Job Description:  

The Donna M. and Robert J. Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Boston invites qualified individuals to apply for a tenure-system Associate or Full Professor to serve as Chair of the Exercise & Health Sciences (EHS) Department. Individuals currently serving as an advanced Associate or Full Professor are encouraged to apply.

About the Department:

The Department of Exercise and Health Sciences (EHS) (https://www.umb.edu/nursing-health- sciences/departments-centers/exercise-health-sciences/) is one of the largest undergraduate programs on campus and offers  a full range of academic programs, including bachelor’s, master’s (accelerated and traditional), and doctoral degrees, with emphases in  Applied Exercise Physiology or Physical Activity and Health Promotion. Faculty are expected to maintain active, externally funded research programs.  EHS faculty have been funded by the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and other federal agencies and foundations.   Faculty scholarship spans multiple levels of inquiry, from cellular and integrative physiology to population-based and community-engaged research focused on physical activity, often focusing on chronic conditions, aging, and/or health inequities.

The Department is positioned to contribute to interdisciplinary, translational, and community-engaged research that aligns with the University’s R1 status and its commitment to addressing complex health challenges in urban and diverse communities. 

Department Mission & Vision:

The mission of the Department is to engage faculty, students, and communities in scientific discovery and dissemination of knowledge for the advancement and promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyles in diverse individuals and communities. The department aspires to be nationally recognized for excellence in advancing health equity, promoting physical activity, and preparing students through innovative research, teaching, and community engagement.

Role of the Chair:

The Chair is expected to provide strategic, academic, and administrative leadership to achieve the Department’s mission and vision, including advancing research productivity, external funding, and national visibility. 

The Chair will be expected to:

• Maintain an active and visible research program
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses
• Advise and mentor students and faculty
• Support faculty across career stages, including promotion and tenure
• Lead and strengthen undergraduate and graduate programs
• Advance interdisciplinary collaborations within the College and across the University.
• Oversee departmental operations, such as managing budgets, personnel, curricula, and strategic planning.
• Be committed to fostering inclusive excellence in University and community settings

Ideal Candidate will Demonstrate Evidence of:

• A transformational leadership approach that is inspirational, visionary and advances a culture of collaboration, transparency, and excellence.
• Strong engagement with campus and external communities, including professional societies, research partners, and other key stakeholders
• Excellence in mentoring faculty across career stages, including research development and advancement. 
• Demonstrated ability to support and grow faculty research productivity and external funding
• Experience enhancing departmental reputation and visibility at the regional and national level
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience with exercise and health sciences undergraduate and graduate programs (or similar programs), with the ability to develop, implement, and evaluate curricula.

Required & Preferred Applications

Applicants must possess a doctorate in kinesiology, exercise sciences, rehabilitation sciences, behavioral sciences or a related field. Preferred qualifications include prior academic and/or research leadership roles (e.g. program director, associate chair, division lead), experience with doctoral education, and a sustained program of research consistent with the appointment to Associate or Full Professor with tenure, including a strong record of peer-reviewed scholarship and external grant funding, and experience teaching and mentoring faculty and students. 

Institutional Context & Commitment

UMass Boston is the only public R1 research university in the Boston area and is considered number one in the US for student access to top-tier research by the Carnegie Institute.  UMass Boston is the third most diverse university in the country, with more than 60% of our undergraduate students coming from minoritized communities and groups and more than half of our students are first-generation college students. Thus, our students come to us from richly diverse life experiences and backgrounds; they bring to our classrooms and research settings the robust range of perspectives growing out of the socio-cultural, economic, and historical contexts in which they have lived, along with the challenges they encounter, engage, and strive to overcome.

Given this context, applicants should articulate in their letter of interest their approach to teaching, advising, mentoring, and research:

• Engages with the diverse life experiences of students,
• Reflects an appreciation for students’ holistic identities in academic settings
• Reflects how the applicant’s own experiences shapes commitments as an instructor, mentor, researcher, and academic leader.

Application Instructions- please submit:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Names and contact information of 3 references
• A letter of interest that includes: 1) prior administrative experiences relevant to the Department Chair position; 2) a vision and strategies for advancing research, doctoral education, teaching and inclusive excellence. 

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and previous experience.

Submit applications by 10/07/26. The position will remain open until filled. 

For questions, contact the Search Committee Chair: Dr. Tracy Baynard, University of Massachusetts Boston

Tracy.baynard@umb.edu       phone:  617-287-7605

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HR@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.