Assistant Professor - Health Services & Outcomes Research in Cancer/School of Pharmacy

Assistant Professor
Health Services & Outcomes Research in Cancer
West Virginia University School of Pharmacy

The Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy (PSP) at West Virginia University (WVU) School of Pharmacy seeks applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor to join their research team. This is a co-funded position (50% each) created in collaboration with the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at the WVU Cancer Institute. This 12-month tenure track position is available from July 1, 2025 and the appointment will be based on candidates' experiences and qualifications. Salary and start-up packages are competitive.

This is a full-time, benefits eligible position housed in the PSP department in the School of Pharmacy. The successful candidate is expected to work with the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control faculty at the Cancer Institute to establish an independently funded research program with a focus on cancer prevention and control research, including community-based intervention, implementation science, or cancer disparity focused inquiry. Candidates engaged in clinically relevant outcomes research with experiences in cancer-related dissemination and implementation science is desirable. The successful candidate would ideally have demonstrated success in population-based cancer research on grant-funded projects. Candidates with experience working in a collaborative, biomedical research setting and record of extramural grant support are highly preferred. The candidate is expected to interact effectively with collaborators from diverse disciplines, mentor doctoral students, provide instruction for courses in the health services and outcomes research (HSOR) graduate program and the Doctor of Pharmacy professional program, as well as provide service to both the PSP department and School of Pharmacy.

The School of Pharmacy has a nationally recognized Ph.D. graduate program in health services and outcomes research with 10 Ph.D. students. The internationally diverse students regularly receive awards for excellence at national and international meetings and have earned notable positions in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, research organizations and government.

The School of Pharmacy offers other potential opportunities for collaborative research (see https://pharmacy.hsc.wvu.edu/). The Rational Drug Therapy Program, which is supported by West Virginia state agencies, provides not only excellent and cost-effective services but provides fast efficient and customer-oriented responses to the medical providers and pharmacists of WV. Safe & Effective Management of Pain Program (SEMPP) is a coordinated care program for patients on chronic opioid therapy which offer opportunities to facilitate the best pain management practices. Established partnerships with the state Medicaid program and the state health insurance program, managed care organizations, several pharmaceutical companies, and the nearby National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (N.I.O.S.H.). In addition, the PSP department also has a data repository and houses some federal and commercial datasets on a centralized server for research. In addition, research faculty and graduate programs in business, communication, education, psychology, public administration, computer science, and sociology provide exceptional opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration and research.

The West Virginia University Cancer Institute (WVUCI) is one of the five Centers of Excellence of WVU Medicine, the WVU Health Science Center (HSC) and WVU Health System (WVU HS). The WVUCI is attached with the flagship hospital of the WVU HS, JW Ruby Memorial Hospital, ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the number one hospital in the state. The HSC campus has an active and vibrant research community with extensive focus on cancer treatment, research and prevention. The WVUCI sees and cares for approximately one third of all the new cancer cases across the state diagnosed each year. The large clinical practice, with clinicians dedicated to patient care and translation research, provides an environment rich for research focused on cancer prevention and population-based research, cancer disparities, developing and testing dissemination or implementation strategies, and research on barriers and/or facilitators to evidence-based practices across the cancer care continuum. http://www.wvucancer.org

The Department of Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) at the WVUCI connects West Virginia communities to the University and the Cancer Institute to address cancer health disparities. CPC fosters relationships across the state to promote community outreach and engagement and innovative service opportunities; develop culturally appropriate education and outreach initiatives, conduct community-based participatory research; and translate cancer-related science and research for West Virginia communities. CPC has served the state with innovative programs for 35 years through the following programmatic pursuits: Bonnie Wells Wilson Mobile Mammography, LUCAS mobile lung cancer screening unit, the WV Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, the WV Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening, Improving Uptake of Cervical Cancer Prevention Services in Appalachia, Mountains of Hope Cancer Coalition, RAYS sun safety, and Communication for Health in Appalachia by Translating Science (CHATS lab). While each CPC program has unique goals, they all come together as part of a strategic, comprehensive approach to control and prevent cancer in the Mountain State. https://medicine.wvu.edu/cancer-prevention

The School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, and the Cancer Institute are located in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, a comprehensive academic health sciences with access to vast resources and five major schools: Pharmacy, Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Dentistry and health professionals in a tertiary-care teaching hospital. WVU has recognized interdisciplinary research centers including the state-of-the-art cancer, heart and vascular, and neuroscience centers and the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) providing potential opportunities for collaborative research. Additional information for each can be found at:

WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute: https://wvumedicine.org/rni/
WVU Heart and Vascular Institute: https://wvumedicine.org/heart/
WVCTSI: http://www.wvctsi.org/about-us/

West Virginia University is a land grant Carnegie-designated Doctoral Research/Extensive Institution, with over 29,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate/professional students. The Morgantown area has approximately 134,000 residents and is rated as one of the best small towns in the US, with affordable housing, excellent schools, a picturesque countryside, many outdoor activities, and is within easy driving distance to Pittsburgh, PA, and Washington, DC. WVU is #20 on The Scientist's 2011 list of Best Places to Work in Academia, and Morgantown is listed by the Milken Institute as the #3 Best Performing Small Metro Area for creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth.

Ph.D. or equivalent degree in health-related disciplines with a strong cancer research focus in health services research, patient-reported outcomes, economics, social and behavioral sciences, health policy or related field. A proven track record of sustained peer-reviewed funded research in cancer etiology, risk reduction, screening, early detection, and/or survival is a plus. Candidates must have a scholarly record of collaboration in multidisciplinary investigator teams informed by community needs and with key focal sites within communities such as healthcare practices, community centers, organizations, or neighborhoods. Candidates are expected to demonstrate abilities for securing externally funded, peer-reviewed research. Candidates must also possess a commitment to excellence in educating and advising graduate and pharmacy students. Candidates should interact effectively with collaborators from diverse disciplines and be eligible for appointment to the graduate faculty in order to teach and mentor graduate students engaged in health services and outcomes research.

Interested candidates are asked to submit an online application at: https://wvu.taleo.net/careersection/faculty/jobdetail.ftl?job=26635 to include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, and references.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.