Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Community Engagement through Extension

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Department of Nutritional Sciences (https://hhd.psu.edu/nutrition ),  the College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State Extension (https://agsci.psu.edu/ ), and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences (https://www.huck.psu.edu/ ) at the Pennsylvania State (Penn State) University, a Land-grant University, seeks a tenure-track eligible Assistant Professor whose work centers on the development, implementation, evaluation, and/or translation of community and state-wide nutrition extension programs that meet the needs of limited-resource and socially-disadvantaged families. The tenure home will be in the Department of Nutritional Sciences with a joint appointment in the Department of Food Science. This position comes with a competitive start-up package and salary based on 36-weeks of service annually, which can be supplemented with additional salary up to a total of 48 weeks from external competitive grants, contracts, and/or endowment funds.

Poor nutrition is the leading cause of cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease), with rural populations at higher risk. With challenges in maintaining a rural healthcare system to treat chronic diseases, there is an urgent need to implement programs to prevent the onset or slow the progression of these diseases. Existing outreach efforts of the Department of Nutritional Sciences include the Pennsylvania SNAP-Ed program that reaches 58 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania and Project PA which Penn State Extension Food, Families, and Communities Unit offers a comprehensive array of nutrition, health, and wellness programs designed to educate and empower individuals, families, and communities on topics ranging from healthy eating habits, physical activity, chronic disease prevention, to mental health and overall well-being. The ideal candidate will focus on health equity, implementation and dissemination sciences, cardiometabolic disease prevention, family functioning, inequity/poverty, mental health, policy, and/or system factors impacting nutrition and health among rural health populations.

This position will complement the research of existing faculty within the Department, Penn State Extension, Huck, and across the University, which includes research related to the prevention of cardiovascular disease; ingestive and eating behaviors; mechanisms of obesity; studies of diet, physical activity, and disease prevention; maternal child health including pregnancy, lactation, and child nutrition; rural nutrition; research on genetic models of inflammation; epidemiology, and global health nutrition.

Teaching and service expectations will be appropriate to Penn State’s mission as a Land Grant university. The successful applicant’s research may span the translational research spectrum from preclinical to population-based work. 

Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate, through prior actions and achievements, intentional and actioned commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Examples of such contributions are research or creative activity focused on empowering underserved populations; teaching, mentorship, and service that increases equitable access; and inclusion in fields where historically excluded populations are underrepresented.

This position is located at the University Park campus of Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania, a picturesque locale in the heart of the Commonwealth known as Happy Valley. As a vibrant college town, State College hosts year-round festivals and activities and is near countless miles of hiking trails and state parks. State College is not only centrally located in Pennsylvania, but also the Mid-Atlantic region. Major metropolitan areas including Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg are just a short drive away.

The preferred start date for the position is Fall 2024, but a later start date is negotiable.

Position Requirements for a successful candidate will:

• Having earned a doctoral degree in nutrition, public health, public policy, or a closely related field by appointment start date (PhD, MD, and/or equivalent)

• Demonstrate a record of creative research accomplishments

• Maintain an innovative and successful research program

• Demonstrate excellence in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses and mentoring students.

• Either have demonstrated a commitment to building an inclusive, equitable, and diverse campus community or describe one or more ways they would envision doing so, given the opportunity.

About the Department of Nutritional Sciences

The National Research Council ranked Penn State’s Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences among the nation’s best. More information is available at: (https://hhd.psu.edu/nutrition ). The Department has 26 full-time faculty. Current student enrollments are approximately 250 undergraduate students, 44 Master’s students, and 26 PhD students. The Department provides a supportive, collaborative environment that facilitates and encourages interdisciplinary translational research. Collaborative opportunities abound in the Department of Nutritional Sciences; in other departments in the College of Health and Human Development; in other Penn State Colleges (e.g., Agriculture, Engineering, Medicine, Science, Liberal Arts and Sciences); and in Centers and Institutes across campus, including but not limited to the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, the Social Sciences Research Institute, Penn State Clinical and Translational Institute (CTSI), Penn State Cancer Institute, and Cooperative Extension. Faculty within the department have a high success rate of extramural funding. The Department is invested in the success of the faculty, staff, and students, and has developed a mentoring program for faculty.

The Department of Nutritional Sciences is located within the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) at University Park. HHD enrolls approximately 4,200 undergraduates and 350 full-time graduate students. The College includes eight academic units and several research centers and service units, including the Center for Childhood Obesity Researc h (hhd.psu.edu/ccor). For more information about HHD, visit: https://www.hhd.psu.edu/

About the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences is one of 7 interdisciplinary institutes at Penn State. The mission of the Huck is to catalyze interdisciplinary research excellence. Huck works across the university to support and connect research teams addressing the greatest challenges facing humanity.

About Penn State Extension

Since 1921, Penn State Extension has responded to the needs of local residents and industry stakeholders with unbiased, science-based information, tools, and education that people have come to depend on and trust. Our programs are developed in direct response to community and industry input. They are based on current information from Penn State and other Land Grant universities nationwide. We provide access to face-to-face and online education to our customers—when they want it, where they want it, and how they want it—to help them address problems and take advantage of opportunities for improvement and innovation. Extension program teams consist of a collection of educators, associates, and faculty that come together from various units when their expertise is needed. Since program team members live and work alongside you, they have a vested interest in ensuring our products and services better their communities. Our program teams also have unique partnerships with county and state governments, and facilitate collaboration with industry, nongovernment organizations, and others.

Application & Inquiries

To apply, interested candidates should complete an online application and upload:

• Cover letter

• Personal statement addressing interests and vision (future goals and plans) in a) research and b) teaching

• A diversity statement

• A curriculum vitae

• Names, titles, and complete contact information for three professional references who may be contacted

• Three peer-reviewed manuscripts illustrating the applicant’s contribution to the scientific literature

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission. 

Please direct questions or informal inquiries to the search committee chair, Professor Jennifer Savage Williams ([email protected]) . Please indicate " Nutrition and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Position" in the subject line of email correspondence and cc: the message to Julie Brenneman ([email protected] ). 
 

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Salary is competitive, commensurate with background and experience. An attractive benefits package is available.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS:

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here .

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. 

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