Knoxville, Tennessee
Birmingham, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Posted: 28-Oct-25
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Categories:
Internal Number: 175527
Director, Center for Veterinary Social Work
and
All Things Great and Small Endowed Clinical Professorship in Veterinary Social Work
Location
Knoxville, TN
Description
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) College of Social Work is seeking a highly regarded scholar to serve as the Director of the Center for Veterinary Social Work on the Knoxville campus. The new Director will be awarded the All Things Great and Small Endowed Clinical Professorship in Veterinary Social Work to support their work. As the only program in the country that represents a partnership between a College of Social Work and a College of Veterinary Medicine, the Center for Veterinary Social Work (CVSW) is an interprofessional collaborative unit that engages in research, education, and service through adaptive, participatory, and transdisciplinary approaches, as outlined below.
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Research. Center faculty (from various disciplines) conduct research and disseminate findings on the human-animal bond.
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Education. The Center offers for-credit and not-for-credit training to health- and science-related professionals in human- and animal-focused sectors. The Center hosts scholars and student interns. The Center markets educational modules to other institutions teaching in the discipline of VSW.
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Service. Faculty and staff affiliated with the Center offer mental health and social support for faculty, staff, students, and clients of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and other stakeholders within the veterinary and other animal- and human-related settings.
The Director coordinates Center staffing and resources in a manner compatible with the missions of the colleges. The Director is responsible for budget management and annual presentation of the budget to the college Deans and fiscal officers. The Director has a 50% administrative responsibilities to uphold these responsibilities. The Director will also have an appointment on the One Health Initiative leadership as a representative of the CVSW. The new Director will work with the advisory board, center faculty and staff, the deans of the two colleges, and other stakeholders to create and implement a vision for the continued development of the Center, including new opportunities to contribute to workforce development, innovative interdisciplinary research, and community-engaged service. The position is located within the College of Social Work, with a minimum of 40% time allocated to the College of Veterinary Medicine.
This endowed professorship offers an outstanding opportunity for an experienced researcher to pursue their program of research in veterinary social work, with significant potential for collaboration with creative colleagues and doctoral students. The ideal candidate will bring an interprofessional lens to community-engaged research and education; a strong record of scholarly activity; experience as a mentor to graduate students, post-docs, and pre-tenure faculty; and the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the access and engagement goals of the University. They also will meet the requirements for tenure at the appropriate rank for the University of Tennessee. Candidates should have an established record of substantial extramural funding (for professor level) or intramural and some extramural funding and indication of future sustained record of extramural funding (for associate level).
Candidates for this position must have earned their Ph.D. in social work or related field. Successful candidates with the required qualifications for Associate or Full Professor can be considered for tenure. The position will be located on the Knoxville campus. This is a 9-month position.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The University of Tennessee Knoxville is a land-grant, flagship research institution, that imagines "a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership." (https://chancellor.utk.edu/vision/). The university is in the midst of unprecedented growth, with current enrollment of approximately 37,000 students. The University is one of 38 land-grant universities with Carnegie Foundation classification as both a Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, and the elective Classification for Community Engagement. Forbes Magazine recently ranked UTK as one of the best places to work in the US, including ranking it ninth among public higher education institutions in the United States. UTK offers a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for additional summer salary.
The College of Social Work
The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Social Work (UTCSW) enrolls almost 1,000 students in BSSW, MSSW, DSW, and PhD programs in Knoxville, Nashville, and online. The College prepares highly skilled and culturally sensitive social workers to address areas of need across the state, country, and globe. College faculty conduct community-engaged, interdisciplinary research that focuses on the needs of under-resourced groups. In addition, the College is home to four research centers and several individual faculty research labs. The College’s research-active faculty conduct interdisciplinary research in partnership with faculty from other UT colleges/departments (e.g., the Tickle College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, and Departments of Public Health, Child and Family Studies, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Psychology, among others), the UT Health Science Center in Memphis, and UT Extension. The College also has community-based partnerships with numerous state and community agencies.
The College of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) enrolls over 350 graduate and professional students and has an annual caseload of over 35,000 small, exotic, large, and field service animals, with over 1.5 million patients being treated since its inception. Over 70% of incoming students are from Tennessee and about 1,000 veterinarians in the state (almost half of the workforce) are graduates of UTCVM’s program. With a workforce of 500 faculty and staff, CVM strives to educate talented biomedical scientists and veterinarians, protect public health, enhance medical knowledge, and generate economic benefits to the state and the nation.
Campus Location
The City of Knoxville is a hidden gem, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Knoxville has a beautiful and walkable downtown, a diverse music scene, active neighborhoods, unique restaurants, outstanding athletic opportunities, and a robust offering of outdoor and cultural activities. Knoxville enjoys the charm of a small city with activities that range from green energy initiatives and community greenways to thriving festival culture, music, culinary, and outdoor recreation scenes. Knoxville’s community brings events such as the Asian Festival, Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival, Kuumba Festival, Hola Festival, Dogwood Arts Festival to name a few. The city is also home to the Knoxville Museum of Art, the Beck Cultural Center, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the Frank H. McClung Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Appalachia is a short drive from Knoxville. Citing affordability and quality of life, U.S. News and World Report ranks Knoxville among the best places to live.
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in social work or related field?
- An established, active program of research in veterinary social work
- Evidence of a commitment to social work values in alignment with CSWE accreditation standards in their practice and research
- Evidence of high-quality teaching at the graduate level, and across modalities?
- Evidence of commitment to mentoring graduate students, pre-tenure faculty, and/or post-doctoral fellows who are developing programs of externally-funded research?
- Evidence of commitment to creating a welcoming, an inclusive, supportive positive climate in classroom and research settings, in alignment with?where all participants students can succeed and thrive
- Experience leading large research projects and/or research teams with evidence of ability to assume responsibilities of a Director
- Candidates for Associate Professor should have preliminary evidence of external funding and clear potential for sustained external funding.?
- Candidates for Full Professor should have evidence of successful, sustained external funding.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master?s degree in social work?
- Experience and expertise in interdisciplinary research and collaboration?
- Experience as Director or Assistant/Associate Director of an academic research center
Interested individuals should provide: (1) a cover letter addressing research, teaching, and practice experience as well as experience relevant to each required and preferred qualification, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) three sample publications, and (4) contact information for three professional references. In your letter, pay specific attention to your experiences that are not easily found on your CV. Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted by January 15, 2026 though review may continue until an appointment is made. Materials should be submitted electronically https://apply.interfolio.com/175527.Inquiries may be addressed to the search committee chair, Dr. Bridget Freisthler at bfreisth@utk.edu.
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.
Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.
