Position Function:
The Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University is seeking to hire an Assistant/ Associate Professor in Strength and Conditioning. This position will be responsible for teaching, research, and service focusing in the department’s strength and conditioning program.
Salary Grade: UC
For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.
Department Profile:
Mississippi State University (MSU) is the only Southeastern Conference school to make the 2024 Top 50 list of “America’s Best Large Employers” recently published by Forbes. At No. 41, Mississippi State is one of only three universities in the U.S. ranked in the Top 50—joining the University of Notre Dame (20) and Purdue University (47). In the expanded Top 100 list, the SEC’s University of Tennessee, Knoxville and University of Kentucky are No. 79 and 97, respectively. In 2023 and for the eighth consecutive year, MSU was honored by the national publication, The Chronicle of Higher Education, as a “Great College to Work For.” Based on survey feedback from employees, only 50 four-year institutions achieved this highly respected recognition last year. Also for the eighth straight year, MSU was named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll for achieving outstanding results in multiple recognition categories.
The Department of Kinesiology is housed within the College of Education and features numerous exceptional areas of study for graduate and undergraduate students. The department has over 20 faculty serving approximately 1,100 students. The department is slated to move into a brand new 67,000 sq ft “state of the art” kinesiology facility, housing over 16,000 sq ft of research space in addition to four classrooms and offices, in the fall of 2025. https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2022/10/msu-announces-plans-construct-jim-and-thomas-duff-center
Collaborative research and service opportunities exist in the department, across the university, and in the local community. For examples of community service by sport administration faculty, see here: https://www.kinesiology.msstate.edu/swimcamp and here: https://svfj.weebly.com/
Undergraduate students can choose one of six concentrations: Clinical Exercise Physiology, Performance Fitness, Sport Administration, Physical Education and Coaching, Physical Activity and Coaching, Neuromechanics. Master's students can choose from one of four concentrations: Sport Administration, Sport Pedagogy, Disability Studies, and Exercise Physiology. Doctoral students have two concentrations to choose from: Sport Studies and Exercise Science.
The mission of the Strength and Conditioning concentration provides students with the necessary knowledge to incorporate exercise physiology concepts into activities that enhance fitness and performance. This concentration covers everything from the development of plans to enhance fitness in apparently healthy populations to improving performance in elite athletes. Strength and Conditioning takes into consideration a combination of the physiological, biomechanical, and psychological aspects of training in the development of individual and team needs for customized programming. The concentration serves as the foundation for students to become sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers, and specialists within corporate fitness/wellness programs. The goals of this concentration are to prepare students to take the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and to prepare them for careers in the strength and conditioning industry. To monitor this, the Department of Kinesiology publishes the following outcomes: pass rates for the CSCS exam and placement, graduation, and retention rates for students who graduated from the Strength and Conditioning concentration.
Area of Specialization:
Strength and Conditioning
Anticipated Appointment Date:
January 1, 2025
Tenure Track Status:
Tenure-Track
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in the Strength and Conditioning (STCN) concentration and Exercise Science core
• Develop and enhance Strength and Conditioning at the graduate level
• Conduct and publish research, scholarly and creative activities in area of expertise
• Develop and sustain external funding
• Collaborate and supervise undergraduate and graduate student research, including graduate projects
• Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students regarding career and secondary degree options
• Establish service-learning opportunities for students
• Participate in service to the department, college, university, and profession or community
Minimum Qualifications:
• Doctoral degree in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, with a specialization in strength and conditioning or related field
• ABD will be considered with completion date within 1 year of hiring
• Demonstrated potential to teach at the college level
• Demonstrated potential to conduct research, and engage in other scholarly and creative activities
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credentialing by the National Strength and Conditioning Association
Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrable evidence of high-quality teaching a variety of exercise and sports science courses at the university level
• Demonstrable evidence of using a variety of instructional strategies, including face-to-face, online, and hybrid delivery, experiential learning, or field-based experiences to engage students
• Commitment to working collaboratively with faculty, staff, and other institutional employees
• Evidence of successful undergraduate and/or graduate teaching in Exercise Science and Exercise Physiology coursework
• Focused research agenda with a record of research publications and/or presentations
• Potential to develop and/or obtain grants and external funding
• Evidence of professional and leadership activities
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Ability to work as a member of a multidisciplinary team of scientists is desirable.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required.
Instructions for Applying:
Applicant must apply online. Please include cover letter and resume along with names and addresses of three references.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.
What do I do if I need an accommodation?
In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
