Aug 22nd: Assistant or Associate Professor positions in USC
The Rossier School of Education is seeking two outstanding scholars to join the K-12 Policy and
Leadership faculty:
• Assistant or Associate Professor of K-12 Policy and Leadership
• Clifford H. and Betty C. Allen Professorship in Urban Leadership
Assistant or Associate Professor of K-12 Policy and Leadership
We seek a scholar at the assistant or associate professor rank who shares our commitment to
conducting research that addresses critical issues in urban public education. The successful
candidate’s research will be theoretically grounded in a relevant discipline (e.g., economics,
organizational theory, political science, public policy, sociology, history or statistics) and will
use sophisticated quantitative or qualitative methodologies (e.g., econometric methodologies
leading to causal inference, randomized control trials, case studies, ethnographies, survey design,
and mixed-methods). We are looking for a colleague whose research focuses on either the
implementation and impacts of state and federal pre-K – 12 education policies on teacher
practice and/or student outcomes, or the organizational and/or social contexts in which these
policies are enacted. Candidates should welcome the opportunity to engage in collaborative
research, contribute to intellectual and rigorous debates about complex and controversial
education policy issues, and work closely with doctoral students.
The focus of faculty and students in Rossier’s K-12 Policy and Leadership concentration is on
conducting rigorous research that can be directly applied to school, district, state and federal
policymaking. Current faculty research interests include accountability at the teacher and
school/school district levels, school choice, public-private partnerships, teacher quality and
teacher labor markets, and education finance and governance. K-12 Policy and Leadership
faculty not only conduct research that is relevant to education policy, but also often work with
policymakers to help them contribute to, understand and utilize their research. Although the
concentration is currently called “K-12 Policy and Leadership,” we welcome applicants who
extend their research to pre-kindergarten, transitions between pre-k and K-12 as well as K-12
and higher education.
All K-12 Policy and Leadership faculty work with doctoral students and prioritize close
mentoring and development of doctoral students. We are a collaborative group of scholars who
often work together and with teams of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows on large-scale
research intended to help policymakers improve K-12 education. The preferred candidate for the
advertised position will similarly value teaching and mentorship, and will show evidence of
success (commensurate with experience) in obtaining extramural funding to enable the creation
of research teams to address important and complex education policy issues while providing
intensive research training to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Clifford H. and Betty C. Allen Professorship in Urban Leadership
The senior scholar who will join the Rossier faculty as the Clifford H. and Betty C. Allen
Professor in Urban Leadership will share our commitment to conducting research that addresses
critical issues in urban public education. This endowed chair was created in 1998 through the
generous gift from Clifford H. and Betty C. Allen with the goal of supporting a distinguished
scholar or educational leader whose career accomplishments have made a significant impact in
urban public education. The candidate’s research will be theoretically grounded in a relevant
discipline (e.g., economics, organizational theory, political science, public policy, sociology,
history or statistics) and will use sophisticated quantitative or qualitative methodologies (e.g.,
econometric methodologies leading to causal inference, randomized control trials, case studies,
ethnographies, survey design, and mixed-methods). The candidate’s research will focus on the
implementation and impacts of state and federal pre-K – 12 education policies on teacher
practice and/or student outcomes, or the organizational and/or social contexts in which these
policies are enacted. Candidates should welcome the opportunity to engage in collaborative
research, contribute to intellectual and rigorous debates about complex and controversial
education policy issues, and mentor doctoral students and faculty.
The focus of faculty and students in Rossier’s K-12 Policy and Leadership concentration is on
conducting rigorous research that can be directly applied to school, district, state and federal
policymaking. Current faculty research interests include accountability at the teacher and
school/school district levels, school choice, public-private partnerships, teacher quality and
teacher labor markets, and education finance and governance. K-12 Policy and Leadership
faculty not only conduct research that is relevant to education policy, but also often work with
policymakers to help them contribute to, understand and utilize their research. Although the
concentration is currently called “K-12 Policy and Leadership,” we welcome applicants who
extend their research to pre-kindergarten, transitions between pre-k and K-12 as well as K-12
and higher education.
All K-12 Policy and Leadership faculty work with doctoral students and prioritize close
mentoring and development of doctoral students. We are a collaborative group of scholars who
often work together and with teams of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows on large-scale
research intended to help policymakers improve K-12 education. The preferred candidate for the
Allen Chair will similarly value teaching and mentorship, and will show evidence of success in
obtaining extramural funding to enable the creation of research teams to address important and
complex education policy issues while providing intensive research training to graduate students
and postdoctoral fellows.
Applicants should send a letter of interest, CV, names and contact information for three
references by email to: William G. Tierney, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs,
c/o Michael Chung, Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty, Rossier School of Education,
University of Southern California, WPH, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0031,
michaebc@rossier.usc.edu. Please indicate the position you are applying for in the subject line.
Review of applications will begin October 15, 2014 and continue until the positions are filled.