Faculty Tenure-Track 9-Mo

Assistant Professor

Early Childhood Education (Generalist)

Position #998408

School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

Kent Campus, Kent, OH

Setting: Kent State University (http://www.kent.edu) is located in Northeast Ohio, a geographic area rich in institutional diversity. Kent, Ohio (http://kentohio.org/) is a mid-sized community on the Cuyahoga River, approximately 10 miles from Akron, 35 miles from Cleveland, and 15 miles from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. With more than 35,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and off-campus programs, the university is one of 91 public doctoral universities and one of only five universities in Ohio awarded R1 status for highest research activity from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, Kent State is the highest-ranking public university in Northern Ohio on the Top Public Schools, and Best National Universities lists by U.S. News & World Report. For the tenth time, Kent State University is recognized as a “Great Colleges to Work For” according to the Great Colleges to Work program. Additionally, the teacher education programs at Kent State have a strong commitment to social justice.

For more information about our Early Childhood Education Programs at the undergraduate and graduate level please visit: https://www.kent.edu/earlychildhood

Responsibilities: We seek an early childhood generalist with theoretical grounding, practical experience, and a passion for innovation who can develop and teach a range of undergraduate and graduate courses. The successful candidate will also recruit and advise undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students; actively participate in program, school, college, and university committees; develop and sustain partnerships with local school districts; and provide leadership within local, state, national, and international education organizations. The successful candidate will develop and maintain an active research program focused on improving learning experiences in early childhood classrooms, with scholarly interests that may include educator professional development, engineering education, and classroom discourse during design activities, and the role of AI and emerging technologies in early childhood settings. The candidate is expected to produce peer-reviewed publications and, where applicable, pursue external grant funding.

Qualifications: A doctoral degree in early childhood education is required, along with a minimum of three years of teaching experience at the early childhood level (PreK–Grade 5) and at least one year teaching university-level teacher preparation courses in early childhood education. The successful candidate will demonstrate evidence of research productivity through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and expertise in one or more of the following: educator professional development, engineering education and design-based learning, classroom discourse, or AI and emerging technologies in early childhood settings. The candidate must also demonstrate experience mentoring students and contributing to curriculum design at the undergraduate or graduate level, as well as the ability and interest to teach online and integrate technology meaningfully into their teaching practice.

Salary: Competitive and commensurate with qualifications.

Application & Appointment Dates: Review of applications will begin on July 15, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. The successful candidate will begin August 20, 2026. Kent State is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Please direct all questions to phutchin@kent.edu.

Application Materials: Please apply at https://jobs.kent.edu/. Include: (1) a letter of application describing the candidate’s academic background and specific skills and experiences relevant to the position; (2) a current curriculum vitae; (3) a writing sample (publication, manuscript under review, or course paper with indication of percent of contribution to the piece); and (4) three letters of reference.

Early Childhood Education Search Committee

School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

404 White Hall, Kent State University

Kent, OH 44242-0001