Executive Director, Rural Health and Health Equity Research

Kennesaw State University invites applications and nominations for the role of Executive Director of Rural Health and Health Equity Research. Kennesaw State seeks a talented, collaborative, and creative leader to create a vibrant research team to work toward creating a new center aligned with Kennesaw State University's Health and Wellness Research Community. The Executive Director will work with the Office of the Vice President for Research to support, promote, and deliver first-class research and research-based community outcomes related to rural health and health equity.

For more than 60 years, Kennesaw State University has been known for its entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community. A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State is located just north of Atlanta, and combines a suburban setting on two metro-Atlanta campuses in Kennesaw and Marietta. As one of Georgia’s largest universities, Kennesaw State offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a growing number of doctoral programs to over 43,000 students. Our high-impact research, and Division I athletics also draw students from throughout the region and across the globe. A member of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2) committed to becoming a world-class academic institution positioned to broaden its academic and research missions and expand its scope on a local, regional, and national level. 

KSU’s Kennesaw and Marietta campuses are situated on more than 580 acres in Cobb County, Georgia. Located just outside of Atlanta, Cobb has a population of over 766,000. Residents enjoy excellent educational resources, first-rate parks and athletic facilities, affordable recreational programs, outstanding museums and cultural arts, a wide variety of shops and restaurants, and new and established neighborhoods. Approximately twenty-four miles south of the Kennesaw campus is downtown Atlanta, the largest metropolitan city in the Southeast. The proximity to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, with hundreds of domestic and international destinations a direct flight away, adds to the region’s appeal.

Reporting to the Vice President for Research, the Executive Director of Rural Health and Health Equity Research is responsible for developing a vibrant research team toward creating a center within Kennesaw State University's Health and Wellness Research Community. The Executive Director will work with the Office of the Vice President for Research to support, promote, and deliver first-class research and research outcomes as appropriate for the discipline. The Executive Director will be responsible for the growth of research activities in the field of rural health and health equity through collaboration across the University and the state, supported by significant extramural funding. The Executive Director will support initiatives that improve healthcare, particularly in rural areas, and create a comprehensive data platform that informs needs and interventions. The Executive Director will recruit researchers to the Center. Given Kennesaw State's location, the Center will focus its efforts on engaging with, serving, and conducting research in Northwest Georgia. This administrative appointment is a 12 month, contracted tenured faculty position. Annual evaluations will be used to determine re-appointment to this administrative role.  

Requested application materials include a letter of interest, a resume/CV, and a list of five references. Candidates are welcome to include a teaching philosophy statement addressing how they will promote student success at KSU. All applications, nominations, and inquiries will remain confidential until finalists are identified for campus interviews. Candidates are encouraged to submit their materials by August 9, 2024, to the following address: [email protected]

This is a full-time position that will be performed on site in Georgia. Salary commensurate with experience with a generous benefits package.

For additional information, please contact:  

Jim Sirianni, Managing Director
Mark Halligan, Senior Associate
[email protected]