Description
The Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University invites applicants for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor with research expertise in clinical nutrition with an emphasis in behavioral interventions to prevent chronic disease and disability. The position is to begin July 1, 2027. We seek an active scholar with a focused line of research that strives to improve the nutritional health of adults with an emphasis on lifestyle interventions. Growth in this area is a focus for the department and college. The successful candidate will have numerous opportunities to collaborate with nationally and internationally known faculty in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University and at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, culminating in the establishment of a respected and prominent research program in clinical nutrition. Extensive collaboration with medical center researchers is common among health and exercise science faculty. The primary teaching assignment will be to teach the undergraduate nutrition course Other responsibilities of tenure track faculty include: mentoring undergraduate and graduate research projects; academic and career advising of students; and departmental, college, and university service. We seek an individual with a commitment to excellence in research and teaching, and a desire to mentor students. The Wake Forest teacher-scholar ideal is fundamental to Wake Forest University, along with our motto of Pro Humanitate. It rests on our aspiration to educate the whole person, promote critical thinking, nurture curiosity, and provide meaningful student-faculty engagement. This ideal fosters a vibrant intellectual learning community that advances the frontiers of knowledge across faculty, students, and staff within the health and exercise science disciplines. This is evident through individual and team-based research, collaboration and interdisciplinary exploration of complex questions and problems inherent within the health sciences. The successful candidate will: (1) establish an independent line of research in clinical nutrition; (2) have a teaching load equivalent to two 3-credit courses each semester; (3) serve the department through academic advising and mentoring of undergraduate students; and (4) participate in departmental, college, and university service.
Interested applicants are invited to submit the following materials through Interfolio or https://hr.wfu.edu/careers/: 1) a cover letter that outlines interest in and qualifications for the position; 2) a CV; 3) a research statement describing plans and potential impact of scholarly pursuits, including collaboration with other department faculty; and 4) a statement that describes the applicant’s approach to teaching and advising students across a wide and varied spectrum of values, identities, skills, and professional ambitions, as well as their experience leading undergraduate courses and any future teaching interests. Copies of graduate transcripts, letters of recommendations, and evidence of teaching experience may be requested as applicants advance in the search process. Inquiries may be directed to Dr. Gary Miller, Chair of the Search Committee, at millergd@wfu.edu or to Wake Forest University Human Resources at askhr@wfu.edu. For full consideration, complete applications should be submitted by December 1, 2026, when review of applications will begin.
Additional Information: The interdisciplinary mission of the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University is to advance the understanding of health and the prevention/treatment of chronic disease and physical disability. Extensive collaboration in research projects between the different disciplines within the department is the norm. Research focus in the department includes the areas of healthy aging, osteoarthritis, diabetes, bone health, chronic pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, muscular health, chronic kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The department has consistently been the leading department across the college for the number of external grant awards received and funding procured from the awards. We are located on the WFU Reynolda Campus and host approximately 270 undergraduate majors and 12-14 master’s level graduate students. The department has 9 tenure-track faculty and 7 teaching professionals. The department offers both B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Health and Exercise Science. Additional information about the department can be found at http://hes.wfu.edu/.
About Wake Forest University: Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in liberal arts, graduate, and professional education. With more than 5,400 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate and professional students, Wake Forest is a collegiate university offering a vibrant, intellectual community with a rich cultural life, an impressive array of facilities, and a strong athletics program competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since its founding, the University has adopted the motto Pro Humanitate, which is exemplified by a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world. For more information, visit: about.wfu.edu.
Wake Forest University is in Winston-Salem, a beautiful, mid-sized city centrally located in the Piedmont-Triad region of North Carolina. To learn more about Winston-Salem, visit: www.visitwinstonsalem.com.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, and military or veteran status.
Requirements
Candidates should possess an earned doctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent) in nutrition or closely related field. Additional experiences may include post-doctoral training; teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels; research experience with demonstrated scholarship via first-authored publications; mentoring undergraduate or graduate students; experience with randomized clinical trial research; and a demonstrated potential for successful extramural funding. Qualified applicants will demonstrate the ability to teach effectively, conduct high-level clinical nutrition research, mentor graduate and undergraduate students, and contribute to an academic environment that fosters learning and growth for all its stakeholders.
