Location
Invitation: Applicants are invited to apply for a full-time postdoctoral position in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin to support elementary science education curriculum and professional learning materials development and research work.
Project Overview and Position Summary:
This postdoc is part of a 3.5 year curriculum and professional learning materials development project being carried out across many institutions. This project aims to create high quality materials aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that are freely available and locally adaptable for teaching grades K-5 science.
The position - which could be carried out remotely - is for one year, from start of hire through August 2023, and renewable up to 2 years. This full-time postdoctoral scholar will work under the mentorship of Drs. María González-Howard and Cathery Yeh. We are seeking a postdoctoral candidate who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our project. In particular, we are searching for an applicant with expertise in culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies in elementary STEM education.
Responsibilities:
The Postdoctoral Researcher will support development and research work done across two teams within the project’s developers consortium - the Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Teaching and Learning Team (i.e., The CLS Team, led by Dr. González-Howard), and the Mathematics Integration and Support Team (i.e., The Math Team, led by Dr. Yeh). Specifically, this work entails:
- Reviewing prior and current research on culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogy and on best practices for meaningfully integrating mathematics and science instruction for grades K-5. This synthesis will be used to inform work that the CLS and Math Team carry out throughout the duration of the project.
- Communicating with relevant stakeholders across focal states to identify appropriate mathematical practices and core ideas at each grade level and then work with the K-2 and 3-5 curriculum materials development teams to integrate these practices and core ideas.
- Supporting the K-2 and 3-5 curriculum materials development teams in developing, co-writing, and/or reviewing elements of teacher- and student-facing materials.
- Supporting the professional learning team in developing materials.
- Working toward postdoctoral research and career goals aligned with the larger project.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Doctorate in Science Education, Elementary Education, STEM Education, Mathematics Education, Learning Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field.
- Completed PhD by start date (September 2022 or January 2023).
- Experience teaching or working with teachers in the area of science and/or mathematics at the elementary school level.
- Expertise in critical, asset-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct and publish research (e.g., publication, conference presentations, graduate research experience).
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience developing, enacting or studying NGSS-aligned science curriculum, ideally at the elementary level (i.e., grades K-5).
- Experience developing or teaching data analysis concepts at the elementary level.
- Experience teaching or working with teachers in schools with marginalized student populations.
- Multilingual and/or experience working with multilingual students.
- Expertise or knowledge of translanguaging theory and pedagogy.
- Expertise or knowledge of Universal Design for Learning.
To Apply:
Please send your (a) cover letter describing your relevant background, as well as your interest in and potential contribution to the project, (b) curriculum vitae, and (c) a list of three professional references and their contact information (letters are not necessary in application).
Materials should be sent to Dr. María González-Howard (mgonzalez-howard@austin.utexas.edu) and Dr. Cathery Yeh (cathery.yeh@austin.utexas.edu). Application review will begin Monday September 12, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled.