Prepared by: UAMS Executive Search Group
Search Committee Chair:
Judith L. Weber, PhD, RD
Associate Dean for Research, College of Nursing
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Director, Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention
Arkansas Children’s Research Institute
The Opportunity:
The College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) invites applications for the position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to an academic appointment as a Nursing Scientist. This is a tenure-track, 12-month, full-time faculty position with an academic appointment at the Assistant (or Associate) Professor level in the Nursing Science Department, College of Nursing. Evidence of postdoctoral research training and/or the establishment of an emerging research portfolio is required. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in nursing or a related field. A master’s degree in nursing is also required if the doctoral degree is not in nursing. Successful candidates must hold an unencumbered RN or advanced practice nursing license with eligibility for licensure in Arkansas and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
About the College of Nursing
The UAMS College of Nursing hosts the only Nursing Ph.D. program in Arkansas. The college’s programs include doctoral (DNP, Ph.D.), master’s, post-master’s certificate, and baccalaureate (BSN and RN to BSN) nursing programs with an enrollment of 719 students (275 undergraduate and 444 graduate). The nurse anesthesia specialty is one of 7 advanced practice nurse specialties in the DNP program.
The Mission of the College: The UAMS College of Nursing is committed to scholarly excellence in (1) undergraduate and graduate nursing education, (2) research, and (3) service to the University, profession, and society.
Research Mission: The research mission of the UAMS College of Nursing is to improve human health and well-being and advance health equity through innovative, interdisciplinary scientific discovery.
The UAMS College of Nursing advances the body of nursing knowledge through scholarship in research. The College of Nursing (CON) is home to a community of scholars conducting exciting research that contributes to theory testing, theory generating, and applied or basic research. Currently, faculty are conducting research in both clinical and community settings. Visit https://nursing.uams.edu/research/faculty-research-interests/ to view the nursing faculty’s active research interests.
About UAMS:
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is the state’s only academic health sciences center, comprised of five health professions colleges (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions, and Public Health), a graduate school, six institutes, eight Regional Centers (six of which include family medicine practices and residency programs), and a comprehensive Medical Center. Its College of Medicine has held a unique and vital role in Arkansas for over 130 years. UAMS is the largest public employer in Arkansas, with more than 11,000 employees. UAMS and its clinical affiliates, Arkansas Children’s and the VA Medical Center, are an economic engine for the state, with an annual economic impact of $3.92 billion. Located centrally within the state, UAMS’s Little Rock campus is a tertiary referral center and the only Level 1 adult Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center for Arkansas.
UAMS has several prominent research centers, including the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Translational Research Institute, the Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute, and the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The UAMS strategic plan Vision 2029 outlines the institution’s commitment to growth in research. The UAMS Core Concepts of Patient and Family Centered Care consists of Dignity & Respect, Information Sharing, Participation, and Collaboration. These core concepts allow for an approach to health care that shapes policies, programs, facility design, and day-to-day staff interactions. It leads to better health outcomes and wiser allocation of resources, and more excellent patient and family satisfaction.
UAMS is in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Little Rock – North Little Rock communities, consisting of approximately 750,000 people, offer a high quality of life with a modest cost of living, excellent schools, and recreational opportunities.
UAMS Northwest: The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus was established in 2007 to support the rapidly expanding communities in the Northwest Arkansas region. Academic programs include the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Professions (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Genetic Counseling, Radiologic Imaging Sciences, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography).
UAMS Regional Campuses: Founded in 1973 through combined efforts of the Governor, the State Legislature, and UAMS. UAMS Regional Campuses serves as an educational outreach network for UAMS, and the principal means to decentralize medical and other health professions education throughout the state, encourage graduates to remain in Arkansas, and strengthen healthcare in underserved communities.
Candidate Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:
- Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in nursing or a related field. A master’s degree in nursing is also required if the doctoral degree is not in nursing.
- Must hold an unencumbered RN or advanced practice nursing license with eligibility for licensure in Arkansas.
- Must also be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, a robust publications record, presentations at scientific conferences
- Evidence of postdoctoral research training and an emerging funded research program
- Teaching experience in a nursing program, with graduate-level teaching experience preferred.
- The successful candidate will demonstrate a scholarly focus in geriatrics/gerontology, cancer survivorship, quality of life, health disparities, social determinants of health, sexual health, childhood/adolescent obesity and nutrition, or health promotion/disease prevention across the life cycle.
- A cross-cutting focus on rural health and health disparities is strongly preferred.
Preferred Professional Experience
- Evidence of an existing program of research is desired.
- Publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Preferred Personal Characteristics
- Well-developed emotional intelligence with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to work in a matrixed organization with multiple lines of reporting
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Unquestioned personal integrity
Procedure for Candidacy:
The UAMS Executive Search Group is facilitating this search. For full consideration, applications, inquiries, and nominations should be submitted to Kayla Jackson-Gougisha at kjacksongougisha@uams.edu and include the following documents:
- A curriculum vitae
- A letter of interest providing a concise summary of qualifications for the position, including a research statement and a summary of research goals.
This position is subject to a pre-employment criminal background check. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication alone shall not disqualify an applicant except as provided by law. Any criminal history will be evaluated in relationship to job responsibilities and business necessity. The information obtained in these reports will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.
UAMS is an inclusive Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by telephone at (501) 686-6432 and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The safety of our team members at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is our top priority. For this reason, successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have filed a request for medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment. UAMS will adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination prior to employment to ensure compliance.
The safety of our team members at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is our top priority. For this reason, successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have filed a request for medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment. UAMS will adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination prior to employment to ensure compliance.