Postdoctoral Research Associate - Bridge to Faculty Fellowship in Urban Higher Education

The Department of Educational Policy Studies in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Urban Higher Education whose work is aligned with the mission and goals of the UIC College of Education and the department.  The College of Education has a reputation for its focus on urban education and educational leadership. The department's work emphasizes the analysis of urban contexts, and understanding and addressing educational problems in those contexts. Its programs prepare students for successful careers in urban educational research and policy analysis, and in transformational leadership of urban schools and postsecondary institutions.  The M.Ed. in Urban Higher Education (UHE) program explores issues in the academy related to, and informed by, the urban context – including the opportunities afforded through the education of residents of cities as well as the challenges of equitable access to and success in higher education.

Position Purpose:

The Bridge to Faculty Post-Doctoral Scholars Program is a University-level initiative to increase the pipeline toward faculty diversity at UIC. The program seeks to advance diversity on the permanent faculty level by encouraging the recruitment, retention, and promotion of outstanding scholars from different backgrounds, with an emphasis on attracting individuals from groups who have been historically underrepresented.

The position is a Postdoctoral Research Associate within the Department of Educational Policy Studies.  Subject to satisfactory performance, and University approval, you may be re-appointed for one additional year. Successful postdocs in the Bridge to the Faculty program may have the opportunity to transition to tenure-track faculty at UIC starting in the 2023-2024 academic year.  Selected scholars will participate in a mentoring experience, with the opportunity to be a part of a cohort of Bridge to Faculty Postdoctoral Scholars through the Office of Diversity and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

The primary expectation for the postdoctoral scholar will be to begin a program of research. 

With the advice of a College mentoring committee, the postdoc should spend some time becoming familiar with the research infrastructure of the College and the UIC campus, and identifying stakeholders with whom they would partner to write a 3 to 5-year research plan.

Each year the postdoctoral scholar will be expected to: submit a relevant manuscript, with at least one coming from their dissertation, for publication; submit at least one proposal of the postdoc for presentation at relevant professional conferences; research and identify an extramural funding opportunity and develop a draft of the extramural funding application in consultation with, and with support from the Office of Research in the College of Education.

In addition, the postdoc will be expected to develop and teach one graduate course per year of their postdoctoral position: upper division seminar course in their area of expertise and one service course for the department.

The post-doctoral scholar will have access to institutional and departmental initiatives specifically designed to support the development of a successful assistant professor. This unique post-doctoral position provides a structured opportunity to be mentored while building a successful teaching portfolio and a program of research with access to individualized supports for academic productivity.  No departmental or College service will be required in the postdoc years.

Qualified candidates will have an earned Ph.D. in higher education or a related field by August 14, 2021. Preference will be given to candidates with expertise/background in the study of issues in the academy related to, and informed by, the urban context – including the opportunities afforded through the education of residents of cities as well as the challenges of equitable access to and success in higher education. Highly qualified candidates will have a record of (or demonstrated potential for) academic publication, experience working on grant-funded projects and a commitment to obtaining external funding for research, and some experience (or demonstrated potential for) teaching at the graduate level.  The candidate will have the desire and skills to engage with a diverse student body, excellent communication skills, effective collaborative skills and a commitment to promoting educational equity and social justice.

To Apply:

For full consideration, interested candidates should submit the following by February 15, 2021 to https://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=140697:

A cover letter that includes a statement of how the applicant will further the university’s goal of building a culturally diverse educational environment; a full Curriculum Vitae that includes three references (names, titles, phone numbers and e-mail addresses); statements of teaching philosophy and scholarly agenda; and a writing sample.

UIC is among the top five most diverse campuses in the nation. Community engagement is a centerpiece of UIC's urban mission. UIC serves a diverse student population and is federally recognized as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) through its status as a funded Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).  Consistent with the UIC-COE mission and values, our program embraces diversity and inclusion across multiple dimensions. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who will help us expand these perspectives and experiences.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including members of ethnic minorities, women, covered veterans, and individuals with disabilities. 

The University of Illinois conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=141189