The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which is comprised of the faculty, students and staff that make the university what it is.

The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and the Institute for Addiction Science at the University of Southern California (USC) invites applications for a tenure-line open-rank faculty position.We seek an outstanding scholar to advance clinical and experimental behavioral research in the addictions at USC. Candidates should have have a PhD, MD or equivalent degree and an established track record of leading externally funded multi-investigator collaborative research teams or the strong potential for such leadership.  We welcome applicants from any discipline who bring a thoughtful scientific vision for addiction research and an appreciation for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Applicants should have expertise conducting human laboratory studies and/or patient-oriented clinical trials related to any addictive substance, including alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, opioid, or poly-drug use.

The recruit will join the senior leadership team of the USC Institute for Addiction Science (IAS; ias.usc.edu) as the inaugural Director of Clinical Research.  IAS is a university-wide matrixed academic unit involving 80 faculty addiction scholars across 8 different USC colleges and schools that supports collaborative trans-disciplinary research, education, and community engagement programs.  The IAS Director of Clinical Research will occupy and oversee the Institute’s newly renovated state-of-the-art 2600 sqft space expressly designed for clinical and experimental addiction research.  This facility includes a simulated bar, cannabis dispensary, and tobacco retail space; research participation suites with one-way mirrors equipped with ventilation to clear smoke for inhalational drug administration studies; reception and waiting area; offices and conference room; access biospecimen processing and storage; and private patient counseling and clinical exam space. In addition to leading their own research group, the Director of Clinical Research will be expected to bring a collegial and creative mindset that fosters new collaborative clinical/experimental research amongst the Institute’s faculty.  This includes opportunities to develop revenue-generating initiatives aligned with the organizational mission, such as leading a core service that leverages space and resources to help the larger community of investigators at IAS conduct behavioral experiments and/or clinical trials in the addictions.  Having recently received a significant investment, IAS is in a growth period and anticipates future faculty recruitments and programmatic expansion. The IAS Director of Clinical Research will be integral to envisioning and actualizing the Institute’s strategic plan for growth and will be encouraged to develop creative initiatives that ameliorate the substance use disorder epidemic.

The recruit will have a primary academic faculty appointment as a tenure line associate professor or professor (rank dependent on qualifications) in the Keck School of Medicine’s Department of Population and Public Health Sciences (dpphs.usc.edu).  This multi-disciplinary department of more than 100 behavioral scientists, epidemiologists, environmental health scientists, bio-informaticists, and biostatisticians.  This department has a long history of conducting high-impact externally-funded research and currently holds active NIH research centers on tobacco, obesity, cancer, air pollution, and other public health issues.  It also administers numerous undergraduate, masters, and doctoral education programs in various domains of public health.  Secondary appointments in other departments and schools at USC can be arranged depending on the recruits’ interests.

The position’s opportunities/expectations include: (a) leading externally-funded multi-investigator research programs (e.g., Center grants, program projects); (b) facilitating the development of new research programs amongst institutional colleagues at USC, (c) actively contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and (d) recruiting, mentoring, and training junior faculty, postdoctoral, doctoral, masters, and undergraduate trainees.  Scientific leadership is the primary responsibility, although the recruit can also teach and develop courses within USC’s undergraduate minor in addiction science, master of addiction science, or one of the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences education programs.

Attractive recruitment packages are available, including support to offset costs of purchasing a home in Los Angeles. The annual base salary range for this position is $120,000-$350,000.  When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Please upload  a curriculum vitae, letter of intent describing scientific vision, statement outlining previous and potential future contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the names and contact information of four references.   Potential applicants with further inquiries about the position are encouraged contact to Adam Leventhal, PhD, Director of the Institute for Addiction Science and Professor of Population & Public Health Sciences at adam.leventhal@usc.edu.  We will begin reviewing applications immediately and continue until the position is filled.  The start date is flexible.

The University of Southern California strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.  Women and men, and members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.