Associate Professor / Professor - Science Education

Department: Curriculum , Learning & Instruction / 1714000

College/Division: College of Education

Salary Plan: Faculty

Hiring Salary: Negotiable, competitive, and commensurate with qualifications and experience

Elementary Education Program:

The Elementary Education Program is a clinically intensive teacher preparation program with rich school partnerships across local districts. The program prepares preservice teachers for future positions as K-12 classroom teachers. The USF Elementary Education Program is an award-winning, nationally recognized program for its ability to work with school partners to develop clinically based teacher preparation programs. The Elementary Education Program is committed to the values of inquiry, inclusion, integration, and innovation.  Our goal is to prepare elementary educators who are committed to developing socially just, equity-oriented, anti-racist, and anti-biased learning communities who approach their teaching from an inquiry stance. We promote the development of an inquiry stance toward teaching where our students engage in regular, systematic, and intentional study of their practice using multiple forms of data. We are committed to supporting our preservice teachers in utilizing innovative practices, including the use of technology and multimodal instruction, to solve the continued challenges we face in education. Finally, as elementary educators, we feel it is imperative to promote an interdisciplinary approach to integrating content across the curriculum, as well as making ongoing theory to practice and practice to theory connections.

Position: Associate/Full Professor, Science Education, K-8

The candidate for this position will work primarily in an interdisciplinary Elementary Education Program but will also collaborate with secondary science education, particularly at the middle grades level, on projects, instruction, and committees related to the applicant’s expertise. Both the science education and elementary education programs offer degree programs at the Bachelor’s, Master’s (MAT and MA), and Ph.D. levels.

Position Responsibilities

A strong candidate will have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching and student mentoring, a clearly articulated research agenda in science education, and potential for securing competitive federal funding. Candidates should demonstrate verbal communication and interpersonal skills necessary for effective collaboration with a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and external constituents.

This is a 9-month, Associate/Full Professor position, tenure-earning, effective August 7, 2024, with a typical 2 course per semester teaching load during the academic year with the possibility for an additional summer contract. Major responsibilities include (1) maintaining a strong record of research and publication in science education, (2) acquiring external grants to sustain a research agenda focused on science and/or STEM education (3) teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in science pedagogy at the elementary and middle grades levels, (4) supervision and coaching of preservice elementary teachers, including the supervision of doctoral students working with preservice teachers, (5) advising graduate students, (6) serving on doctoral committees, (7) mentoring of junior faculty, (8) strengthening ties with school districts and the community, and (9) providing service to the department, institution, community, and profession. The program is particularly interested in candidates who can build on and expand the research portfolio of the program, particularly with a focus on the improvement of science teaching and learning in grades K-8, with a preference for the elementary grades.

Required Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in science education (or closely related field).
• At least 18 graduate hours of science or science education coursework, sufficient for accreditation purposes.
• Achieved the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor. 
• Success in writing and securing externally funded grants to support a research agenda related to science and/or STEM education.
• Evidence of a strong record of publication in high-impact journals and professional presentation record in K-8 science education.
• Professional experience (in or closely) related to teaching science at grades K-8. 
• Experience in teaching college-level science education courses, particularly for elementary and/or middle grades level teachers.
• Ability to work as a contributing member of a collaborative group to include a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and external constituents. 
• Evidence of supervision of doctoral / graduate students that may include but is not limited to collaborative research and dissertation committees.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Achieved the rank of Full Professor.
• Evidence of work with STEM initiatives or other interdisciplinary efforts.
• Honors and recognition within the field of science education.
• Contributions to school-based partnerships and research efforts in a variety of environments.
• Expertise in the use of technology for teaching and learning, including the teaching of online courses.
• Evidence of commitment to issues of equity for diverse learners.

The Department of Curriculum, Learning & Instruction is the largest department in the College of Education (USF Tampa), housing 10 programs, including elementary education, special education, early childhood education, physical education, reading/literacy education, and content specialties at the secondary level, including mathematics education, science education, social science education, English education, and TESOL/second language acquisition. The department is home to 47 full-time faculty members.

Information for Applicants 

This position is subject to a Level 1 criminal background check.

Job Opening Number: 36076

Posting Date:  01/18/2024

Posting End Date: 04/17/2024

Application Process:
All required documents must be uploaded in one PDF attachment: a letter of interest specifying, Position #3716 and describing qualifications for the position in each of the required/preferred areas, a current vita, unofficial university transcripts for all graduate degrees earned, and the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of three professional references. Letters from references are not required at the time of application.  Position finalists will be required to provide official university transcripts for all graduate degrees earned. Position finalists may be requested to provide letters of recommendation from professional references. References will be contacted for verification prior to any official campus visits. The candidate’s immediate supervisor will be contacted by the Dean of the College. USF conducts a full background check prior to employment.

Applications will be considered if received by 5:00 pm EST on February 15th, 2024. Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. David Rosengrant, [email protected].

How To Apply 

Click on the Apply Now button.  When applying to an opening you will have the opportunity to upload a cover letter and resume.

Apply online by completing the required information and attaching your cover letter and resume. Please include your experience as it relates to the qualifications stated above.  YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME, PLUS ANY OTHER REQUESTED MATERIAL, MUST BE IN ONE ATTACHMENT. Only online applications are accepted for this position.

Click here for additional tutorial information.

To request an accommodation with the application or interview process, please contact Central Human Resources by telephone: 813-974-2970 or email [email protected] .

Equal Employment Opportunity 

USF is an equal opportunity, equal access academic institution that embraces diversity in the workplace.

The University of South Florida does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sexual harassment. Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment (whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sex discrimination or sexual harassment), in person, by mail, by telephone, or by electronic mail, using the contact information listed for the Title IX Coordinator. Reports may be made at any time either online or directly to the University's Title IX Coordinator.

USF's Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Statement .

Federal Rights

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) , Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) .

Work Location 

Campus map and location overview: USF - Tampa Campus

About the College

Home to more than 2,400 students and 125 faculty members, the University of South Florida College of Education values high-quality education and excellence in research, teaching, and learning. The college is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the educator preparation programs are fully approved by the Florida Department of Education. At a time when the skills and pedagogy of classroom teachers and school administrators are more important than ever, the USF College of Education offers state- of-the-art teacher preparation and collaborative and collegial graduate studies designed to empower educational leaders. Working closely with school district partners across the Tampa Bay region, the College seeks to join with the community to extend proven educational initiatives and discover new ways of preparing life-long learners. The College faculty engage in innovative, interdisciplinary research addressing some of the greatest challenges facing the education field. Each year, our faculty publishes hundreds of scholarly works showcasing our impact in local communities and throughout the world. The College is home to seven (7) Centers and Institutes, including our most recently established School Mental Health Collaborative Center.  Faculty in the College of Education were awarded over $39 million in external funding in FY 2023. The USF College of Education is in the top 100 (#54 for 2023) in overall rankings for “America’s Best Education Schools” and is ranked #43 in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the best graduate schools in America.

The USF College of Education is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni that honors differences, provides equitable opportunities, fosters mutual respect, challenges stereotyped preconceptions, and condemns all forms of discrimination and prejudice. We respect and appreciate the diversity of human experiences differentiated by, for example, age, ancestry, circumstance, citizenship, culture, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender, language, nationality, political beliefs, race, religion, sexuality, or socioeconomic circumstances.  For information about USF see: www.usf.edu  

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report's national university rankings than USF. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF is designated as a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, placing it in the most elite category among the state's 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Working at USF 

With more than 16,000 employees at USF, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay region.  At USF you will find opportunities to excel in a rich academic environment that fosters the development and advancement of our employees.  We believe in creating a talented, engaged and driven workforce through on-going development and career opportunities. We also offer a first class benefit package that includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, tuition program and generous leave programs and more.

To learn more about working at USF please visit: Work Here. Learn Here. Grow Here .

Connect with us: