Assistant Professor of Health Policy or Implementation/Translational Science

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University

Department:

College of Arts & Sciences

Time Type:

Full time

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Job Description:

The Department of Health Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 1, 2027. Exceptional candidates will demonstrate their ability to develop an independent, innovative research program and bring outstanding mentoring and teaching to undergraduate and masters-level students in the department. Areas of desirable strength in research and teaching expertise include evidence-based health policy, with particular emphasis on advancing health equity. This may include expertise in policy development, policy analysis, and policy-relevant health science. Other areas of desirable strength include implementation science and/or translational health science, including implementation science methods, outcome evaluation research, and research that accelerates translation of evidence into practice and/or policy.

Qualifications

Competitive candidates will have the following qualifications:

• A PhD (or equivalent) or an anticipated PhD completion prior to the anticipated start date of August 1, 2027.
• A strong research record, including demonstrated success in, or potential for obtaining external funding.
• A strong record of scholarly productivity including publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• An ability to articulate research agenda with strong potential for securing external funding.
• Motivation and ability to achieve excellence in teaching and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate level to meet the needs of the department's CEPH accredited public health undergraduate program including 3 undergraduate majors/minors, and 3 master's degree programs.
• Willingness to help meet the needs of our growing department through service, student mentorship, and working with other faculty members as a team.

Duties

• Develop and maintain a strong, externally-funded program of research in health policy, implementation science, and/or translational health science that includes undergraduate and graduate students.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate health studies classes (in health policy, implementation science and/or related topical areas) to serve as part of the general curriculum for majors and non-majors and to advance the training of graduate students in the master's degree programs.
• Contribute to service activities at the department, college and university levels.

American University is a private institution with a diverse student and faculty population in a dynamic metropolitan area. Our campus is within easy reach of the many health science centers located in and around the nation's capital, including HHS, NSF, NIH and many other federally funded labs and research centers. Our department takes a student-centered approach to mentorship and teaching. The Department of Health Studies offers a BS in Health Science and CEPH-accredited BA and BS undergraduate degrees in Public Health, an MA in Public Health Innovation & Practice, and MS graduate degrees in Health Promotion and Nutrition Education. We welcome applications that demonstrate interest in collaboration with existing faculty and local institutions, including interdisciplinary collaborations in adjacent fields.

The salary range at the Assistant Professor rank is $95,000-$100,000. Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled, subject to ongoing budgetary approval. Include a cover letter of application (up to 2 pages) which explains your career trajectory; a curriculum vitae, a research statement laying out experience with and trajectory of research as it relates to health policy, implementation science, and/or translational health science (up to 2 pages); and a teaching statement that highlights expertise and details strategies for teaching at both the undergraduate and master's level (up to 2 pages). Please arrange three letters of recommendation to be directly submitted through the job application portal after submission of the application. Workday will prompt the applicant to provide contact information for their letter writers. Please contact our Chair: Caroline Kuo (ckuo@american.edu) if you have any questions.

Benefits

AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.

Other Details

• Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.

• Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.

• Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• American University is an E-Verify employer.

Current American University Employees

American University current employees must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings.

Contact Us

For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu.

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual's genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.