The Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma (OU) seeks applications for the Director of the Early Childhood Education Institute - George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair.  This appointment will be at the rank of tenured, advanced Associate or Full Professor.

The new faculty will have deep content expertise in Early Childhood Education overall, with a birth to age 5 emphasis, as evidenced by recent publications in high visibility journals; focused work on Head Start, Early Head Start, or similar programs serving vulnerable populations of young children and their families; evidence of or interest in conducting and building multidisciplinary research teams to address real-world issues faced by young children and their families; evidence of successfully leading a research group conducting applied, partnership research with community-based programs; and interest in conducting applied, partnership research with Tulsa Educare, CAP-Tulsa Head Start, and other similar agencies in Tulsa and across Oklahoma. Finally, the new faculty member will have evidence of impact at the local, national, and global levels through service on task forces, committees, and advisory boards (at least up to the national level).

This is a 12-month position, and the candidate will be responsible for teaching one course per year in the early childhood education program – Tulsa.  

Required Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in Early Childhood Education/Development, Early Childhood Special Education, Human Development and Family Studies, Child Psychology, or a closely related field from an accredited univeristy.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research and make scholarly contributions as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications commiserate with, at minimum, the rank of an advanced Associate Professor.
• An emerging or established record of external funding.
• A demonstrated understanding of the vital role a research center plays in fostering scholarship, university commitment, and community outreach.
• Leadership/administrative experience including strategic planning, management of large grants or center delivery, budgets, reporting, and staff management.
• An understanding of and commitment to the future of the ECEI while understanding its history.
• Evidence of or potential for collaboration to sustain and expand existing partnerships.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience teaching courses at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels.
• Experience in advising and/or mentoring graduate students and ECEI staff in research.
• Experience or willingness to mentor junior colleagues in research and grants.
• Desire to work with agencies, communities, and local schools to expand learning opportunities to meet the needs of economically, culturally, and linguistically diverse learners, including those in urban, rural, and Native American communities.

Applicants should refer to http://apply.interfolio.com/135163 for the George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Professor and Director of the Early Childhood Education Institute and submit a letter of application, current curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and a list of names and contact information (telephone numbers and email addresses) of at least three professional references. Candidates invited for a campus interview will be expected to interact with JRCoE-Tulsa and Norman faculty, Early Childhood Education Institute staff, community partners, University of Oklahoma-Tulsa community, and current graduate students. They will also make a presentation on their research agenda focusing on connections between their agenda and the mission of the Early Childhood Education Institute.

Review of completed applications will begin on December 1, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. Starting date is July 1, 2024.

For Additional Information: please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Vickie E. Lake at [email protected]