The Well-Being for Early Learning Lab (WELLab) at the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) in the University of Virginia (UVA) and the School of Education and Human Development seeks highly quali?ed applicants for a post-doctoral research associate position. Our work focuses on early care and education, early childhood workforce development, Head Start teachers’ well-being, and children’s development. WELLab studies health and well-being of young children, families, and early childhood educators. We strive to better understand organization- and system-level factors that are related to early childhood educators’ holistic well-being (psychological, physical, and professional well-being) and how educators’ well-being is related to classroom quality and children’s social-emotional development. Our lab also works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the early childhood workforce. WELLab maintains a number of collaborative partnerships with early childhood organizations in our community. In doing so, we hope to more effectively translate our research findings into valuable contributions towards improving the health, education, and wellbeing of children, caregivers, and communities. This position will be primarily involved in the implementation and evaluation phases of a newly developed teacher well-being intervention, Well-being First , that focuses on Head Start teachers’ holistic well-being. The postdoctoral research associate will work directly with Dr. Lieny Jeon, as well as with faculty and partners at other collaborating institutions. This position is based in Charlottesville, Virginia and is available for in-person or hybrid work (upon agreement with advisor).

We are interested in applicants with expertise in developmental science, clinical psychology, or educational psychology who are interested in engaging more deeply with research related to early childhood workforce development.  Speci?cally, we seek applicants who are motivated to engage in research focused on early childhood educators’ resilience and well-being as well as job demands and resources in early care and education. The postdoctoral research associate will have opportunities to broaden their understanding of the strengths and challenges faced by early childhood educators. They will also engage in hands-on experiences working with partners (Head Start programs, districts, early childhood education organizations) and offering the Well-being First training to Head Start teachers and leadership.

Members from historically underrepresented groups in higher education are strongly encouraged to apply to be a part of a supportive and diverse community.

The postdoctoral research associate will become part of a network of post-doctoral trainees at the UVA School of Education & Human Development and research centers including, CASTL, EdPolicyWorks, and Youth-Nex.

Role and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• engage in educational research related to early childhood educators’ well-being and workforce development

• engage in Well-being First training implementation and evaluation in Maryland (travel required in training days)

• be lead author on two or more peer-reviewed papers per year, co-author on additional work with PI or other lab members, and engage in grant writing

• supervise undergraduate and graduate students

• engage with practitioners in early childhood education on an issue related to their well-being and experiences

• engage in the community of scholarship that exists at CASTL, the School of Education and Human Development, and UVA evidenced by participating in work-in-progress meetings, attending speaker series, and attending workshops

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. in School and Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, or a relevant social science discipline is required by the start date of the position.

• Evidence of substantive knowledge and background in the ?eld of developmental science and/or education.

• Rigorous training in advanced quantitative methods as well as experience with qualitative research and/or mixed methods approaches.

• Strong communication and project management skills.

• Prior experience engaging in research and a strong track record of publication is preferred.

• Explicit interest in research with early childhood educators or prior experience with research or working with early childhood educators is preferred.

The position will be appointed annually; continuation is dependent upon satisfactory performance and continued funding. Review of applications will continue until the position is ?lled.

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Application Instructions

Please apply through Workday , and search for Post Doctoral Research Associate. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• CV

• Letter of intent describing research interests, and a description of how training at WELLab/CASTL/the UVA School of Education & Human Development ?ts with their research training and career goals

• Sample publication

• Names of three references

As part of the interview process, be prepared to discuss how you address diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work.

Upload all materials into the resume submission ?eld, multiple documents can be submitted into this one ?eld. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday pro?le by searching 'Find Jobs'.

The position will remain open until ?lled. This is an Exempt level, bene?ted position. This position will not sponsor applicants for work visas. This position is a 12-month restricted position and continuation is dependent upon project prior performance and continued funding. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.

For additional information about the position, please contact Dr. Lieny Jeon, ljeon@virginia.edu .  For questions about the application process, please contact Margaret Weeks , Academic Recruiter.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines  webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements?and?guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.