Job Description

The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeks a dynamic and engaging Clinical Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor to contribute to educating the next generation of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong potential for teaching excellence, with expertise in psychiatric-mental health nursing. Additionally, the ideal candidate should have a strong commitment to education and service and be able to thrive in a diverse and intellectually stimulating environment. This faculty position is a full-time, nine-month appointment beginning January 1, 2027.

PRIMARY FUNCTION: Reporting to the DNP Director and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, this position is responsible for coordinating student admissions, development, implementation, and evaluation of the courses required for the PMHNP degree and certification, as well as preceptor and site acquisition, student placement, and concentration evaluation. This position will maintain personal academic faculty obligations in teaching, service, and research in accordance with area of expertise.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Serve as the concentration advisor for DNP students from admission until graduation in the clinical specialty

• Respond to specific inquiries about the DNP-PMHNP concentration
• Implement recruitment activities in conjunction with the Office of Student Services, DNP Director, and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs
• Ensure published materials [website, handbooks, etc] related to concentration are up-to-date and accurate
• Serve as member of DNP Admission Committee by completing primary and secondary application reviews and interviews as assigned
• Confer with DNP Director and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs on individual programs of study including prerequisite and required courses to be taken, course sequencing, and changes to program of study
• Ensure individual student files are complete including documentation of advising sessions, clinical evaluations, and record of clinical experiences
• Attend DNP Student Orientation and meet with new students during Doctoral Intensives
• Teach in courses as assigned
• Ensure student knowledge of and compliance with CON and Graduate School deadlines and form completion
• Attend and participate in appropriate commencement exercises
• Assist College of Nursing Academic Affairs in preparing documents for state licensure and certification as necessary
• Provide leadership in the development/revision of specialty-specific curriculum
• Participate in program curriculum mapping of Essentials of DNP Education as well as specialty-specific competencies
• Propose curriculum changes as needed to general graduate faculty and attend Graduate Curriculum Committee meetings as necessary
• Ensure all specialty courses are suitable for the distance education environment and updated annually and prepare materials for class schedules, methods of student evaluation, quizzes, examinations, learning materials, and other concentration/specialty requirements
• Create and manage appropriate Canvas course sites
• Delineate specific responsibilities for each faculty member assigned to specialty courses
• Coordinate appropriate TNVoice evaluation for assigned concentration faculty and confer with the Assistant Dean or Graduate Programs and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs about these
• Identify and schedule appropriate preceptors and clinical facilities to be used for clinical experiences for student
• Identify, solicit, and establish effective relationships with clinical preceptors/sites
• Coordinate clinical sites visits with individual PMHNP faculty and students to establish student evaluation sessions with preceptors
• Collect student evaluations of clinical sites and preceptors
• Ensure all student clinical hours logs are complete and verified by preceptors at least monthly
• Communicate with the DNP Director and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs on all course-related matters related to individual student behavior and program outcomes (e.g., deficient, inappropriate, or dangerous student behavior; inadequacies of classroom or clinical facilities; student or faculty difficulties which cannot be resolved at the course level)
• Participate in program evaluation work groups, task forces, and committees as assigned

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate (PhD or DNP) at time of appointment.
• Professional experience commensurate with rank.
• Evidence of teaching experience.
• Current, unencumbered RN license in the state where they are a permanent resident, and eligibility for RN licensure in Tennessee, as required for the position.
• National certification as a PMHNP and Board of Nursing as an advanced practice Registered Nurse prior to employment recognition by the Tennessee.
• 3 years of nursing practice experience.
• Effective interpersonal skills and cultural competence.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of students and colleagues.

This position is open to those who qualify and can be appointed as one of the following ranks in the College of Nursing. Rank appointments are dependent on education and qualifications relative to the university and college standards and will be determined by academic leadership in accordance with faculty handbook, policies, and procedures.  

Clinical Assistant Professor: This rank is for those who have completed a doctoral degree or terminal degree appropriate to the field or who are licensed or certified to practice the profession where appropriate. Individuals holding this rank have shown promise for excellence in areas of responsibility recorded in the hiring unit’s annual documentation of the NTT faculty workload distribution and responsibilities.  

Clinical Associate Professor: This rank is for those who have completed a doctoral degree or a terminal degree appropriate to the field and who are licensed or certified to practice the profession where appropriate. Individuals holding this rank have demonstrated excellence in areas of responsibility recorded in the hiring unit’s annual documentation of the NTT faculty’s workload distribution and responsibilities.  

Clinical Professor: This rank is for those who have completed a doctoral degree or a terminal degree appropriate to the field and who are licensed or certified to practice the profession where appropriate. Individuals holding this rank have demonstrated a consistent record of excellence in areas of responsibility recorded in the hiring unit’s annual documentation of the NTT faculty workload distribution and responsibilities.  

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your application and materials through our Interfolio application system. Applications should include: (1) a letter of interest addressing teaching interests and how the applicant’s background and experience make them an ideal candidate, (2) a comprehensive curriculum vitae, (3) the names and contact information (address, phone number, and e-mail address) for at least three professional references, and (4) a copy of your RN license. Screening of applicant credentials will begin two weeks after posting date and continue until the position is filled. Rank and salary based on qualifications and experience. For more information, visit our website: (http://nursing.utk.edu/). For questions regarding this position, please reach out to conhr@utk.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.