EdPolicyWorks at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education, with support from the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, seeks highly qualified applicants for two post-doctoral research associate positions. The positions are part of the VEST Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Incumbents participate in collaborative research with Daphna Bassok, Ben Castleman and/or Jim Wyckoff on projects examining: policies to improve access to and quality of early childhood interventions in low-income communities, large-scale field experiments that leverage behavioral insights to help low-income and first-generation college-going students access and succeed in higher education; the effects of policies to improve the effectiveness of teachers and improve student outcomes. A set of current EdPolicyWorks projects are posted on their projects webpage- http://curry.virginia.edu/research/centers/cepwc/projects.
The incumbents become part of a network of post-doctoral trainees at the Curry School of Education in research centers including the Center on Educational Policy and Workforce Competitiveness (EdPolicyWorks), the Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL), and Youth-Nex. Post-doctoral training includes two main components:
- Strong mentoring with a senior investigator focused on the demanding and technical aspects of producing high quality scholarship (theory, design, intervention development, use of rigorous methods, writing, etc.). Trainees engage in a mentored, collaborative program of research where they formulate research questions, select research designs, implement research studies, collaborate with district partners, analyze data, write papers, and present findings.
- Immersion in an intellectually challenging and scientifically rigorous community of scholarship. Opportunities include engagement in work-in-progress meetings with faculty, other post-docs and students; involvement in specialized training institutes; self-evaluation processes to align training experiences and career goals; and involvement with visiting scholars.
A Ph.D. in Education, Education Policy, Public Policy, Economics or a relevant social science discipline is required by the start date of the position. Evidence of potential for obtaining external funding and substantive knowledge and background in the field of education policy with a focus on quantitative analysis are essential. Strong project management and communication skills are also required. Applicants with a track record of publication are strongly preferred. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status is required. Research associates are appointed annually and continuation is dependent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding. Funding is currently anticipated for two years. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2014 and continue until the positions are filled. Selected trainees must be able to begin work by September 1, 2014.
To apply, visit http://jobs.virginia.edu and search Posting Number 0615263. Complete a Candidate Profile online, attach a cover letter describing your research training goals and interest, including why your background and interests are a good match for the position. Please also attach a curriculum vitae, one writing sample, unofficial graduate transcripts and contact information for 3 references.
For questions about the position or application process, please contact Ted Keefe, HR Associate at twk7b@virginia.edu. The Curry School of Education and the University of Virginia welcome applications from women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities; we seek to build a culturally diverse intellectual environment. We are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employers.