The Ideal Candidate: Whether a seasoned scholar, newly-established researcher, or multidisciplinary environmental health practitioner, this position will have the freedom and support to expand the Department’s research portfolio and teaching mission. The ideal candidate meets the required qualifications as an Associate or Full Professor, has a documented track record of innovation, and will strategically lead the Department with greater emphasis on emerging issues at the intersection of health and the environment.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Administration:
• Provide visionary leadership to the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, with a strong emphasis on innovative and disruptive change.
• Oversee and manage departmental operations, including budgeting, resource allocation, and strategic planning with a focus on transformation.
• Foster a collaborative departmental culture that embraces an innovative program that pursues cutting edge research and prepares the next generation of public health professionals leading efforts at the intersection of human health and the environment.
•  Lead recruitment of 3-5 new faculty members that will strengthen the focus of the department on critical issues in occupational and environmental health.

1. Academic Program Oversight:
• Lead the development of a new study tract that focuses on emerging issues at the intersection of human health and the environment.
• Enhance existing academic programs within the department by leading the development of greater online offerings and integrating innovative teaching methodologies.
• Ensure curriculum alignment with industry standards and accreditation requirements, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Supervise faculty in exploring and implementing cutting-edge teaching methods with an increased focus on the intersection of health and the environment.
• Teach courses and work with faculty in the development of curricula and education programs for practicing professionals in the field.
2. Faculty Management:
• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate faculty members who are enthusiastic about pioneering new approaches to research and teaching, particularly in the intersection of health and the environment.
• Facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty, encouraging participation in research and educational initiatives.
• Foster a positive and supportive work environment that encourages innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Research and Scholarship:
• Promote and support research initiatives within the department, with a special emphasis on groundbreaking research projects.
• Encourage faculty involvement in research that challenges conventional norms, facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration, and advances knowledge in health and environmental sciences.
• Collaborate with other departments and institutions to enhance innovative research opportunities in the intersecting fields.
4. Student Engagement:
• Enhance student recruitment efforts by highlighting innovative programs and learning experiences.
• Foster a student-centered approach to education, integrating cutting-edge technologies and novel teaching methods that address health and environmental challenges.
• Collaborate with career services to create innovative internship and job placement opportunities.
5. Community Engagement and Service:
• Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations, industry stakeholders, and government agencies by spearheading innovative public health initiatives.
• Represent the department in relevant professional organizations and conferences, showcasing the department's commitment to innovative practices in occupational and environmental health.
• Participate in faculty governance and oversight through committee membership at the department, College, and university levels.
• Contribute to community outreach with strategies that address emerging public health challenges related to the environment.

Additional Information: Salary and rank are commensurate with qualifications. This is a 12-month position.

About the Department: The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the Hudson College of Public Health has been in existence for the past 51 years and has graduated 250 doctoral and master’s graduates. The department has developed flexible and diversified programs of graduate study, field training, and basic and applied research to accommodate students with a wide range of academic and occupational backgrounds. Students in the Department seek MS, MPH, and PhD degrees. The industrial hygiene program within the Department has been continuously accredited by ABET since 1994 and continuously supported by a NIOSH-funded training grant since 2004. Faculty are actively developing community engaged research agendas which have led to an EPA-funded Center for Children’s Environmental Health in childcare settings and a research contract with the state health department. Faculty members in the Department have received several multi-year grants and contracts from NASA, CDC, EPA, State Health Department, and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology (OCAST).

 About the College: The Hudson College of Public Health was established in 1967 and has been continuously accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) since 1969. We are the only accredited school of public health in Oklahoma and have a multi-disciplinary faculty in five core areas: Biostatistics,  Epidemiology, Health Administration and Policy, Health Promotion Sciences, and Occupational and Environmental Health. Our purpose is “To promote healthier tomorrows through education and research today.”

 About the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center: The OUHSC is the hub of the Oklahoma Health Center, which includes 25 public and private health institutions. Located near the vibrant and growing downtown area of Oklahoma City, it is one of only a few academic medical centers in the nation with seven schools of health in contiguous space (Public Health, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Allied Health, and Graduate College). Several strategic research centers, institutes and initiatives support advanced research and foster collaboration among researchers from many different disciplines. These include Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center, the Stephenson Cancer Center, the Oklahoma Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, the Oklahoma Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, and the Oklahoma Center for Geroscience. Oklahoma City is the anchor of a rapidly growing, multicultural metropolitan area with a population of 1.3 million, over 300 days of sunshine annually, very affordable cost of living, excellent schools and a wide array of cultural amenities (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVc4pgBGO28).

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field (e.g., environmental health, environmental science, environmental management, environmental sustainability, environmental policy, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, human factors, or related field).
• Academic rank of Associate or Full Professor with proven leadership experience preferably in a departmental chair or other administrative role. Similar experience from industry or governmental roles may be considered as equivalent to traditional academic rank and position.
• Strong record of innovative research, publication, and grant funding.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a varied team of faculty and staff with an appetite for innovation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Applicants must submit their applications though Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/140285.  Applicants are required to provide a CV and cover letter, and three professional references with contact information.

Contact Person and Application Review Date: Search committee chair: Dale W. Bratzler, DO, MPH, Dean – Hudson College of Public Health. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate has been selected.