Open Rank Professor of Racism, Health Equity, and Social Justice

Open Rank Professor of Racism, Health Equity, and Social Justice

University of California Los Angeles

Requisition Number: JPF08995

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 racism, health equity, social justice, and public health.

In 2020, public health researchers grappled with staggering racial disparities in COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates that, together, pointed to the power of structural racism to shape racial inequities in health outcomes. The same year, the high-profile murders of Black individuals such as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd sparked widespread discourse and reflection about how racial bias and structural racism can have shocking and even deadly consequences. In response, and for the first time, major players in the field of public health (e.g., the American Public Health Association, Society for Epidemiological Research, and American Medical Association) declared that racism is a public health issue, called on public health professionals to address inequities in health, and urged policymakers to imagine and implement policies and programs responsive to the social determinants that shape the health of racially and ethnically marginalized communities and populations. While there has long been support for research documenting racial disparities in health outcomes, there is now a call to demystify and combat structural inequities—to conduct research that assesses the impacts of racism at various ecological levels (i.e., individual, interpersonal, community, and institutional); explores the interplay of racism, policy, and population health; and elevates evidence-based approaches that can overcome health inequities.

We seek applicants who are strongly committed to cutting-edge research, high-quality graduate and undergraduate teaching, and public service related to racism, social justice, and health. Although the specific health field and specialization is open, we especially welcome scholars who have demonstrated expertise in anti-racist research agendas and/or methods, interdisciplinary scholarship experience, and a commitment to translating research into practice. Successful candidates for this position will also have the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, and Health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

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.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must hold 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: (1) independent research and peer-reviewed publications in areas central to the issues of racism/anti-racism, health equity, and social justice; (2) documented (or potential for) success in obtaining extramural funding; (3) interdisciplinary research collaborations; and (4) a commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship.

SALARY RANGE

Faculty appointment level and salary will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications. According to UC and FSPH standards, the FSPH fully covered 9-month salary will be composed of a component, ranging between $74,600-$197,100 plus an off-scale portion, dependent upon the candidate’s experience and final approval by the Chancellor. Historically, UCLA CHS faculty total salaries have been competitive with salaries in similar departments.

The University of California is committed to excellence and equity in every facet of its mission. Contributions in all areas of faculty achievement that promote equal opportunity and diversity will be given due recognition in the academic personnel process, and they will be evaluated and credited in the same way as other faculty achievements. These contributions to diversity and equal opportunity can take a variety of forms including efforts to advance equitable access to education, public service that addresses the needs of California’s diverse population, or research in a scholar’s area of expertise that highlights inequalities. Mentoring and advising of students and faculty members, particularly from underrepresented and underserved populations, will be given due recognition in the teaching or service categories of the academic personnel process.

Questions about this position may be emailed to search committee co-chairs, Dr. Courtney Thomas Tobin (mailto:courtneysthomas@ucla.edu) and Dr. Philip Massey (mailto:pmassey@ucla.edu).

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit the following documents no later than December 15, 2023:

• 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/4791071

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