University of Alabama at Birmingham – Recruiting 8-10 Open Rank Positions in Substance Use

The University of Alabama at Birmingham* (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM)** is recruiting up to 8-10 investigators as part of a major strategic initiative in Addiction, Pain, and/or HIV/HCV and other related conditions in clinical research sciences (translational research, clinical trials, experimental designs, and epidemiology). These clinical (PhD, MD, or MD/PhD) research faculty would join a growing group of faculty in these high priority areas in the Deep South and represents one of the four priority focus areas for the HSOM based on our most recent strategic planning process. Recruitment is for tenured and tenure‐track faculty at all ranks and includes academic appointment in one or more of 28 academic departments across the HSOM. In addition to a primary faculty appointment in the HSOM, applicants may also be considered for either a primary or secondary appointment in UAB’s School of Public Health.

Areas of focus for this initiative include:

  • Addiction across various substances (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, stimulants, opioids, cannabis, etc.) – prevention to treatment
  • Acute and chronic pain conditions
  • Novel medication development for addiction and/or pain
  • HIV, HCV and other infectious diseases – prevention to treatment
  • Comorbidities with substance use and/or pain conditions
  • Focus of pain and/or addiction with specialty populations (e.g., LGBTQ+, criminal justice involvement, chronic medical conditions, etc.)
  • Substance use in women, including antenatal and postpartum care

The UAB HSOM has a long-standing commitment to addressing health disparities and promoting health equity through research, education, engagement, and community involvement. The goal is to enhance health and well-being while addressing pervasive intersectional inequalities. We believe it is crucial to champion accessible and innovative platforms that enable research aimed at preventing, diagnosing, and treating addiction, pain and other comorbid conditions that disproportionately affect the Deep South.

Successful applicants will join a highly collaborative environment with a focus on the health of the local area (Birmingham), the region (Alabama and the Southeastern United States), and beyond (national and global). The recently formed Collaborative Health Equity Council (CHEC) serves as a convener for numerous Health Equity focused Centers on campus that provide a platform for collaboration and innovation. These include the Forge AHEAD (Addressing Health Equity Across the Deep South) Center, the Center for Women’s Reproductive Health, the Center for Engagement in Disability Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (CEDHARS), the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, theCenter for Addiction and Pain Prevention and Intervention (CAPPI), and the Minority Health and Health Equity Research Center (MHERC). These population-focused centers work closely with cross-cutting methodologic centers, including the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education (COERE), the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), and disease-focused centers including the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, to create a vibrant atmosphere and the infrastructure needed to conduct cutting-edge and impactful research in health equity. Programs such as Live HealthSmart AlabamaAll of Us, and the Lakeshore Foundation all contribute to the understanding of and treatment of disease. Additionally, a 13.7 million dollar grant from the NIH is helping UAB and Tuskegee University, longtime partners in addressing health disparities, health equity, and diversity in research, establish the Benjamin-Carver FIRST Scientists program, an initiative to build a community of junior faculty that are committed to inclusive excellence in all areas of healthcare innovation and productivity.

Driven by an intensely collaborative and entrepreneurial character, UAB is one of the leading economic engines of the State, with a nearly $4 billion budget and a statewide economic impact exceeding $12.1 billion annually. UAB is Alabama’s largest employer with nearly 28,000 employees, and one in every 20 jobs within the state of Alabama is either held directly by a UAB employee or is supported as a result of UAB’s presence. With nearly 1,700 faculty and almost 1,200 medical and graduate students, the UAB HSOM ranks 26th nationally in federal research funding and in the top 15 for all public institutions. Total research expenditures at UAB exceeded $715 million in 2022.

Nomination and Application Procedure:  The UAB HSOM welcomes inquiries, nominations, and applications. To receive full consideration, interested individuals should electronically submit a Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest. The letter of interest is a brief cover letter detailing your experience and key achievements related to this position and your thoughts on how you see yourself contributing to the programs and responsibilities described in this position specification. Letters should be addressed to the UAB Search Committee and submitted electronically.

Materials will be reviewed immediately and will continue to be reviewed until the positions are filled. All inquiries should be sent to the Heersink School of Medicine Strategic Leadership Recruitment Team at HSOMrecruitment@uab.edu.

UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of, race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.

A pre-employment background check investigation is performed on candidates selected for employment.

For a more detailed position announcement and to apply, please visit:  https://uab.peopleadmin.com/postings/20862

*For more information about Birmingham, please visit: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/home/about/birmingham

**For more information about UAB HSOM, please visit: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/home/