Job no: 502033
Work type: Faculty Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Kinesiology
Union: MSP
Categories: Faculty

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY: The world-renowned Department of Kinesiology (http://www.umass.edu/sphhs/kinesiology) is one of six departments in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (www.umass.edu/sphhs/). The department has 11 tenure-track faculty, 5 full-time lecturers, 1 full-time undergraduate advisor, approximately 680 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Its research and teaching activities are organized into the areas of Biomechanics, Movement Neuroscience, Physiology, and Physical Activity & Health, with an array of well-equipped research laboratories within each area. Faculty are established and emerging leaders in their research fields, which range from the molecular basis of movement to community-based physical activity interventions. Current research funding comes from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, American Heart Association, a variety of foundations, as well as industry collaborators.

SPECIALIZED HUMAN MOVEMENT FACILITIES: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the University have together invested $150 million in the new Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), which is home to the state-of-the art Center for Personalized Health Monitoring (CPHM; http://www.umass.edu/ials/centers/). The new faculty hire will have the opportunity to become a member of IALS and CPHM, which includes faculty from departments across campus such as kinesiology, engineering, computer science, polymer science, nursing, public health, and psychological and brain sciences. The resource-rich CPHM has a suite of core facilities that focus on human testing, including the Human Motion Core, and the Exercise Intervention & Outcomes Core, for measurement of all facets of human movement and energetics; the Room Calorimetry Core capable of measuring energy expenditure over 24-48 hours; the Living Science Core for quantifying home-based daily activities and movements in a natural setting; and the Human Magnetic Resonance Center that houses a new 3T MRI/MR spectroscopy system specifically suited to musculoskeletal studies. Resources for computationally-intensive research are provided to campus by cutting-edge infrastructure at The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC). Research conducted in the CPHM targets basic and translational studies of metabolism, human movement, fatigue and sleep; as well as the development and application of wearable sensors for the study of human behavior and health in real-world settings. Kinesiology faculty are leaders in this campus-wide enterprise. Faculty in CPHM also engage in on-going clinical collaborations with investigators at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and University of Massachusetts Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Job Description:

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking talented applicants qualified for two tenure track faculty positions in the Kinesiology Department in the area of Movement Neuroscience, one at the level of Assistant Professor and one at the level of Assistant/Associate Professor. The Department of Kinesiology has a long history of supporting outstanding movement science research and graduate training. These positions are two of three new faculty searches in the areas of Movement Neuroscience and Biomechanics in the Department this year, demonstrating the university’s commitment to excellence in this field. Example areas of interest for scientific inquiry for these two positions include the relation between physical activity or exercise and brain cognitive function, neuromuscular control of posture and locomotion, and sensorimotor integration. This is a full-time, tenure track, 9-month appointment with a competitive start-up package and salary range commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The faculty appointment will be in the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Establish and develop an active research program with an independent base of support using funds that may originate from diverse sources such as federal and state funding agencies, foundations, and industry collaborators.
• Teach relevant undergraduate and graduate level courses in kinesiology (examples: undergraduate and graduate Motor Control, Movement Neuroscience, Biophysical Signal Measurement and Analysis, Brain Function and Physical Activity).
• Oversee graduate theses and dissertations, undergraduate independent studies and honors projects.
• Serve on departmental, school and university committees, panels or boards, as assigned or based on interests.

Requirements:

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent degree in Kinesiology or related field at the time of appointment. Potential areas of expertise include but are not limited to:

• Relationship between physical activity or exercise and brain cognitive function as this relates to aging, injury, and clinical populations
• Expertise and use of advanced neuroscience brain imaging and measurement techniques
• Neuromuscular control of posture and locomotion
• Role of sensorimotor integration in understanding aging, disease, and skilled performance

Evidence supporting the candidate’s collaborative multi-disciplinary approach to research with experts in neuroscience, biomechanics, physiology, engineering, physical activity behavior, or human health is a priority. Interpersonal and communication skills promoting such collaborations in research and program development are essential. At the rank of Assistant Professor, the successful candidate must have outstanding training and research productivity, and demonstrate the potential to secure extramural research funding to support the development of a successful independent research program. At the rank of Associate professor the successful applicant will bring a significant record of success in securing extramural research funding with a clear indication of continued success in obtaining external grants and contracts. All candidates must also demonstrate the potential for mentoring graduate students and teaching undergraduate courses in the area of movement neuroscience, and graduate courses in his/her area of expertise.

Additional Information:

STARTING DATE: September 1, 2020

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin October 14, 2019 and continue until the positions are filled. Required application materials include: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research expertise and goals, statement of teaching philosophy, and the names and contact information for three academic references. All materials must be submitted to Pageup.

For questions about the position, department or university in general, contact Dr. Richard van Emmerik (413-545-0325, rvanemmerik@kin.umass.edu), co-Chair of the Search Committee for this position. Please indicate “Faculty Search - Movement Neuroscience” in the subject line of email correspondence.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Aug 20 2019 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: