The University of Alabama at Birmingham-School of Public Health
Tenured or Tenure-Track Professor, Director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy
The School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) invites applications for a 12-month, tenured or tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Professor. A key role within this position is serving as the Director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy. Applicants with exceptional qualifications at the rank of Associate Professor will also be considered. We seek an outstanding scholar and collaborative, creative leader who demonstrates experience in public health policy research, practice, and teaching. Scholars with research and practice focus areas in a broad spectrum of health policy are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will qualify for a primary appointment in the Department of Health Policy and Organization.
Job Description
The Director of Lister Hill Center for Health Policy will guide the Center's strategic direction to connect and support those seeking to improve health outcomes through policy. Specifically, the Director will focus on developing, implementing, and expanding research initiatives, pursuing grant opportunities, mentoring and developing scholars and researchers, including students, and collaborating with UAB and external partners. This person will also create new and innovative research and collaborations, lead the Center's program and administrative staff, and oversee the Center's finances.
Qualifications
Applicants must possess a doctoral degree in a public health discipline or a related field and demonstrate excellence in public health policy or health services research, practice, and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. High-ranking candidates will have an exemplary record of research and teaching, leadership experience, and expertise in developing a nationally and internationally recognized, externally funded research program.
About the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy
The Lister Hill Center for Health Policy was established in 1987, recognizing the late Senator Joseph Lister Hill's commitment to leveraging public policy to advance population health. With an overall endowment of roughly $5 million and an annual spendable amount of approximately $450,000, it is one of two endowed centers in the UAB School of Public Health. The LHC's founding objective was "to refocus national health policy upon such goals as the development of a proactive health care system, the integration of treatment and prevention strategies, and the reduction of societally imposed threats to health." This objective continues today, with current aims including the enhancement of opportunities for policy collaboration through education both of faculty and students, creating opportunities for dissemination of information through newsletters and policy briefs, funding academic research seeking to impact health policy, providing reputable data sources for scholarly research, and empowering students and community leaders to affect policy change.
About the UAB School of Public Health
Founded in 1978, the UAB School of Public Health has 85 full-time faculty members complemented by over 100 part-time and volunteer faculty in the Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Behavior, and Health Policy and Organization. The UAB School of Public Health is Alabama's only accredited School of Public Health. U.S. News and World Report consistently includes the UAB SOPH in the top 20 Public Health Schools in the United States. In 2024, U.S. News & World Report recognized UAB as No. 8 for Public Schools of Public Health and No. 18 for Public Health Schools overall, with the departments being recognized as No. 13 in Best Biostatistics Programs, No. 16 for Best Epidemiology Programs, No. 16 for Best Health Policy and Management Programs, and No. 24 for Best Social and Behavioral Sciences Programs.
UAB SOPH has an increasingly broad and skilled faculty that provides leadership and support for several key national and international health initiatives while undertaking various essential research projects. The School is second only to the School of Medicine at UAB for extramural research funding among all 12 schools at UAB. In 2023, the UAB SOPH had more than $42 million in grants and contracts and ranked 29th among all Schools of Public Health and 19th for all Public Schools of Public Health for NIH funding. The School houses clinical or coordinating Centers for several large, multisite cohorts, trials, and other studies and is home to several training grants (T32; NHLBI) and two Research Education Programs (R25). The SOPH is also home to several public health practice-oriented centers and groups that lead and contribute to scholarly practice in the Southeast and beyond.
About UAB
UAB is a very high research activity (R1) university and academic health center that discovers, teaches, and applies knowledge for the intellectual, cultural, social, and economic benefit of Birmingham, the state, and beyond. UAB is internationally renowned for its intensely collaborative culture that has produced breakthroughs in education, health care, research, and service for more than five decades. Spanning more than 100 city blocks, UAB is the state of Alabama's largest single employer with more than 23,000 employees and has an annual, state-wide economic impact exceeding $12 billion. In 2021, Forbes named UAB America's #1 Best Large Employer and #4 Best Employer for Diversity. For the fifth straight year, UAB was named a Diversity Champion in 2022 by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. UAB's research enterprise continues to be globally renowned. With $774.5 million in total research funding for fiscal year 2023, including $413.7 million from NIH, UAB is a leader in federally funded research. Non-federal funding sources include state agencies, local governmental agencies, and various private and non-profit sponsors.
Applications will be accepted until this position is filled. To apply, please submit a cover letter stating your interest in the position, your experience and expertise in public health policy research, practice, and teaching, your experience and knowledge regarding leadership and team building, and your current curriculum vitae. https://uab.peopleadmin.com/postings/21946
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity, and expression as well as sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from persons with disabilities and veterans. A pre-employment background check is performed on candidates selected for employment.
