Assistant/Associate Research Professor

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POSITION SPECIFICS

Introduction

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) in the College of Health and Human Development, at the Pennsylvania State University is seeking candidates for Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH).This role also comes with a faculty position as Assistant or Associate Research Professor. The Director provides leadership and administrative oversight for all PORH activities to ensure fulfillment of federal and state mandates and to advance the mission of improving health and access to care for rural Pennsylvanians. This position reports to the Department Head in the Department of Health Policy and Administration and collaborates with external agencies; additional university units; and other local, state, and national partners.

About the College

The CollegeofHealthandHumanDevelopmentoffersarobustprogram of eight interdisciplinary programs that share one common goal: enriching the lives of others. We continually examine contemporary issues facing people in today's changing times, and we develop cutting-edge solutions for addressing them. Our impact extends from our classrooms, across communities and industries, and around the globe.

AboutthePennsylvania Office of Rural Health

The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH) is one of the leading state offices of rural health in theUSand is recognized in the state and nation for rural health leadership and innovation. PORH was formed in 1991 as a partnership between the federal government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and The Pennsylvania State University. The office is one of 50 state offices of rural health(SORH).Funded through the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the officeis one of 10SORHsthat is university-based. TheSORHsare charged with being a source of coordination, technicalassistance, networking,partnership development,andassistingin the recruitment and retention of health care providers. PORH's mission is to enhance the health status of rural Pennsylvanians and ensure that rural residents have access to high-quality, affordable health care. PORH's vision is to be recognized as the premier rural leadership and information organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to be one of the most effective state offices of rural health in the nation. PORH providesexpertiseinruralhealth, health policy, agricultural health and safety, oral health, and community and economic development. At PennState, PORH is administrativelylocatedin the Department of Health Policy and Administration in the College of Health and Human Development.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Primaryjobresponsibilitiesofthispositioninclude:

• Direct and coordinate statewide rural health initiatives, including technicalassistance, community needs assessments, information dissemination, and applied research.

• Serve as the Principal Investigator/Director of national,state,local, and other grants and contracts.

• Identifyand pursue external funding opportunities; prepare grant proposals to support program operations andspecial initiatives.

• Provide supervision and leadership for PORH staff, including project management oversight and support for staff development.

• Manage the PORH budget, including contract negotiation, project approval, expenditure oversight, and long-term financial planning to ensure program viability.

• Represent PORH on university, state, and federal committees, boards, task forces, commissions, and work groups related to rural health.

• Collaborate with university departments, other institutions of higher education, state and federal agencies, and state and national partners to support rural health priorities.

• Mentor studentsandinterns interested in public healthandhealth careadministration;serve asa guest lectureron topics related to rural health.

• Serve as lead on designated projects and ensure compliance with programobjectivesand reporting requirements.

• Support statewide efforts related to primary care practitioner recruitment and retention, rural health partnerships, and information clearinghouse functions.

Qualifications

Qualificationsfor this position include:

* A minimum of a master's degree or doctoral degree in a healthorbusiness-relatedfield.

* Minimum of five years of progressive management experience.

* Demonstratedknowledge of health policy issues, legislative and congressional processes, rural health systems, health care delivery, and reimbursement structures.

* Experience in developing andsubmittingnational, state, and other grant applications andfulfillinggrant requirements.

* Experience in budget development and management.

* Strong written and oral communication skills, including public speaking.

* Proven organizational, leadership, and consensus building abilities.

* Ability tofacilitategroup processes and work effectively with diverse stakeholders.

* Willingness and ability to travel within Pennsylvania and nationally

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position assumes overall responsibility for the supervision of all full-time PORH staffpositions,and, by extension, all part-time staff, including select undergraduate and graduate students.

ApplicationInstructions

To apply, please upload a resume/curriculum vitae, a cover letter outlining your interest in the position, and contact information for three professional references.Reviewofapplicationswill beginonMay 1, 2026 and will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Questions related to the position can be addressed to Ronald McConnell at rjm824@psu.edu.

OurcampusesarelocatedontheoriginalhomelandsoftheErie,Haudenosaunee(Seneca,Cayuga,Onondaga,Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), Lenape (Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe, Stockbridge-Munsee), Monongahela, Shawnee (Absentee, Eastern, and Oklahoma), Susquehannock, andWahzhazhe(Osage) Nations.As a land grant institution, we acknowledge andhonor the traditionalcaretakersoftheselands andstrive tounderstandandmodeltheir responsible stewardship.We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.

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BENEFITS

For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

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