Postdoctoral Research Fellow
SPARK Lab
Graduate School of Education
Stanford University
Dr. Jelena Obradović seeks a full-time postdoctoral candidate for the inaugural cohort of Stanford Innovation Fellows. This two-year post-doctoral fellowship position is designed to train aspiring researchers to conduct work that makes significant contributions to educational and developmental sciences, while making an impact on educational practice or policy through engagement with research practice partnerships (RPP).
The postdoc will work on a research-practice partnership project that Dr. Obradović has with San Francisco Unified School District. We will examine how different aspects of preschool attendance and classroom experience (e.g., emotional, instructional, organizational) uniquely relate to the growth of children’s academic, social, and emotional learning skills from kindergarten through grade 3. We will also investigate whether these associations vary by children’s racial/ethnic background, language proficiency, and initial skill levels. In addition, we will evaluate the impact of the new social and emotional curriculum that is implemented in transitional kindergarten classrooms on students’ outcomes. There will be opportunities to get involved with other studies.
The postdoc will also make a commitment to attend regular meetings with other fellows, students and faculty mentors at Stanford GSE that have fellowship and research with aligned goals. These meetings will help the fellows manage their partnership work and learn how to broker connections with school leaders and practitioners, troubleshoot any issues, and disseminate their work to diverse audiences. Fellows will build their RPP network by having the opportunity to attend the National Network for Education Research Practice Partnership annual forum and at least one national conference which they will select based on their discipline and their advisor’s guidance.
Primary responsibilities include collaborating with Dr. Obradović and her research team on analysis of the collected data, conceptualizing scientific papers and presentations, and preparing manuscripts for submission to academic journals. This position offers an excellent opportunity to further analytical and writing skills and to publish scientific papers. The postdoc will also be able to network with a rich, multidisciplinary community of scholars, and to attend workshops and colloquia through Stanford’s Center for Education Policy Analysis, John W. Gardner Center, Psychology Department, Center on Poverty and Inequality, and more.
Qualifications include:
· a Ph.D. in developmental/educational psychology or a related field
· strong analytical skills (including multilevel and longitudinal analyses of nested data) and experience with statistical analysis packages (R, STATA, MPlus)
· excellent writing skills and experience with submitting manuscripts to academic journals
· ability to work well independently and on a team on multiple projects
· great organization skills and attention to detail
· experience working in early education settings or with early education practitioners is preferred
*Minimum one-year commitment required, with the potential for a one-year renewal pending successful first year.
Residence in the San Francisco Bay area.
To apply, please send to the following materials to obradovic.lab@gmail.com
• curriculum vitae
• letter summarizing your research interests, relevant experiences, and statistical skills
• contact information for three references
• writing sample (published or unpublished) that best exemplifies your scholarly work
• an example of original syntax and output showcasing multilevel analyses (optional, but encouraged)
Application deadline: January 30, 2020
Jelena Obradović, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Education
Stanford University
Phone: 650.725.1250