The Departments of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology and Special Education in the College of Education at the University of Missouri invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship position in the Prosocial Education Lab. This Postdoctoral Fellow will work with Drs. Christi Bergin, Chad Rose, Chris Slaten, Ze Wang, and Jennifer Weyman on the project titled ECHO: Prosocial and Positive School Climate funded by the United States Department of Education. The project aims to build educators’ use of evidence-based strategies to promote prosocial behavior among all students and promote a positive school climate.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will collaborate with the team in quantitative data production and analysis and publication of findings among other research duties as they arise. The Postdoctoral Fellow will gain experience working on a federally-funded, state-wide research project with a group of scholars focused on promoting positive school climate. The post-doc will also have the opportunity to develop an independent line of research related to the study’s activities. The postdoctoral researcher should be committed to seeking and securing external funding, producing original research, publishing their work in highly ranked conference proceedings and journals (as appropriate), and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research.
The University of Missouri is committed to postdoctoral education. Postdoctoral fellows across all disciplines are supported with campus professional development opportunities, research and teaching awards, and small grants programs. Postdoctoral scholars can also further their academic career preparation through the University of Missouri’s Preparing Future Faculty seminar program.
Appointment: Non-tenure track postdoctoral fellow, 24-month appointment, with possibility of renewing.
Responsibilities include:
- Attend weekly research team meetings
- Collect, organize, and analyze data
- Mentor graduate research assistants
- Co-author research publications and annual reports
- Develop future grant proposals
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- An earned doctorate
- Experience in collecting, cleaning, and analyzing quantitative data.
- Experience in prek-12 students’ social and emotional development, and professional development of teachers and school-based service providers.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
- Ability to seek and secure federal funding.
Candidates will be evaluated on:
- K-12 teaching, counseling, or administration experience
- Experience conducting classroom observations
- Proficiency in English
- Valid U.S. driver’s license
- Prior federal grant experience
- Experience mentoring undergraduate students to conduct educational research
- Experience in collaborating as a member of a larger research team
- Proficiency with managing complex data sets and applying cutting edge data analysis techniques.
Communication and Other skills:
- Strong professional writing skills, including research reports, peer-reviewed research articles, or other print and electronic publications.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills.
- Ability to communicate research results through talks at scientific conferences as well as to lay audiences.
- Facility with technology and online platforms for organizing teams and work spaces.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
Application Materials
- A letter of application that addresses the candidate’s interest, overall qualifications for the fellowship, and an explanation of how this fellowship will help prepare the candidate’s future career interests and professional goals.
- A CV
- A writing sample
- List of three references
The CV must be uploaded in the Resume/CV and Cover Letter section.
Candidates will be evaluated on the following factors:
- Qualifications listed above
- Ability to develop and sustain an independent program of scholarly research
- Openness to learning
- Skills in participating in research projects and generating research ideas
- Research interests that align well with faculty mentors
Beginning Review Date: Formal review of applications will begin May 15, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.
Questions should be directed to:
Dr. Christi Bergin
University of Missouri
109C Hill Hall
Columbia, MO 65211-2400
Email: berginc@missouri.edu
Other Information
About the College: The College of Education is ranked #36 in the nation among public universities overall by U.S. News and World Report. Among programs especially relevant to the proposed study, MizzouEd is ranked #3 in graduate counseling programs and #21 in graduate special education programs. Today, the College has a student population of approximately 1000 undergraduates and 1,600 graduate students. The College is nationally recognized for its distance and online education programs.
About MU and the Surrounding Community: MU is the oldest state university west of the Mississippi River and the largest of the four institutions in the University of Missouri System. In 1867, MU became one of the first public universities in the nation to establish an academic program specific to teacher preparation. MU has a student body of over 34,000 and is designated as a Carnegie Research University with very high research activity. MU is one of only six universities in the U.S. that is both the flagship and land grant institution housing medicine, veterinary medicine, and law on the same campus. As an AAU member institution since 1908, MU is recognized as one of the top research and educational institutions in the nation. More information is available on the web at: education.missouri.edu
MU is located in Columbia, a metropolitan community of approximately 120,000 that has been rated by Money Magazine, Men’s Journal and MSN.COM as one of the best places to live in the U.S. Columbia ranked 6th on Livability’s 2019 list of Top 100 Best Places to Live. It has been ranked among the best college towns to live in. Columbia has been recognized as a bike-friendly community. Rails-to-trails conversions allow recreation and commuting in natural spaces across the city. Cost of living is modest. Columbia is immediately surrounded by rural counties, while both Kansas City and St. Louis are within a 90-minute drive offering the shopping and cultural opportunities of major metropolitan areas. Columbia has high-quality public schools and provides many opportunities for art, culture and music enthusiasts.
Salary
Competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Benefit Eligibility
This position is eligible for University benefits. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at http://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits
Equal Employment Opportunity
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To request ADA accommodations, please call the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager at 573-884-7278.
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