Tufts University School of Medicine jointly seek to hire a faculty member with a strong track record or promise to advance original research and impact in the area of Food is Medicine (FIM).  The successful candidate may be appointed at the School of Medicine, Friedman School, or both depending on their background, training, scholarship, and interests.

The Food is Medicine Institute, directed by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, brings together research, training, patient services, policy development, and community engagement to advance a healthcare system that recognizes and leverages the power of nourishing food.  All its efforts are centered in a health equity lens to learn from and improve the lives of traditionally marginalized, vulnerable populations. 

The Institute is the nation’s academic leader in FIM research, with more than 20 active projects and over $40 million in funding secured in the past 2 years.  In addition to its research and community engagement, the Institute is a major national convener and influencer around FIM.  Efforts include hosting annual major FIM events in Boston and Washington, DC; collaborating with Kaiser Permanente and other integrated health systems and payers to build a National Network of Excellence in FIM; and partnerships with community and private sector stakeholders across the spectrum of FIM.  The Institute also leads a major Nutrition Policy Initiative, working with the US Congress, federal agency leaders, and state agencies to advance FIM and food and nutrition security.    

The successful candidate(s) will expand upon, complement, and synergize with our current strengths and bring and advance new research focused on FIM.  Projects may focus on clinical trials, health services and care delivery, health disparities, and policy evaluation. Areas of focus could include, for example:

• Design, implementation, and evaluation of medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, or produce prescriptions, examining reach, uptake, health outcomes, costs, and utilization
• Incorporation of FIM screening, resource referral, and outcomes evaluation into electronic health records and clinical care pathways
• Combining of FIM programs with other medical treatment paradigms, such as GLP-1 agonist therapy for weight loss;
• Development of digital nutrition and culinary education for shoppers, patients, and/or healthcare professionals
• Leveraging food retail, online delivery systems, and consumer-facing technology and information to advance FIM
• Strengthening food and nutrition security in federal nutrition programs like SNAP, WIC, or school meals
• Modeling, simulation, and cost-effectiveness analyses of these or similar interventions
• Federal and state policy development, analysis, and advocacy related to FIM

Across all these areas, novel and rigorous approaches to investigate and address structural disparities and health inequities are of special interest.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess a relevant medical or doctoral degree, with additional background and training in health sciences (e.g., medicine, nutrition, public health, health services, etc.), social sciences (e.g., economics, political science, sociology, etc.), or related professions (e.g., public policy, business, law, etc.).  Candidates with a medical degree and clinical perspective are preferred.  Faculty who work well across disciplines, are collegial and collaborative, and have interest in the intersections of medicine, nutrition, health, and equity will particularly thrive in this role.

Candidates should have a track record of successful interdisciplinary research, especially related to FIM interventions or policies within healthcare systems or food systems.  We seek candidates whose work is relevant to diverse stakeholders in public and private sectors and focuses on populations traditionally underrepresented in research.  Experience in clinical trials, quasi-experimental evaluations, health care delivery, or nutrition policy would be an asset.

The successful candidate should demonstrate productivity in independent research and publications, including demonstrated success or promise to build a robust externally funded research program.  Depending on career interests, faculty rank, and faculty track, candidates may have the opportunity to teach graduate level courses, advise and mentor diverse graduate students at masters, doctoral, and professional levels, and engage in school and university service.

This is a full-time, 12-month position.  Start date is negotiable.  Salary, start-up package and benefits are highly competitive and will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience.

Application Instructions

Questions about the position should be addressed to Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, search committee chair, by email at orsolya.szabo@tufts.edu.  Interested candidates should submit their application including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of professional objectives, and contact information for three references. The statement of objectives, uploaded as a single document, should cover the candidate’s goals for research, public impact, and teaching as relevant, particularly in the field of FIM.  Review of applications will begin on July 1, 2024, with interviews and candidate visits anticipated during Fall 2024.  Committee members include: Dariush Mozaffarian (Chair), Jeffrey Blumberg, Cecilia Gerard, Sydney Grob, Vanessa Nicholson, Michael Paasche-Orlow, Ronit Ridberg, Patty Sheehan, John Wong, and Fang Fang Zhang.

The first review of applicants will take place at the start of July, and a second review will take place at the end of November. The search will remain open until the end of November.

Tufts University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  The Friedman School and School of Medicine are committed to the recruitment of a diverse, inclusive faculty, and thus, women, people of color, and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.  Tufts University prides itself on creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skills in positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.