Betsey R. Bush Endowed Professor in Behavioral Health-Social Work-Fall 2026

Description

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) College of Social Work is seeking a highly regarded scholar to fill the position of the Betsey R. Bush Endowed Professor in Behavioral Health. This endowed professorship offers an outstanding opportunity for an experienced behavioral health researcher to pursue their program of research , with significant potential for collaboration with creative colleagues and doctoral students. The ideal candidate will bring an interprofessional lens to community-engaged research and education; a strong record of scholarly activity; experience as a mentor to graduate students, post-docs, and pre-tenure faculty; and the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the access and engagement goals of the University. They also will meet the requirements for appointment at the appropriate rank for the University of Tennessee. To this end, the candidate should have an established record of substantial extramural funding (for professor level) or intramural and some extramural funding and indication of future potential for a sustained record of extramural funding (for associate level).  The successful candidate will help the CSW move forward our vision and mission.   

Candidates for this position must have earned their Ph.D. in social work or related field. Successful candidates would need to meet the qualifications in order to be eligible to pursue tenure upon initial appoinment. The position is located on the Nashville campus. This is a 9-month position. 

 

The University and the College of Social Work 

 

The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a land-grant, flagship research institution, that imagines “a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership.” (https://chancellor.utk.edu/vision/). The university is in the midst of unprecedented growth, with current enrollment of approximately 37,000 students. The University is one of 38 land-grant universities with Carnegie Foundation classification as both a Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, and the elective Classification for Community Engagement. Forbes Magazine recently ranked UTK as one of the best places to work in the US, including ranking it ninth among public higher education institutions in the United States. UTK offers a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for additional summer salary 

 

The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Social Work (UTCSW) has almost 1,000 students enrolled in undergraduate, MSSW, DSW, and PhD programs in Knoxville, Nashville, and online. Ranked 24th nationally by the US News and World Report (2024), the college prepares highly skilled and culturally sensitive social workers to address areas of need across the state, the country, and the globe. UTCSW is home to four research centers and several individual faculty research labs. The college’s research-active faculty conduct interdisciplinary research in in partnership with faculty from other UTK colleges/departments (e.g., the Tickle College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, and Departments of Public Health, Child and Family Studies, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Psychology, among others), the UT Health Science Center in Memphis, and UT Extension. UTCSW also has community-based partnerships with numerous state and community agencies.