NCRPP PostDoctoral Associate

Job Summary

The National Center for Research in Policy and Practice (NCRPP) is currently undertaking two projects in collaboration with the National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP) focused on studying and supporting scholars working in partnership with schools and communities to promote equity in education.

• The first project is sought at developing, testing, and supporting the use of survey and interview tools for formative evaluation of research-practice partnerships.
• The second project’s goal is to study and support equity-centered leadership and districts in forming partnerships with researchers as they develop and test strategies for creating equity-centered leadership pipelines.

We have an opening for a PostDoctoral Associate to assist in coordinating this work, to conduct research and engage researchers, educators, and community members with findings from research, and to help support a learning community of research-practice partnerships. We seek a policy-focused researcher with experience in conducting collaborative research and knowledge of a range of theoretically-focused approaches to connecting research, policy, and practice. We seek an individual who shares our commitments to democracy, equity, justice, and diversity. This individual also should share an appreciation for the breadth of ways evidence can be generated to inform educational decision making. Applicants should have expertise or curiosity about contributing to collaborative research projects that span multiple institutions. We are open to individuals who have recently graduated or individuals who have additional experience in research endeavors beyond attaining their doctoral degrees.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The mission of the CU Boulder School of Education is grounded in a lived dedication to democracy, diversity, equity, and justice. We teach and conduct research to make a positive difference with and in schools and communities. The work of our faculty, researchers, staff, and students leads to evidence-based policy and practice. We strive for our graduates to be engaged and informed educators, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders.

We offer ground breaking, engaging teacher preparation , innovative undergraduate programs , and Colorado's top-ranked graduate education in multiple program areas: Educational Foundations, Policy & Practice , Equity, Bilingualism & Biliteracy , Learning Sciences & Human Development , Literacy Studies , Research, Evaluation & Methodology , STEM Education , and Teacher Learning, Research, and Practice .

NCRPP studies the relationships among research, policy, and practice to inform efforts to transform the production and use of research for equitable transformation of educational systems. The Center has conducted research on how educational leaders—including school district supervisors and principals—use research when making decisions and what can be done to make research findings more useful and relevant for those leaders. In addition, the Center investigates and provides support for research-practice partnerships in education through basic and applied research, presentations, and workshops. NCRPP has received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences, the William T. Grant Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and The Wallace Foundation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Coordination, Management, and Communication

• Communicate with funding agencies about project progress as required by agencies.
• Coordinate internal project communications and meetings.
• Lead or support grant writing for additional funding opportunities.
• Lead or support Center communication efforts, including blog writing, Twitter, etc.

Conduct and Share Research Findings

• Co-lead a team of professional research associates and graduate students to plan and carry out qualitative or mixed-methods research, including:
• Design interview and observation protocols;
• Conduct interviews and observations in the field (travel expected: 3 trips per year);
• Develop surveys and conduct descriptive analyses of survey data;
• Lead the writing of technical reports to which multiple researchers contribute;
• Contribute to and develop articles for publication and presentations;
• Engage both funding agencies and external partners in making sense of and using findings from research.

Support Learning Communities

• Support learning community for researchers involved in studying equity-centered leadership.
• Support the engagement of a community of RPPs focused on equity-focused leadership, drawing on resources and expertise of NCRPP researchers, Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) faculty, and NNERPP.
• Develop tools, strategies, and opportunities for collaborative decision-making for RPPs.

What You Should Know

This position is funded by sponsored projects and is expected to end on December 31, 2022. Should additional funding become available, reappointment may be possible in accordance with the Regent policies for Research titles.

All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to comply with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement . New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range is $60,000.00 - $85,000.00.
• Up to $2,500 for the purchase of a computer and/or other related expenses that will be for their use but will remain the property of the university.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements
Be engaged. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Ph.D. in education or related field.
• Experience conducting qualitative or mixed-methods research as part of a multi-site research team (one year minimum).
• Skill in writing theoretically-informed, accessible accounts of research in both long-form (e.g., technical reports, articles) and short-form (e.g., executive summaries, blog posts).
• Experience with engaging decision makers, practitioners, and/or community members directly with research.
• Proven dedication to democracy, equity, diversity, and justice.

What You Will Need

• The ability to collaborate effectively and inclusively across a variety of contexts.
• The skills and ability to manage complex work and achieve specified goals within time and resource constraints.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Available for research related travel if necessary and deemed appropriate in consultation with the supervisor.

What We Would Like You To Have

The following are desirable indicators of ability and expertise with respect to research utilization and collaborative research approaches:

• Knowledge of literature and relevant theories of research use or knowledge mobilization.
• Experience as part of a collaborative research project (e.g., within a research-practice partnership).

The following are desirable indicators of ability and expertise with respect to knowledge bases related to the sources of inequity and promotion of equity within educational systems:

• Familiarity with major strands of work related to equity and justice in policy and leadership (e.g., distributed leadership, culturally adaptable leadership).
• Familiarity with strategies for promoting equity (e.g., asset-based approaches to teaching, culturally-sustaining pedagogies).

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Cover letter specifying your interest in the position
2. CV/Resume
3. Contact information for three references (used for phone reference checks)
4. Two (2) writing samples that reflect writing for different audiences, one of which is for a research community (can include a dissertation chapter or journal article, must be sole or lead author) - please combine both samples into one single PDF
5. Optional: Transcripts/Proof of Degree
   • If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version (if applicable) as an optional attachment.

During the application process you will also need to enter contact information for one reference who will be contacted to provide a confidential letter of recommendation immediately after you apply. This can be someone from your list of references.

This position will remain open until filled, review of applications will begin immediately.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs .

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu