FELLOW, POST DOCTORAL

Hiring Department

The Missouri Prevention Science Institute at the University of Missouri invites applications for a postdoctoral research fellow with expertise in quantitative research methods and/or program evaluation, starting as soon as spring 2026. Preference to individuals who also have expertise in literacy for elementary school students.

The fellow will work on a project titled Amplify Literacy Learning: Research-based PD that Comes Alongside Classroom Teachers to Increase the Impact of Evidence-based Literacy Instruction. It is an Education Innovation and Research Program (EIR) grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The fellow will work primarily with Dr. Amanda Olsen, although they will also be working with the entire grant project team.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will gain experience working on a federally-funded research project within a team of affiliated faculty, two postdoctoral fellows, two GRAs, and various UGRAs. The fellow will be part of the Missouri Prevention Science Institute under Dr. Olsen’s mentorship. The fellow will also have the opportunity to develop an independent line of research related to the study’s activities. The fellow should be committed to seeking and securing external funding, producing original research, publishing their work in highly ranked conference proceedings and journals (as appropriate), and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research.

There will be annual travel to partner schools. You will need to pass school background checks. In addition to salary and benefits, this postdoc will also have funds for conference travel and technology. It is a 1-year position, with the possibility of renewal for a second year.

Job Description

Communication and Other Skills:

• Strong professional writing skills, including research reports, peer-reviewed research articles, or other print and electronic publications.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to communicate research results through talks at scientific conferences as well as to lay audiences.
• Familiarity with technology and online platforms for organizing teams and workspaces.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities:

• Help design prosocial education content
• Lead weekly research team meetings
• Ensure quality control of research
• Collect, organize, and analyze data
• Mentor graduate research assistants
• Co-author research publications and annual reports
• Develop future grant proposals

Candidates will be evaluated on the following factors: Qualifications listed above; Ability to develop and sustain an independent program of scholarly research; Openness to learning; Skills in participating in research projects and generating research ideas; Research interests that align well with the project mission.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in quantitative research methods and/or program evaluation or related disciplines at the time of appointment.
• Experience in collecting, cleaning, and analyzing quantitative data (using R)
• Experience with program evaluation.
• Experience in prek-12 students’ literacy

Preferred Qualifications:

• K-12 teaching, counseling, or administration experience
• Experience conducting classroom observations
• Proficiency in English
• Prior federal grant experience
• Experience mentoring undergraduate students to conduct educational research
• Experience in collaborating as a member of a larger research team
• Proficiency with managing complex data sets and applying cutting-edge data analysis techniques
• Experience with elementary literacy
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
• Comfort with technology use.

Application Materials

A letter of application that addresses the candidate’s interest in the work, overall qualifications for the fellowship, and an explanation of how this fellowship will help prepare the candidate’s future career interests and professional goals. A CV. A writing sample. List of three references.

The CV must be uploaded in the Resume/CV and Cover Letter section at https://hrs.missouri.edu/find-a-job.

Application Deadline

Formal review of applications will begin May 1st and will continue until the position is filled.

Questions should be directed to: Dr. Amanda Olsen, Associate Professor, University of Missouri, 16 Hill Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-2400, Email: aolsen@missouri.edu