The Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invites applications for one full-time, 9-month, tenure-earning assistant professor in medical sociology anticipated to begin August 2024. The ideal candidate will have a record of, or potential for, external research funding as appropriate for the discipline.
We are especially interested in an individual who can improve – through their research, teaching, and service – the diversity and excellence of our academic community and help foster an environment in which faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. UCF strives to recruit and retain a diverse faculty. Central to the support for this goal are campus organizations, including the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA), the Latino Faculty and Staff Association (LaFaSA), and the PRIDE Faculty and Staff Association. UCF is proud to have received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the Seal of Excelencia which recognizes institutions demonstrating effective and intentional institutional practices that serve Latino students, positive momentum for Latino students’ progress, and a dedication to transform the institution into an environment where Latino students can thrive who can contribute through their research, teaching and service to the diversity and excellence of our academic community and foster an environment in which faculty, staff and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive.
We are particularly seeking candidates who can expand our strengths in research related to LGBTQ and racial and ethnic minority health. Additionally, candidates with strong potential to secure external funding, whose area of interest within medical sociology overlaps with one or more of the other primary areas of research within the department (i.e., social inequalities, criminology, or spatial sociology), who engage in public sociology, and/or can teach research methods, social theory, or GIS are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition, the successful applicant(s) will have scholarly expertise in medical sociology, an active research agenda, and a commitment to effective teaching.
The UCF Department of Sociology (https://sciences.ucf.edu/sociology/) has an active graduate program offering both Applied M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. The department includes 17 tenured and tenure-track faculty members who are committed to impactful scholarly research, public dissemination of research findings, innovative teaching, collaborative community relationships and are actively involved in professional organizations. Sociology faculty have had their research activities funded by the National Institute of Justice, the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, as well as state and regional agencies. Faculty are also affiliated with diverse campus research centers. Several faculty are members of the Violence Against Women Cluster at UCF, which works across the disciplines of education, social work, criminal justice, sociology, and medicine to create knowledge to guide policymaking and practice designed to reduce the experience and impact of gendered violence. The department also houses the Institute for Social and Behavioral Science, which specializes in research relevant to public policy issues in the state of Florida. The department also collaborates with the GIS Research Cluster Laboratory, which is focused on the use of mapping and drones to understand social and environmental inequalities. Department faculty also collaborate with the Department of Population Health Sciences on funded research on LGBTQ health. The department collaborates with faculty in the Academic Health Sciences Center, which includes the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Professions and Sciences, and the School of Global Health Management and Informatics. Lastly, the Puerto Rico Research Hub is the center of activities dedicated to the study of Puerto Ricans at UCF. Opportunities exist for candidates to collaborate with faculty across the university. For more information, visit [https://sciences.ucf.edu/sociology/].
The College of Sciences (COS) houses most of the university’s natural, computational, and social sciences in eight departments, two schools, and several centers. The college’s programs play a key role in advancing UCF as a national research university that is determined to help students from all backgrounds achieve success. For more information, visit htps://sciences.ucf.edu/.
UCF, located in Orlando, Florida, is classified as a Very High Research Acvity University by the Carnegie Foundation. With a diverse student body of more than 68,000 students, UCF is one of the largest universities in the country. UCF is designated a Hispanic Serving Institution. For more information, visit http://www.ucf.edu.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Ph.D. in Sociology or a closely related field from an accredited institution by time of hire is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Preference will be given to candidates with research and teaching interests in one or more of the following areas: (1) social inequalities in (physical, mental) health and illness, (2) issues in the health care delivery system (e.g., access, quality of care, equity), and/or (3) health inequalities related to space and/or place.
Additional Application Materials Required:
UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, http://ucf.edu/jobs. In addition to the online application, candidates should upload the following materials: (1) a current curriculum vitae, (2) a letter of application describing qualifications for the position, such as research agenda and teaching experience/interest. Additionally, provide a list of contact information for three (3) professional references.
The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.
NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.
Questions regarding this search should be directed to Dr. Shannon Carter, Search Committee Chair, at skcarter@ucf.edu.
Job Close Date: 03/01/2024
The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.