Job Description

The Marsal Family School of Education at the University of Michigan seeks a mid-career colleague for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of associate professor in Educational Studies with a focus on science teaching and/or the learning sciences.

AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Candidates should have a strong grounding in science education with an emphasis on community-engaged and/or place-based education, a rich understanding of and engagement with the cultures and practices of science, and expertise in and commitment to science education and the learning sciences. The new faculty member should, through their research, teaching, and/or service, contribute to the teaching and learning of science in a society that is increasingly diverse, whose schools and communities are inequitably resourced, and whose children have unequal opportunities both in and out of school. Candidates should have a track record of securing external funding for their scholarly agenda.

Successful candidates might reflect a range of interests and backgrounds. For example, the faculty member might:

• Design learning environments to engage children and youth in sensemaking around consequential educational and social justice issues, such as climate change or health and well-being.
• Partner with local community groups, environmental justice organizations, or city agencies to engage youth, families, and other area stakeholders in studying and addressing urban issues such as air quality, heat islands, transportation, food systems, or water infrastructure.
• Examine how urban ecologies, histories, and sociopolitical contexts shape learners’ opportunities to participate in science and leverage these contexts to design more equitable learning environments.
• Focus on the intersection of science education, science learning, and educational policy, examining levers for reform in science teaching and learning.

Note that these areas of interest are meant to be examples and do not reflect an exhaustive list of possible foci for successful candidates.

The position will be within our Educational Studies program and will involve teaching courses in the undergraduate Education Minor and/or the MA and PhD programs (50%), as well as the Learning, Equity, and Problem Solving for the Public Good (LEAPS) undergraduate program (50%). Undergraduate and graduate courses would focus on learning, the design of learning environments, teaching and curriculum, and specialization courses in science education. The position also involves supervising dissertations, fostering the development of science education students as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators, and supporting science education students on research projects. In the LEAPS program specifically, and in concert with other faculty, this position will involve (a) teaching Science in the City and/or related courses; and (b) supporting programmatic needs. Successful candidates will work across Educational Studies programs, helping to maintain and further our reputation for excellence in content-area teaching and learning in science education and the learning sciences.

EDUCATIONAL STUDIES

Educational Studies has an internationally recognized faculty committed to: the study and advancement of equity and social justice in school and in out-of-school settings, effective teaching in the core disciplines, the study of how technologies and other educational innovations enhance teaching and learning, the social and political contexts and the historical and philosophical foundations of schooling, and the use of evidence to shape education policy and public discussions on curriculum, teaching, and achievement. Graduates of our program become engaged in academic and research careers in university programs, research organizations, or public agencies; administrative positions in school systems, educational centers, or national, regional, and state agencies; and in teacher education, professional development and curriculum positions in local and state systems and educational companies as well as for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

We plan to fill the position with a start date of August 2027. Salary will be negotiated on the basis of the candidate’s experience and qualifications. The appointment will be for the regular nine-month academic year with possible additional remuneration for administrative duties. Salaries at the University of Michigan compare favorably with those at other leading institutions of higher education. The University of Michigan offers extensive family-friendly policies for faculty and liberal benefits, including a retirement plan, and group health, dental, and life insurance plans.

Qualifications

Successful candidates will have:

• a doctorate in science education, the learning sciences, or a demonstrable equivalent;
• strong grounding in science education and place-based and/or community-engaged research;
• sustained experience with securing grants to support research;
• experience teaching at the K-12 level and higher education level;
• an established program of research and publication in science education and the learning sciences commensurate with rank;
• a commitment to research and publication that informs science-related teaching and learning, particularly in school settings, related to a wide variety of learners and communities;
• a commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the Marsal Family School of Education;
• a sustained interest in collaborating with different constituencies in the Marsal Family School of Education, schools, communities, and the university to engage in design, instruction, and research

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Additional desired qualifications include:

• The ability to make connections to other departments and organizations on campus (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and/or space science departments; the College of Engineering; the School for Environment and Sustainability; the Institute for Social Research; Graham Sustainability Institute; etc.)

Application Instructions

Candidates are asked to submit:

• a cover letter;
• a curriculum vitae;
• a research statement;
• three publications that demonstrate scholarly accomplishment and/or public scholarship in their area of research;
• a sample syllabus and core assignment/activity that exhibits an emphasis on community-engaged science teaching and learning (e.g., community co-design, place-based science, youth participatory STEM, etc.)

Please note: We will ask for the names of four professional references, teaching evaluations, and a teaching and service statement at a later stage in the process.

Questions may be referred to the Chair of the Search Committee, Professor Jon Wargo at: Marsal-Search-Community-Engaged-Science-Education@umich.edu@umich.edu

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.