Position Description
Assistant Professor of Social & Behavioral Science in Nutrition
Division of Nutritional Sciences

Candidates for this position are expected to demonstrate future promise for establishing and maintaining a vibrant, independent and extramurally-funded research program, and for teaching undergraduate and graduate students.  The qualifications of the candidate should be consistent with a tenure-track appointment at the level of an assistant professor, with a doctoral degree in a social science discipline such as sociology, social psychology, cultural anthropology or another social science field.   Prospective candidates should have foundational knowledge and experience in interdisciplinary research at the interface of food, eating, or human nutrition and the social and behavioral sciences, with an interest in US community or public health settings. 

Demonstrated research excellence in areas of interest include, but are not limited to, maternal and child nutrition, obesity and chronic disease prevention, and nutrition disparities.  Research excellence should be demonstrated through publications in recognized journals and prior experience in seeking independent research funding is highly desirable.  The applicant must have an interest in and be qualified to teach an undergraduate course on Social Science Perspectives on Food and Nutrition and a graduate level course.  Demonstrated scholarship within community and public health nutrition is central to this position.

 The Division of Nutritional Sciences is a broadly based interdisciplinary unit that integrates theories and methods from across many academic disciplines to understand the complex relationships among biology, nutrition, food systems and lifestyle patterns, social and institutional environments and governmental policies in relation to human health. This position recognizes and highlights the importance of the relationship of factors in the social, cultural, information/electronic, economic, physical, and policy environments to the health and nutritional well-being of human populations. The successful candidate should have experience in and/or the potential to develop collaborations with other faculty who have broad interests in basic and applied aspects of food and nutrition.

 Academic Environment at Cornell University
Cornell is a major Land Grant research and teaching institution established in 1865 with both endowed and state-assisted units.  The student population on the Ithaca campus is approximately 5,350 graduate/professional students and 13,670 undergraduates.  Cornell offers a strong, interdisciplinary research environment.  Recently, the university initiated campus-wide investments in the Life Sciences, the Cornell Population Program, the Institute for Social Sciences, the Global Health Program, and the Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell Technology Campus, which are located in New York City.

 The Division of Nutritional Sciences 

The Division of Nutritional Sciences (DNS) at Cornell University is among the largest academic units in the United States devoted to human nutrition. DNS is a multi-disciplinary unit with scholarly activities that integrate knowledge from the physical, biological and social sciences in the areas of molecular, human, international and community nutrition through teaching, research, and outreach related to food, food systems, nutrition and health.  Multidisciplinary research, graduate training, and outreach programs include Maternal & Child Nutrition, Nutritional Genomics, Food Systems for Health and Nutrition, Global Health & International Nutrition and Obesity & Chronic Disease.  In carrying out its mission, DNS supports and contributes to advancements in basic disciplines and promotes the health and well-being of populations in the US and globally.  The DNS undergraduate program consists of four majors.  The Nutritional Sciences major and the Global and Public Health Sciences major are offered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Human Ecology.  The Human Biology, Health and Society major is offered through the College of Human Ecology, and the concentration in Nutrition in the Biological Sciences Major is offered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences.  The Division of Nutritional Sciences is the administrative home for the Cornell Graduate Field of Nutrition and the Graduate Field of Epidemiology. 

Cornell University is an equal opportunity employer.

 Qualifications:

·          PhD, ScD, DrPH, or related degree in a social science discipline (i.e. sociology, social psychology, cultural anthropology, or another social science field) with foundational knowledge and a research focus at the interface of the social sciences and food, eating, and nutrition in U.S. community/public health settings;

·          Demonstrated research excellence in areas generating knowledge that contributes to theory, methods, practice, and policy for understanding social aspects of food, eating, and nutrition in the context of nutritional disparities, maternal and child nutrition, obesity and chronic disease prevention, or other areas;

·          Interest and/or experience in teaching at the undergraduate and/or graduate level with a focus on application of the social sciences to the study of food and nutrition;

·          Research excellence that is demonstrated through publications in peer-reviewed journals in the field; and

·          Experience in grant writing and/or a history of obtaining independent research funding.

 Responsibilities:

The candidate is expected to:

·          Initiate and sustain a vigorous, externally funded research program;

•     Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses related to social science expertise and food, eating, and nutrition;

•     Mentor and train graduate students;

•     Maintain a high level of scholarly activity; and

•     Forge professional relationships within the Division of Nutritional Sciences and with other academic units on campus and beyond.

 Academic Rank and Compensation:

Assistant Professor with 9-month appointment and expectation of tenure.  Position is designated as 60% effort in research, 40% in teaching/instruction.  Salary level will depend on experience and expertise and will be competitive with comparable positions at peer universities.

 Applicants must apply through Academic Jobs Online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/10158 and upload a cover letter, CV, research statement and a teaching statement.  Applicants must also arrange to that three confidential letters of recommendation submitted through Academic Jobs Online.

 Review of applications will begin in November of 2017 and will continue until this position has been filled.  Start date for this position is as soon as July 1, 2018.