expected to collaborate across disciplines and with community, health care, governmental, and other external partners to develop, evaluate, implement, and scale effective Food is Medicine programs and policies.