Assistant Professor of Applied Health Science, School of Health Science & Wellness

EMPLOYMENT TERMS: Nine-month, tenure-track position

PRIMARY DUTY: The School of Health Science and Wellness is seeking a dynamic, student-centered faculty member for a nine-month position with the ability to teach across a range of kinesiology, health, and wellness courses. The ideal candidate will have a passion for fitness, health promotion, and human performance, and demonstrate flexibility in teaching both foundational and applied coursework. Teaching responsibilities may include courses such as principles in kinesiology, health promotion and wellness, community health, fitness and exercise prescription, anatomy and physiology, care/prevention of injuries, or exercise conditioning courses, among others. The successful candidate will also advise and mentor undergraduate students within the Applied Health Science program, participate in departmental service, contribute to curriculum enhancement, and engage in professional development activities that promote excellence in teaching and applied scholarship. Courses within this area not only serve our Applied Health Science students but also cross over into recreation and physical education.

The successful candidate will work in our new and updated state-of-the-art facilities that includes equipment such as the DARI motion capture system, DXA scanner, inBody composition analyzer, metabolic cart, sim manikins, and a variety of wellness and fitness tools to support teaching. The successful candidate will be involved in research, student supervision, and community engagement.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Design and deliver courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. Academic year teaching load is 24-26 credit hours (4 fall/4 spring class load); Teaching additional summer courses with associated compensation may be available; This may involve supervision of student field experiences and student research projects

2. Assist with curricular development, student recruitment, student advisement, student development and retention; Actively participate in related professional and community organizations, and service on departmental, college and University committees

3. Establish contributions of creative and scholarly research, participate in shared knowledge through conference presentations, journal publications, and other appropriate outlets

4. Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Doctorate in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Health, Public Health, or a health science related area

Certification/License: Candidates will have one or more of the following: CSCS ACSM certification, ATCBOC, MPH, or other health science related credential or degree

Experience: Experience in teaching, community health outreach, wellness programming, exercise science, or applied health initiatives

WORKING CONDITIONS: Typical classroom and office conditions with weekly office hours required

EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS USED: Faculty are issued a personal laptop. All classrooms are technology-enhanced (document stations, video equipment, wireless internet access)

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to complete teaching, scholarship and service functions

COMMUNITY: Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s website at www.maryville.org.

UNIVERSITY: With an enrollment of about 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.

For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 2026 or until the position is filled

DATE AVAILABLE: August 10, 2026

TO APPLY: Follow the steps of the online application process. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at 660-562-1121 or email ewilmes@nwmissouri.edu if more information is needed regarding the process.

APPLICATION MATERIALS: Letter of application describing your teaching experience and your suitability for the position, current curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts, a statement of teaching philosophy, recent teaching evaluations, and the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of three current references

INQUIRIES FOR THE POSITION CAN BE MADE TO:

Dr. Rhonda Beemer, Chair

School of Health Science & Wellness

Phone: 660-562-1297 

Email: rbeemer@nwmissouri.edu