Open Rank Faculty - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mission or Goal of Unit: In the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) we strive for optimal health for all people via research, education, and service, with community engagement at the heart of all we do. Our work spans the translational continuum within public health, focusing on understanding and transforming the systemic, structural, social, and behavioral factors that affect health to promote well-being for all.

Housed within the R1 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Public Health (SOPH), the SBS Department is home to 13 full-time faculty and a robust funding portfolio that exceeded $2.67M in expenditures in FY 2026. Areas of existing research strength within SBS include: prevention and management of chronic diseases; health disparities and health equity; cancer prevention and control; health communication; and women’s health.

Equally central to our purpose is our educational mission—our SBS educational programs include a PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences and an MD-PhD, both of which center community engagement and experiential learning. We aim to prepare scholars to work across disciplines and in partnership with both organizations and local communities in service of real-world public health impact. We also contribute teaching, leadership and mentorship for our MPH program and growing BSPH. In particular, SBS faculty developed and teach many core courses for the Cancer Prevention and Control Sciences and Health Communication concentrations for the MPH degree. For more details, please visit http://www.sbs.vcu.edu.

Purpose of this position: The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Public Health invites applications for a full-time 12-month, tenure-eligible, open rank faculty member. We are seeking experienced scholars with a commitment to our tripartite mission across scholarship, teaching, and service.

Applicants with formal training and methodological expertise in behavioral clinical trials, intervention science, and community-engaged research are particularly of interest. We welcome applications from scholars who conduct community-grounded work focused on cancer disparities, rural health, chronic disease prevention and management, or other areas that complement existing strengths in the unit and School.

Those applying at the assistant professor level should show evidence of research productivity and strong potential to obtain external funding. Applicants at the associate professor or full professor level should show evidence of a well-developed research portfolio including multidisciplinary projects and extramural funding commensurate with rank. Tenured and tenure-eligible faculty are generally expected to support at least 50% of their effort via grants.

Position Responsibilities:

Research: The faculty member is expected to build and maintain an independent, programmatic line of research in behavioral interventions, and/or community-engaged research in an area that complements and/or augments existing strengths in the unit. A combination of extramural funding as PI and collaborator that aligns with our unit’s mission, vision, and values is expected.

Teaching: The faculty member will also support the department with teaching responsibilities aligned with their expertise and across levels (i.e., PhD, MPH, BSPH). Candidates will also mentor scholars in our PhD program.

Service: The faculty member is expected to serve on Departmental, School, and/or University committees as necessary, as well as in a professional capacity in their discipline (e.g., reviewer, conference organizer, etc.).

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in a relevant health-related field (e.g., social and behavioral sciences, public health, psychology)
• Expertise in behavioral clinical trials, intervention science, and / or community engaged research
• Advanced expertise in research design and methodology
• Proven record of peer-reviewed publications and evidence of or commitment to lay data dissemination
• Strong track record of—or significant potential for—securing extramural funding
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively and commitment to strong departmental citizenship
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications

• Postdoctoral research training experience
• Teaching experience at the graduate or undergraduate level
• Experience in mentorship of graduate students
• Formal training in community-based participatory research

Required Materials:
Review of applications will begin November 11, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should submit the following materials and an official application.

• Brief cover letter detailing interest in this specific position, and highlighting alignment between the SBS Department, VCU, and their interests and expertise
• CV
• Research statement (no more than 2 pages)
• Teaching and mentorship statement (no more than 2 pages)

Salary Range: Commensurate

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, 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: Tenure Track

Months: 12 months

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Cian Brooks
Contact Email: Brookst10@vcu.edu

Advertised: 12 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 11 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time

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