Job Abstract

Dr. Michael Kennedy is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to collaborate on two US DoE-funded projects that focus on special education teacher development. We seek a collaborator with training and experience in qualitative and/or mixed methods, with an interest in special education teacher development. Additionally, the successful candidate will also be responsible for teaching graduate teacher education methods courses to UVA School of Education and Himan Development pre-service teaching candidates.

The primary focus of Project VERIFY (Value Added Through E-Coaching, Reflection, Instructional Technology, Feedback, and You) is to support school leaders (e.g., principals, instructional coaches, and teacher leaders) in providing professional development (PD) and data-based feedback to teachers of students with disabilities. 

The purpose of Project MOSAIC (Multimedia vOcabulary System leveraging Artificial Intelligence to support Content area learning) is to develop individually responsive, engaging, and powerful academic vocabulary instructional products to support literacy and middle and high school readiness for students with and at risk for disabilities and English learners.

This position is partially grant funded, the position is term limited to one year and will not be renewed.

Responsibilities include:

• Engage in educational research on special education teacher development

• Help co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts

• Participate in qualitative data collection tasks

• Contributing to and supporting work with study participants

• Contribute and support development of annual progress reports for USDoE

• Assist with data cleaning and organization leading up to analysis

• Help lead qualitative data analysis tasks

• Complete annual review, planning and goal-setting tasks with Dr. Kennedy toward the goal of developing a career in education, educational research or academia

• Teaching teacher education methods courses to UVA teaching candidates

Minimum Requirements:

Education: Doctoral degree

Preferred Skills:

Education: A Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Educational Psychology, Human Development, or a relevant social science discipline is preferred.

Experience: Experience with research regarding issues related to special education is preferred but not required. A strong grasp of the context of special education is preferred in efforts to support the interpretation of study findings.

Application Instructions: Apply Now. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile, search Find Jobs and then R0059838. Complete an application online and include the following documents:

• CV

• Letter of intent describing research interests in special education teacher development and a description of how training at the UVA School of Education & Human Development ?ts with their research training and career goals

• Graduate School Transcripts

• Names of three references

• Sample publication

All documents can be loaded into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please contact Dr Michael Kennedy at mjk3p@virginia.edu for additional information. For questions about the application process, please contact Margaret Weeks, Academic Recruiter. Before a formal offer of employment is extended, the selected candidate will undergo a background check per university policy.

Physical Demands
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job occasionally requires local and regional travel to attend in-person meetings with research team members, and walking some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, and family medical or genetic information.