University of Kansas Jobs | Director-Juniper Gardens Children's Project & Asoc/Full Prof/Scientist Job

University of Kansas
Location: ,
Category: Admin-Child Care Services
Posting Date: 03/19/2023
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Job Description

24266BR

Applied Behavioral Science

Position Overview

We are seeking a Scientist/Director for the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, a community-based research center affiliated with the Schiefelbusch Life Span Institute (LSI) at the University of Kansas (KU). The Director will hold a joint appointment (research and tenure-track) within the LSI and will have a tenure home within an affiliated academic department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (e.g., Psychology, Clinical Child Psychology, Applied Behavioral Science, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences) or the School of Education (e.g., Special Education, Educational Psychology) on the University of Kansas campus. The academic affiliation will be chosen based on the candidate’s scholarly experience. Candidates will be considered at the Associate Professor/Associate Scientist or Full Professor/Senior Scientist level.

The Juniper Gardens Children’s Project is a historic and internationally recognized community-based research center that is seeking a director to lead its research program. This is an outstanding opportunity for a visionary applied scientist to build on Juniper Garden’s 58-year legacy which was established at the forefront of the development of community-engaged research. Research at Juniper Gardens is led by a group of 10 PhD-level scientists with local and national partners that addresses a range of issues in child development and special education. Annual external funding over the past five years at Juniper Gardens has ranged from $5.5M – $8M. Juniper Gardens operates under the administrative oversight of the LSI, which receives state and University funds to support the mission of Juniper Gardens and other KU research centers. JGCP research faculty also play key roles in research preparation at graduate and postdoctoral levels across multiple disciplines.

We are recruiting a director whose research will align with the long-standing mission of JGCP and who will promote and sustain JGCP’s tradition of community-engaged research. Investigators at Juniper Gardens are known for developing and rigorously testing evidence-based interventions and assessments linked to these interventions, and in recent years they have utilized implementation science and technology to support dissemination at scale in diverse settings. The Center resides in the Children’s Campus of Kansas City. Built in 2010, this state-of-the-art facility in historic Kansas City, Kansas is also home to two of Juniper Gardens’ lead community partner programs. Project Eagle, an Educare and Head Start program that provides center-based and home visiting services to low-income families, and the Family Conservancy, which provides direct early education services and technical assistance to childcare agencies that serve low-income and at-risk populations throughout the Kansas City Metro area.

The Director will be responsible for advancing JGCP’s mission and overseeing the implementation of its strategic goals. JGCP’s mission is to promote children’s social well-being and academic achievement by improving the quality of their care and education. JGCP’s strategic goals include the development, implementation, and dissemination of developmental and special education research; supporting the research programs of current JGCP faculty; mentoring early-career investigators to become future leaders; and maintaining and cultivating new relationships with community and university partners. The JGCP’s current research faculty conduct nationally prominent programs of research that include (but are not limited to) the following themes:

Learning and development in infants and young children
Social, behavioral and academic school success
Professional development and technical assistance to improve evaluation and practice at scale, and
Advancements in technology, accessibility and equity in schools.

Job Description

The Director will collaborate with research faculty to generate external funding from public and private sources to maintain a research program of national and international significance related to the mission of JGCP and the LSI. JGCP’s mission is pursued primarily through externally-funded research. Research faculty receive external funds from federal funding agencies including but not limited to the Department of Education (Institute of Education Sciences and Office of Special Education Programs), the Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Administration for Children and Families, and Administration for Community Living), the National Science Foundation (Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies), as well from state agencies and private foundations.

The Director will possess a robust interest and commitment to community-engaged research, to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in research and within the culture at JGCP, and to translational science that enhances the lives of children and families.

Position Responsibilities

Scientist/Director, JGCP for LSI: (75%) / Tenured Professor (25%)

Leadership and Research Administration: (40%)

Support the mission and strategic vision of the JGCP and provide leadership in the implementation of the strategic plan.

Stimulate, identify, and seek external funding across a variety of funding mechanisms and sources including federal (e.g., US Department of Education, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, etc.), state, and private funding agencies.

Mentor and lead JGCP research faculty and other partners’ grant proposal development in support of their individual programs of research, and in leadership and service.

Analyze, maintain, support, and improve staff productivity (e.g., publications, funding, service, and teaching).

Provide scholarly, methodological and technical leadership to research faculty and staff.

Oversee the coordination and maintenance of research administration activities at JGCP including the preparation and monitoring of multi-year center budgets in accordance with KU and funding agency policies.

Research Investigator/Research: (40%)

Conceptualize, prepare and submit grant proposals to external funding agencies that are aligned with JGCP’s mission.

Manage the scientific and programmatic aspects of funded research projects in compliance with applicable laws and institutional policies.

Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at professional local and national conferences and meetings.

Recruit, train, and supervise research teams.

Teaching/Advising: (15%)

Serve as a faculty member in an academic department in KU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or School of Education to be determined based on the focus area of the successful candidate's research program.

As part of a tenured academic appointment, the candidate will offer one course per academic year.

Serve as Advisor or Co-Advisor for doctoral students, and mentor postdoctoral researchers associated with research projects for which the Director serves as PI.

Provide pre-service, in-service and other academic education and training.

Service: (5%)

Represent JGCP on the board of the Children's Campus of Kansas City and promote collaboration among the three campus partners.

Develop ongoing, collaborative relationships with university partners and local community thought leaders, including regional and state partners (e.g., School Districts, Mayor's Office, local businesses, foundations, etc.) relevant to the JGCP mission.

Support and help sustain the JGCP Community Advisor Board, which is comprised of community partners, and its focus on community needs and issues that are related to the JGCP mission.

Collegiality.  All faculty members are expected to act in a manner that promotes collegial relationships and shows respect toward students, staff, and colleagues.  Faculty members are expected to meet satisfactory standards of performance in all areas of responsibility and to carry out those responsibilities in accordance with the Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, https://policy.ku.edu/FacultyCodeKULawrence/faculty-code-of-rights

Required Qualifications

Evaluation of the following requirements will be made by examining each candidate's: (a) research program and teaching philosophy in the letter of application, (b) record of accomplishments and productivity included in their full curriculum vitae, and (c) information provided from three professional references.

PhD in the behavioral sciences or related fields (e.g., development/child psychology, educational psychology, psychology, early childhood education, educational/developmental assessment, special education, behavior analysis)

Leadership experience with multi-disciplinary organizations and/or academic units (e.g., director, department chair, or program director).

A strong evidence of external funding (principal and/or co-principal investigator), from federal agencies (e.g., US Department of Education, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, private foundations, etc.); and directing research teams.

Evidence of a sustained record of dissemination, including but not limited to peer-reviewed publications and presentations.

Experience with teaching and advising at the graduate and/or postdoctoral level.

A strong record of national disciplinary service, as evidenced by participation on editorial review boards, grant review panels, professional organizations, state-level partnerships, and/or community advisory boards.

Eligibility for appointment with tenure at the rank of either Associate Professor/Associate Scientist or Full Professor/Senior Scientist,

Contact Information to Applicants

Dr. Jay Buzhardt
Research Professor & Search Chair
jaybuz@ku.edu

Additional Candidate Instruction

For a complete announcement and to apply online, go to: https://employment.ku.edu/academic/24266BR . A complete online application includes the following materials: (1) cover letter; (2) Curriculum vitae; (3) research agenda; (4) teaching philosophy statement; and (5) the names, email and contact information for three professional references. In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant's contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU's mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:

Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Application review will begin March 1, 2023 and will remain open until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Application Review Begins

2023-03-01T00:00:00Z

Anticipated Start Date

2023-08-18T00:00:00Z

Unit

Schiefelbusch Life Span Institute

Primary Campus

Juniper Gardens Area

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).

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Director-Juniper Gardens Children's Project & Asoc/Full Prof/Scientist

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