Job Information
Montana State University Assistant Professor of Psychology - Suicide and Suicide Prevention in Bozeman, Montana
Position Details
Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 25041
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Lyn DiFranco
Business Operations Manager
(406) 994-3803
lyn.difranco@montana.edu (%20lyn.difranco@montana.edu)
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Psychology - Suicide and Suicide Prevention
Brief Position Overview
The Department of Psychology at Montana State University ( MSU ) is seeking applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Psychological Science, with research interests in suicide risk and/or protection. This role is critical as Montana has the highest suicide rate in the nation, with suicide being the ninth leading cause of death in the state ( CDC , 2024). Therefore, we are searching for a productive scholar with research interests in the areas of understanding risk and/or protection for suicidal behaviors and/or developing, implementing, and evaluating suicide prevention strategies.
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank Assistant Professor
Position Number 4A4210
Department Psychology
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
The Department of Psychology at Montana State University ( MSU ) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Psychological Science with research interests focusing on suicide risk and/or protection. Montana has the highest suicide rate in the nation, and suicide represents the ninth leading cause of death in the state ( CDC , 2024). Montana has several populations at increased risk of suicide, including military veterans, farmers and agricultural workers, and people from rural communities. Suicide is especially prevalent in Montana’s rural Native communities and is a priority area for research for the state’s seven American Indian reservations. Therefore, we are searching for a productive scholar with research interest in the areas of understanding risk and/or protection for suicidal behaviors and/or developing, implementing, and evaluating suicide prevention strategies. Successful candidates will have a record of peer-reviewed publications related to suicide risk and/or suicide prevention.
The Department of Psychology at MSU has twelve faculty engaged in strong research programs that align with the department’s four cross-cutting themes: 1) attention, memory, and thought, 2) 2) equity, diversity, and disparities; 3) health, resilience, and well-being; and 4) motivation and emotion. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in Psychology or related field by the start date, will develop and maintain an active research program, will contribute to PhD student supervision and support the department’s goal of growing the PhD program, will demonstrate promise for attracting external funding, and will show potential for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring.
Duties and Responsibilities
The faculty position to be filled is a full-time tenure track appointment with primary responsibilities in research and teaching. The successful candidate will become an integral part of the department, with duties to include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses to accommodate our growing doctoral program in Psychological Science, developing a nationally recognized research program with potential for extramural funding, and participating in professional and university outreach and service activities.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
Ph.D. in Psychology or related field by start date.
Published peer-reviewed research related to suicide risk and/or suicide prevention.
High-quality, original research products, demonstrating potential to build a nationally recognized, externally funded research program.
Demonstrated potential to effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
Evidence of scholarly and professional achievements commensurate with experience.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
Research expertise that complements one or more of the department’s four cross-cutting themes: 1) attention, memory, and thought, 2) equity, diversity, and disparities; 3) health, resilience, and well-being; and 4) motivation and emotion.
Potential to complement current faculty research interests within the department and/or across campus.
Commitment to supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds.
The Successful Candidate Will
Be a dynamic scholar with clear potential to establish a funded research program that fosters participation by undergraduate and graduate students.
Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
Have the ability to mentor students.
Have effective interpersonal skills including the ability to collaborate successfully with faculty, staff, and students.
Have an appreciation for constituencies from all backgrounds, especially the ability to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
Required applicant documents:
Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter Addressing Each of the Required and Preferred Qualifications
Research Statement (max 3 pages)
Teaching Statement (max 2 pages)
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program
The Department
The department currently has 12 faculty serving approximately 660 undergraduate majors, over 100 psychology minors, and 15 Ph.D. students. Our doctoral program is focused on training researchers; MSU does not have a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. Faculty typically teach two courses per semester. MSU has many opportunities for collaborative work both within and outside the department, including with the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity, the Montana Engineering Education Research Center, the Montana IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, the MSU Sleep Laboratory, and the Western Transportation Institute. There are also existing suicide prevention programs in Montana and research on teen suicide prevention in Education and MSU Extension using Youth Awareness of Mental Health https://www.montana.edu/crre/youthawareofmentalhealth.html.
The College of Letters & Science ( CLS ) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan goals to apply. CLS is committed to developing a faculty, staff, and student body which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates from all backgrounds. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
Faculty in the Psychology department are committed to continually supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds, as evidenced by faculty who are engaged in community-based participatory research with Native American and rural communities and involvement in campus-wide programs helping graduate and undergraduate students from all backgrounds to succeed.
The College
Montana State University values all perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds. The College of Letters & Science ( CLS ) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan goals to apply. CLS is committed to developing a faculty, staff, and student body which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates from all backgrounds. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
CLS , the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date August 2025
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on November 28, 2024, and applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established. On-campus interviews are planned to take place during early Spring semester 2025.
Special Instructions
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.