"Post Doctoral Scholar"

The College of Education and Human Ecologys Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) Postdoctoral Scholar will operate as a practitionerresearcher in the areas of translational research, school-based mental health, practitioner capacity building, and community-engaged evaluation. This position is situated within CETEs Excellence in Engagement, and Evaluation (EEE) program area.

The postdoctoral scholar will receive structured training and mentored experiences that prepare them for future roles in university-based research centers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and applied research settings. In alignment with CETEs mission, the scholar will engage in translational research activities that (a) generate knowledge, (b) translate findings to real-world practice, and (c) contribute to policy-relevant insights that support educators, families, and communities.

This position provides opportunities to:

• Develop leadership experience in applied, practice-based research and evaluation projects;
• Strengthen competencies in project management, partnership development, and multidisciplinary collaboration;
• Build a robust scholarly pipeline grounded in CETEs large-scale education projects;
• Participate in and lead components of proposal development and external grant submissions;
• Design and provide technical assistance, facilitation, and coaching products and services;
• Contribute to the design, management, and implementation of translational research and evaluation projects and deliverables to guide partners efforts to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies/interventions to achieve desired outcomes;
• Prepare project reports and present findings;
• Provide educational sessions and professional learning opportunities for CETE staff and project partners;
• Engage in national professional networks related to school mental health, translational research, and community-engaged practice.

The postdoctoral scholar will be a key contributor to CETEs mission of supporting organizations and communities to achieve desired outcomes efficiently and effectively while advancing community-centered research and practice.

Required Experience: Experience in education research, including advanced methodological skills. Ideally candidates will have expertise in both quantitative methodologies (e.g., structural equation modeling, multilevel regression, survey development validation, item-response theory, etc.) and qualitative methodologies. Required Education: Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) from an accredited college or university in an area of Education or a related field required prior to starting date of the position

Desired Experience: Prior experience with translational research is desirable.

65% Translational Research, Evaluation, and Project Leadership: Contribute to the design, management, and implementation of translational research and community engaged evaluation projects that support schools, educators, families, and community partners. Coordinate project activities, including timelines, deliverables, communication with internal teams, and engagement with external partners and sponsors. Conduct applied research tasks such as literature reviews, mixed-methods data collection, data analysis, and interpretation to inform real world practice and policy-relevant insights. Support the development of practitioner-facing tools, resources, and products that translate research findings into actionable strategies for partner organizations. Participate in and contribute to CETE's translation-forward approach to research and practice by incorporating evidence-based and community-centered frameworks across all project activities.

15% Technical Assistance, Facilitation, and Professional Learning: Design and deliver technical assistance, facilitation, professional development, and coaching for CETE staff and project partners. Provide educational sessions on topics related to translational research, implementation, school-based mental health, or applied research methods. Support field-facing capacity-building activities that strengthen practitioner knowledge, skills, and readiness to implement evidence-informed practices.

10% Scholarly Products, Reporting, and Dissemination: Prepare project reports, briefs, presentations, and other documentation summarizing research and evaluation findings for internal and external audiences. Contribute to scholarly dissemination efforts, including authoring or co-authoring manuscripts grounded in CETEs applied projects. Present findings at professional meetings, conferences, or partner convenings to support the translation of research into practice.

5% Proposal Development: Grant Writing and Resource Development. Participate in and lead components of proposal development, including narrative writing, literature synthesis, methodological design, and collaboration with CETEs proposal development team. Support external funding efforts by assisting with budget development, project planning, and preparation of grant-related documents.

5% Community Engagement: Foster and maintain productive relationships with diverse internal and external partners, including educators, school districts, state agencies, and community organizations. Represent CETE and the EEE program area in meetings, professional networks, and national forums related to school mental health, translational research, or applied educational practice. Contribute to collaborative teamwork within CETE, including participation in cross project initiatives and internal capacity-building efforts.

Target Hiring Range for this position is $61,008 - $63,000