Employment Opportunities

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, a nationally recognized leader in graduate nursing education, research and innovation, seeks diverse and talented professionals who are dedicated to raising up the next generation of nurse leaders and advancing knowledge and science.

About Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

As part of Vanderbilt University, one of the nation's top private research institutions, VUSN has a long-standing reputation for excellence in nursing teaching, practice, informatics and research. It seeks to recruit diverse and talented professionals who are dedicated to raising up the next generation of nurse leaders and advancing knowledge and science. Successful candidates will be those who thrive in a collegial, interprofessional culture and are interested in personal and career growth in a caring, culturally sensitive and professional atmosphere.

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is highly ranked for its DNP and MSN nursing programs, with its MSN holding the #4 spot for graduate nursing programs. Its MSN nurse-midwifery program is ranked as the nation's #1 program. Vanderbilt offers Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing/Master of Nursing Prespecialty, Doctor of Nursing Practice and PhD in Nursing Science degrees as well as Post-Master's Certificates.

Vanderbilt University is located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, named one of the nation's hottest cities by no less than Forbes and the New York Times. Health care, technology, entertainment, auto, sports and education are only a few of the industries booming in Nashville. Last year Nashville ranked second in the United States for job growth. The city is home to more than 400 health care businesses, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the region's top research hospital. Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a separate nonprofit, share a respected name and enjoy close collaboration through practice, education and research.

Tenure Track Positions

  • Senior Associate Dean for Academics

    Description

    The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) is searching for exceptional individuals for the role of Senior Associate Dean for Academics. This position, which directly reports to the VUSN Dean and is a key member of the Dean’s leadership team, offers an opportunity to shape and significantly influence the academic landscape of one of the leading nursing schools.  

    The Senior Associate Dean for Academics (SADA) is responsible for providing leadership in developing and implementing new programs, overseeing all academic programs (MN, MSN, PMC, DNP, and PhD), education technology, and student enrollment and services.  The SADA's role is deeply collaborative, working with academic administrators, faculty, and the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs staff to ensure quality, continuity, innovation, and integrity in academic and student matters. This senior leader plays a crucial role in our collaborative academic environment, working closely with deans and academic leadership in long-range academic planning, program review, and the development and implementation of school policies, with a particular focus on accreditation, assessment, regulatory matters, and curriculum.

    As residential faculty, the essential job functions include in-person instruction, attendance at department and university meetings, and overall participation in the day-to-day activities of the university, which requires physical presence on campus. The SADA will be able to engage in our vibrant academic community and contribute to our mission of excellence in nursing education.

    We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience, as well as a supportive and collaborative work environment. 

    Key Functions and Expected Performance:

    • Oversees the academic programs. Oversight includes responsibility for daily operations, strategic planning, curriculum revision, program development, student and program assessment
    • Oversees financial management and administration of operating budgets and resource allocations for academic programs and planning
    • Collaborates with Academic Deans and Directors in the evaluation of activities related to teaching
    • Submits or facilitates the submission of funding proposals to support academic programs and educational research
    • Develops, implements, and monitors contractual relationships related to academics
    • Collaborates with academic leaders to coordinate the schedule of courses each semester for academic programs
    • Leads VUSN initiatives in support of innovation in pedagogy, curriculum, and instructional design
    • Provides leadership, direction, and administrative oversight for the Associate Dean of Enrollment, Alumni, and Student Affairs
    • Partners with Director of Assessment and Evaluation to monitor program progress and student performance
    • Provides administrative oversight for academic resources including simulation center operations and clinical placement
    • Provides strategic and operational leadership for the SON Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). Responsible for recruitment, hiring, managing, and performance evaluation of directly reporting OAA staff.
    • Collaborates with the Chairs, Deans, and Directors regarding faculty workload and annual evaluations for faculty
    • Collaborate with senior leadership to support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, bringing to life the VUSN Diversity and Inclusion Statement and related strategic plan
    • Participates with the Dean in the comprehensive/ inclusive process utilized for the development and implementation of the VUSN Strategic Plan
    • Represents the VUSN academic mission with University offices (e.g., University Registrar, Academic Program Review, Assessment, and Accreditation, Dean of Students Office) as well as external activities (e.g., Tennessee Deans and Directors, American Association of Colleges of Nursing).
    • Remains competent and knowledgeable of current trends in nursing education and higher education, which may impact the delivery of our academic programs
    • This position will also be responsible for other related duties as assigned. 

    Qualifications

    Education and Certifications:

    • Doctoral preparation in nursing or related field. 
    • A current unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse (RN) in Tennessee or the ability to obtain licensure.

    Experience and Skills :

    • Seven to ten years of success in academic administration or educational leadership
    • A strong record of academic, scholarly, and service accomplishments
    • Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and implement academic program initiatives
    • Experience in managing accreditation processes
    • Outstanding leadership, interpersonal communication, team building, and negotiation skills with varied internal and external constituents
    • Ability to effect change in a complex academic environment through consensus building, collaboration, effective use of data, and the ability to influence and persuade

    Apply now for this position

Non-Tenure Track Positions

  • Assistant Director, Master of Nursing Program

    Description

    The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, a recognized leader in graduate nursing education, research, and innovation, is searching for talented professional dedicated to educating the next generation of nurse leaders as Assistant Director for the Master of Nursing Program. The Assistant Director will be able to shape and influence the prelicensure academic landscape of one of the nation’s leading nursing schools. The position includes half administrative duties and half teaching responsibilities within the prelicensure master’s entry to practice curriculum. Applicants will demonstrate a history of transformative academic leadership, have a passion for health equity, and experience using innovative pedagogy including active, engaged teaching learning strategies focused on developing learners’ clinical judgment for nursing practice. The academic curriculum is implemented in a face-to-face learning format.

    As residential faculty, the essential job functions include in-person instruction, attendance at department and university meetings, and overall participation in the university's day-to-day activities, which require a physical presence on campus. Full-time faculty are expected to live in Tennessee and maintain Tennessee residency.

    This position is a 12-month, non-tenured appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, commensurate with experience.

    Key Functions and Expected Performance

    • Collaborates with the Assistant Dean for Academics, Generalist Nursing Practice, to ensure that curricula are consistent with national guiding frameworks and future needs.
    • Collaborates with the Assistant Dean for Academics, Generalist Nursing Practice, on curriculum planning and implementation, program review, and implementation of VUSN policies relative to academic affairs and specific to the generalist nursing practice curriculums.
    • Facilitates implementation of curricular recommendations by the Program Evaluation Committee and Assistant Dean for Academics, Generalist Nursing Practice specific to the prelicensure curricula.
    • Maintains ongoing communications with the Assistant Dean for Academics, Generalist Nursing Practice, and course leadership regarding curricular implementation and outcomes.
    • Represents the prelicensure curricula and collaborates with VUSN clinical placement staff and healthcare facility staff to ensure appropriate clinical placements for prelicensure students.
    • Manages other related duties as assigned.

    Qualifications

    • A doctoral degree in nursing or related field required
    • An unencumbered license as a registered nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • 3-5 years of formal academic leadership experience with direct supervisory oversight of faculty and staff required.
    • A minimum of 5 years of classroom and clinical teaching experience in medical-surgical, ICU, pediatric, or perinatal nursing required
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Specialty

    The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) seeks qualified applicants to serve as the inaugural Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Specialty in the DNP program. This position, reporting to the Assistant Dean for the DNP, will serve as a full-time, non-tenured faculty at the assistant, associate, or professor rank with a joint appointment with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).

    The Nurse Anesthesia Director role is multifaceted, requiring a combination of entrepreneurial, leadership, and scholarship activities. Nurse anesthesia administrators are required by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs (COA) to be certified registered nurse anesthetists. They assume primary responsibility for keeping their programs compliant with COA specialty accreditation standards. The Academic Director is administratively responsible for the organization, direction, and leadership of the nurse anesthesia education specialty. The Director represents nurse anesthesia in school governance and serves as the point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding nurse anesthesia education. The Director coordinates and works with VUSN staff and other faculty to accomplish the needs of the specialty and meet the mission of VUSN.

    Responsibilities of the Academic Director also include demonstrated excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship. The Academic Director of the nurse anesthesia educational specialty at VUSN supervises, directs, evaluates, counsels, and oversees all didactic, clinical, and simulation instruction provided to nurse anesthesia students. The Academic Director also monitors and provides mentoring and counseling of students regarding their clinical and didactic progress, makes frequent evaluations of the program, and institutes changes as needed to meet program needs and the requirements of the COA. The Academic Director serves as a role model for professional excellence and functions as the liaison between students, faculty, staff, and clinical affiliate educational sites. Delegation and direction of specialty administration, didactic and clinical instruction, and evaluation is the responsibility of the Academic Director.

    Full-time faculty must be willing to relocate to the area for regular, on-campus engagement in VUSN activities. Salary and rank commensurate with experience.

    Qualifications

    Education and Certifications

    • Pre-licensure master’s or doctoral degree with a Nurse Anesthesia major
    • Doctoral preparation in nurse anesthesia or related field
    • A current unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse (RN) and/or Advanced
    • Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Tennessee
    • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) by the NBCRNA

    Experience and Skills

    • Five or more years of clinical experience in the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) role
    • Demonstrated record of professional and clinical experience, instruction, curriculum development, and evaluation
    • Knowledge of current CRNA practice and professional issues
    • Experience with institutional and programmatic accreditation requirements for nurse anesthesia education
    • Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment
    • Excellence in oral and written communication

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Director of Nursing Informatics

    The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) seeks qualified applicants to serve as the Director of Nursing Informatics in the MSN and DNP programs. This position, reporting to the Senior Associate Dean for Academics, will serve as a full-time, non-tenured faculty at the assistant, associate, or professor rank.

    The Nursing Informatics Director role is multifaceted, requiring a combination of entrepreneurial, leadership, and scholarship activities. The director assumes primary responsibility for keeping their programs compliant with standards. The Academic Director is administratively responsible for the nursing informatics education specialty's organization, direction, and leadership. The Director represents nursing informatics in school governance and is the point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding nursing informatics education. The Director coordinates and works with VUSN staff and other faculty to accomplish the needs of the specialty and meet the mission of VUSN.

    The Academic Director's responsibilities also include demonstrating excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship. The Academic Director supervises, directs, evaluates, counsels, and oversees all didactic, clinical, and simulation instruction provided to nursing informatics students. The Academic Director also monitors and provides mentoring and counseling of students regarding their academic progress, makes frequent evaluations of the specialty, and institutes changes as needed to meet specialty needs and accreditation requirements. The Academic Director serves as a role model for professional excellence and functions as the liaison between students, faculty, staff, and affiliate educational sites. Delegation and direction of specialty administration, instruction, and evaluation is the responsibility of the Academic Director.      

    Full-time faculty must be willing to relocate to the area for regular, on-campus engagement in VUSN activities. Salary and rank commensurate with experience.    

    Key Functions and Expected Performance:

    Compliance

    • Ensures curriculum is in alignment with the ANA’s Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Informatics as well as emerging industry needs.
    • Coordinates all program activities and committees to assure stated program goals are achieved.
    • Provides overall responsibility and leadership for the Nursing Informatics Specialty ensuring compliance with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation standards and Tennessee Board of Nursing requirements.

    Student Affairs

    • Oversees the student application holistic review process in collaboration with the admissions committee.
    •  Oversees student mentoring and academic progress.
    • Serves as an advisor for nursing informatics students.


    Management

    • Collaborates with the Chairs regarding faculty workload and annual evaluations for nursing informatics faculty.
    • Collaborates with other VUSN leaders regarding faculty mentorship and development. Mentors and fosters instructor development.

    Clinical Affairs

    •  Collaborates with the clinical placement team to meet practica requirements.
    • Serves as a liaison to clinical and academic affiliates.

    Professional Development

    • Teaches in the nursing informatics specialty.
    •  Remains competent and current in the field of nursing informatics.
    •  Collaborates across programs as an expert in the nursing informatics field.

    Budget Management

    • Collaborates to develop and operate within an annual budget.
    • Collaborates in preparing and managing annual capital budget requests to maintain contemporary program assets.

    This position will also be responsible for other duties as assigned.

    Qualifications
    Education and Certifications:

    • Doctoral preparation in nursing or related field.
    • Graduate degree in informatics or a related field. 
    • A current unencumbered license to practice as a registered professional nurse (RN) in Tennessee.

    Experience and Skills:

    • Five or more years of experience in nursing informatics.
    • Record of professional and clinical experience, instruction, curriculum development, and evaluation.
    • Knowledge of current nursing informatics professional issues.
    • Experience with institutional and programmatic accreditation requirements for nursing informatics education.
    • Experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment.
    • Excellence in oral and written communication.

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Part-Time Prelicensure Community and Population Health Faculty

    Description
    The Vanderbilt School of Nursing seeks qualified applicants with clinical and teaching experience in community and population health to join us in part time teaching in the MN program and the prelicensure level of the MSN program. Responsibilities include working collaboratively with course coordinators in instruction, supervision, and evaluation of students in the simulation and clinical settings for generalist community and population health nursing care. Positions are part-time, non-tenure appointments. The prelicensure curricula are implemented in a face-to-face learning format. 

    Qualifications

    • A master’s degree in nursing required, doctoral degree in nursing preferred
    • An unencumbered license as a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations
    • High-quality formal clinical teaching experience preferred
    • Substantive clinical experience  working with underrepresented or medically underserved communities and populations with 5 years preferred

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Part-Time Prelicensure Medical Surgical Clinical Faculty

    Description: The Vanderbilt School of Nursing seeks qualified applicants with clinical and teaching experience in medical/surgical nursing to join us in part time teaching in the MN program and the prelicensure level of the MSN program. Responsibilities include working collaboratively with course coordinators in instruction, supervision, and evaluation of students in the laboratory, simulation, and clinical settings for generalist med/surg nursing care. Positions are part-time, non-tenure appointments. The prelicensure curricula are implemented in a face-to-face learning format.

    Qualifications

    • A master’s degree in nursing required, doctoral degree in nursing preferred
    • An unencumbered license as a registered nurse or advanced practice nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations
    • High-quality formal clinical teaching experience preferred
    • Substantive clinical experience in the area of Medical/Surgical nursing with 5 years preferred

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Part-Time Prelicensure Mental Health Clinical Faculty

    Description

    The Vanderbilt School of Nursing seeks qualified applicants with clinical and teaching experience in mental health nursing to join us in part time teaching in the MN program and the prelicensure level of the MSN program. Responsibilities include working collaboratively with course coordinators in instruction, supervision, and evaluation of students in the laboratory, simulation, and clinical settings for generalist mental health nursing care. Positions are part-time, non-tenure appointments. The prelicensure curricula are implemented in a face-to-face learning format. 

    Qualifications

    • A master’s degree in nursing required, doctoral degree in nursing preferred
    •  An unencumbered license as a registered nurse or advanced practice nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations
    • High-quality formal clinical teaching experience preferred
    • Substantive clinical experience in the area of mental health nursing with 5 years preferred

    Application Instructions

    Applicants for the faculty position should initially submit a cover letter and resume or curriculum vitae. The cover letter should summarize your qualifications for the position.

    For questions related to the posting, please email vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu. 

    Apply now for this position.

  • Part-Time Prelicensure OB Faculty

    Description

    The Vanderbilt School of Nursing seeks qualified applicants with clinical and teaching experience in obstetrics to join us in part time teaching in the MN program and the prelicensure level of the MSN program. Responsibilities include working collaboratively with course coordinators in instruction, supervision, and evaluation of students in the laboratory, simulation, and clinical settings for generalist obstetrical nursing care. Positions are part-time, non-tenure appointments. The prelicensure curricula are implemented in a face-to-face learning format. 


    Qualifications

    • A master’s degree in nursing required, doctoral degree in nursing preferred
    • An unencumbered license as a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations
    • High-quality formal clinical teaching experience preferred
    • Substantive clinical experience in the area of Obstetrics nursing with 5 years preferred

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

  • Part-Time Prelicensure Pediatric Clinical Faculty

    Description
    The Vanderbilt School of Nursing seeks qualified applicants with clinical and teaching experience in pediatric nursing to join us in part-time teaching in the MN program and the prelicensure level of the MSN program. Responsibilities include working collaboratively with course coordinators in the instruction, supervision, and evaluation of students in the laboratory, simulation, and clinical settings for generalist pediatric nursing care. Positions are part-time, non-tenure appointments. The prelicensure curricula are implemented in a face-to-face learning format.

    Qualifications

    • A master’s degree in nursing required, doctoral degree in nursing preferred
    • An unencumbered license as a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse in Tennessee or eligibility to obtain licensure in Tennessee
    • Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations
    • High-quality formal clinical teaching experience preferred
    • Substantive clinical experience in the area of pediatric nursing with 5 years preferred 

    Application Instructions

    Apply now for this position.

    For questions related to the position, please contact:

    VUSN Faculty Recruitment
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

Vanderbilt University has made the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff and our surrounding communities a top priority. As part of that commitment, the University may require all employees to (1) participate in any required on-campus COVID-19 testing protocol as may then be in effect or (2) show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.

Contact Us

For questions regarding faculty positions at VUSN, please contact:

VUSN Faculty Recruitment
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
vusnfacultyrecruitment@vanderbilt.edu

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are.  We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.