Postdoctoral Fellow in International Education and Teacher Well-Being at the University of Notre Dame

Position Introduction

The University of Notre Dame’s Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child (GC-DWC) within the Institute for Educational Initiatives invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship focused on research related to international education and teacher development in the majority world. 

The GC-DWC has been developing a research portfolio on teacher professional development, teacher well-being, and teacher agency in low-resource, fragile, and conflict-affected contexts. Examples of this include (a) working with teachers to understand their perceptions of teacher well-being, (b) developing and validating context-specific measures of teacher well-being, (c) contributing to the global discourse around teacher agency by studying teacher social networks and their influence on teacher agency, and (d) developing new knowledge to further USAID’s learning around teacher well-being and teacher professional development in conflict-affected and crisis contexts. The Postdoctoral Fellow will tap into these efforts by leveraging previous data we have collected, working with partners to design/support studies in ongoing collaborations, and developing new studies depending on their interests. This research may include data collection in fragile contexts and collaboration with scholars and practitioners, focusing on opportunities to advance the Fellow’s experience and scholarly publication record. 

This is a full-time position. The preferred start date is Summer 2025. The position is for one year, with a possible second year extension, depending on performance and availability of funding. The Fellow may be expected to travel to and work in sites in the majority world for several weeks per year. The position will be supervised by Dr. Nikhit D’Sa. The hiring committee will begin reviewing applicants on January 24th, 2025 and will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with Dr. Nikhit D’Sa to advance a robust scholarly agenda. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: 

• Collaborate with Dr. D’Sa, members of the GC-DWC team, and research partners to design new studies (primary or secondary data) to answer questions related to teacher professional development, well-being, and agency. 
• Support current research initiatives focused on questions related to teacher professional development, well-being, and agency. 
• Conduct rigorous quantitative data analysis, including measure validation, multivariate regression, and path analysis.
• Support teams working on qualitative data analysis and writing up results.
• As needed, provide training, support, and mentorship to ensure partners can play an integral part in study design, data analysis, and report writing. 
• Ensure collaborative inclusion of partners and colleagues in dissemination activities.
• Lead the preparation of research reports and briefers for technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Engage in manuscript writing to disseminate research findings in academic journals.
• Present findings at research conferences and other technical fora. 
• Build and maintain collaborative and respectful research partnerships through the work being conducted. 
• Ensure clear, timely, and respectful communication of roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders involved in a study. $

Minimum Qualifications

• Completed PhD or EdD by start date in education, international development, policy studies, economics, sociology, psychology, or related field. 
• Strong applied quantitative research skills. 
• Knowledge of and academic experience with qualitative research methods.
• Demonstrated experience designing research studies with diverse groups of partners and stakeholders in the majority world. 
• Record of scholarly publications. 
• Experience working in low-resource and/or crisis contexts in the majority world.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain professional relationships with relevant external and internal entities. 

This position is based on UND’s campus in South Bend, Indiana. Remote placement is feasible on a case-by-case basis. This is a full time, paid 12-month position. Visa sponsorship is possible for candidates located in South Bend, Indiana. 

To Apply

Interested applicants should submit an online application which included the following:

1. A 1-page cover letter that explains your interest in the position and outlines your relevant skills and experience.
2. A Resume/Curriculum Vitae.
3. A recent publication or dissertation chapter (upload this as ‘other’ in the documents section).

About the University of Notre Dame’s Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child

For children in poverty, lack of access to education, nutrition, health care, and stable relationships affects their physical, emotional, and intellectual health, and sets up a never-ending cycle of adversity. The many complex issues associated with poverty require a multifaceted approach. Accordingly, researching effective interventions that focus on the development of the whole child have the potential to create pathways out of poverty for children around the world. Motivated by a moral imperative to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first, Notre Dame established the Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child (GC-DWC) in 2019. Development of the whole child seeks to identify and align interventions that support positive human relationships, meet core needs, and promote the competences and skills required to succeed as a child, an adolescent, and an adult in a given social and economic context. Most often, these essentials are best addressed within the family, the school, and the immediate community. Together, we can build environments where all children can reach their potential and become responsible citizens and lifelong learners. 

The GC-DWC utilizes a multidisciplinary approach tailored to local needs to invest in the holistic well-being of children and provide a pathway out of poverty. Neuroscience, biology, economics, and developmental science all play a role in understanding the systems in which children live and in providing solutions to enable children to meet their God-given potential. The GC-DWC utilizes family, community, and schools to evaluate, collaborate, and activate nurturing of the whole child: meeting children’s basic needs, fostering supportive relationships, and promoting core capabilities and values. In all of its work, the GC-DWC embeds a “learning by doing” approach, investing in promising practices and pruning less effective ones, so that research is translated into timely and thoughtful action. With 38 full-time team members representing eight different nationalities who collectively speak 20 different languages, the GC-DWC brings Notre Dame to the world, using talent and expertise to create pathways out of adversity.