PhD Program Director – Open Rank Tenure-Track Faculty Position

The University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health invites applications for an open rank tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management (HSPM) to serve as our next PhD Program Director. This 9-month faculty position is fully supported by state funds and includes a substantial start-up package and administrative supplement. We seek an experienced faculty member who shares our vision of a world in which health care is accessible, affordable, effective, and equitable for all, who is passionate about conducting rigorous research that informs policy and practice, and who takes seriously the responsibility of training the next generation of health services researchers. In addition to overseeing all aspects of the doctoral program, the successful candidate will be expected to develop or sustain an independent extramurally-funded research program; teach undergraduate and / or graduate courses in the department; advise and mentor students and postdoctoral fellows; and provide service to the University, profession, and community. We are especially interested in individuals whose research and / or teaching interests are in the areas of health economics, econometric methods, outcomes research, health equity, social determinants of health, and / or health politics and policy, broadly defined.

About the Department and the School of Public Health

HSPM is home to 15 full-time faculty who are actively engaged in research to address public health and health care challenges in areas such as rural health, behavioral health, infectious disease, health economics, primary care, maternal and child health, health insurance, and hospital care. Our faculty lead or co-lead four major centers on campus : the Rural Health Research Center, the Big Data Health Sciences Center, the South Carolina Center for Effectiveness Research in Orthopedics, and the Patient Engagement Studio. Our location in the state capital near government agencies and an array of non-profit organizations facilitates collaborative community-engaged partnerships focused on public health priorities important to the people of our state and nation. Our faculty teach courses in the undergraduate public health major, and we also offer three fully-accredited graduate degree programs : a Master of Health Administration, a Master of Public Health, and a PhD in Health Services Policy and Management. HSPM is a full Graduate Member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

Our newly redesigned doctoral program curriculum just launched in Fall 2025, including an expansion of course offerings in analytic methods and health policy, the creation of 3 new concentration areas (health economics and outcomes research, health policy and politics, and health equity and social determinants of health), and the establishment of a new state-of-the-art research computing environment for use by faculty and students. The PhD Program Director will be responsible for continuing to build upon this momentum while identifying innovative ways to make their own mark on the program.

HSPM is housed within the Arnold School of Public Health at USC—the state’s public flagship university. The Arnold School hosts a rich portfolio of extramurally funded research totaling more than $54 million last year. The school ranks 6th nationally in National Institutes of Health funding among all public schools of public health, and offers numerous resources for faculty engaged in research, including generous salary release and indirect return policies.

Columbia is a lively and diverse city with a reasonable cost of living, an excellent quality of life, and a wide variety of things to see and do. Jogging and walking paths line the downtown and riverfront greenway, with parks scattered throughout the rest of the city, and the popularity of downtown living has sparked the growth of independent restaurants, coffee houses, wine bars, breweries, galleries, boutiques, and street fairs. Other Columbia highlights include : the Columbia Museum of Art with continuous high-profile traveling exhibits; the Nickelodeon art house cinema; the South Carolina State Museum with its planetarium, observatory, and 4-D movie theatre; the nationally recognized Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; and Lake Murray. Columbia has a lively local music scene and national entertainment tours that visit the Colonial Life Arena and the Koger Center for the Arts. Known for its college athletics teams as a member of the SEC, the city also hosts a minor league baseball team (the Columbia Fireflies). On top of that, our central location means you are just a few hours (or less) from world-class beaches, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and popular urban destinations such as Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, and Charleston, SC.

Required Qualifications

• Applicants must have a doctoral degree in health policy, health services research, health care management, health economics, public policy, or a closely related field by the employment start date.
• Applicants at the rank of Assistant Professor must have a clear research agenda with high potential for both extramural funding and excellence in teaching and a minimum of 3 years of experience in rank by the employment state date.
• Applicants at the rank of Associate or Full Professor must have an established record of securing extramural funding, publishing research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, impactful teaching, and years of relevant experience commensurate with rank and academic policy.

To apply

Interested candidates should submit : 1) a cover letter outlining their research and teaching interests and experience, their interest in (and any experience with) directing an academic degree program, and their ideal vision for a doctoral program in health services research; 2) curriculum vitae; and 3) contact information for three references. Submit your application using the following link :

If you have questions, please contact David Anderson, PhD, Search Committee Chair at  . Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is Fall 2026.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, transgender status, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetics, protected veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The University of South Carolina and the Department of Health Services Policy and Management seek to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and community. Thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates whose research, teaching, and / or service align with this commitment.

Candidates whose research, teaching, and / or service align with this commitment.