Professor or Advanced Associate Professor of STEM Learning Sciences

At VCU, we provide UNcommon learning, research, creativity, service and discovery — the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers. VCU is a great place to work. It is a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education (SOE) is seeking a prominent educational researcher who works at the intersection of STEM education, learning sciences, and artificial intelligence/machine learning (transcending at least two of these areas) with an August 10, 2027 start date (the start date is negotiable). This is a 9-month, tenured faculty position, at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. The salary for this position is competitive.

The SOE’s commitment to responsive, needs-driven and research-based educational practices that transform lives powerfully aligns with One VCU Research’s overarching mission to enrich the human experience, advance societal wellbeing, and optimize health through transdisciplinary, collaborative research. By grounding educational inquiry in evidence-based, community-focused research and leveraging cross-disciplinary partnerships, SOE faculty contribute directly to One VCU’s strategic priorities of innovation, social impact, and transformative change across health, education, and social domains. Furthermore, our faculty within the SOE and affiliated centers (e.g., Center for Innovation in STEM Education; Partnership for People with Disabilities; Research Rehabilitation and Training Center) conduct federally funded, impactful research that contributes to University Research Clusters. This position will contribute to the ambitious research funding goals of the SOE, produce high-quality scholarship in STEM education with connections to learning sciences and/or artificial intelligence/machine learning, and collaborate with SOE faculty in transformative work.

At VCU, we believe that bringing different perspectives, expertise, experiences, and approaches together strengthens research, teaching, and solutions to complex problems. This philosophy drives our recruitment process, so we welcome applicants whose scholarship, teaching, professional experiences, and collaborative work contribute to a supportive and intellectually vibrant community of faculty, staff, and students.

The current faculty search, which leverages our Culture of Collaboration, prioritizes a nationally/internationally renowned scholar with expertise and funding that includes but is not limited to the One VCU Priorities and the University Research Clusters such as: STEM Education, Learning Sciences, Implementation Science, and/or AI/Machine Learning in Education. Applicants with exceptionally strong records of research, extramural funding, and teaching and leadership work experience within interdisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply. 

• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.
• An earned doctorate in education or related field closely related to STEM education. Candidates with training in learning sciences and/or machine learning/AI in education and their applications to STEM education are encouraged to apply.
• A distinguished record of teaching, scholarship, and professional service commensurate with tenure at the rank of associate or full professor at a research-intensive university.
• A well-developed scholarly/research portfolio appropriate to complement existing expertise in the SOE via high quality publications.
• A robust track record of continuously securing extramural funding to support research.
• Record of effective leadership and capacity to promote a strong collegial culture and climate.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct and/or translate research that is responsive to the needs and experiences of varied populations and contexts, with attention to access, implementation, engagement, or outcomes.
• Ability to develop and support collaborative relationships across the university and community, including school systems, state agencies, research institutes, and policy networks.

• Experience leading large grant proposals and funded projects as PI or CoPI.
• Evidence of collaborations with research centers, institutes and/or community agencies/organizations.
• Evidence of service and leadership in national or international professional associations.
• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration in research program.
• Experience working effectively across cultural, disciplinary, institutional, and community contexts.