Pedagogical Research Postdoctoral Scholar

The UCLA Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) was established in August 2023 to support UCLA's educational mission to engage a university-wide community of scholars composed of educators and the diverse learners they serve in a collaborative process to discover and advance knowledge and practice across the disciplines both in and beyond the classroom. The TLC is a key driver of innovation and excellence in teaching across UCLA's broad academic landscape, a campus resource for programming in support of inclusive and evidence-based teaching practices, and a champion of pedagogical research.

The TLC invites applicants for a position of Pedagogical Research Postdoctoral Scholar to support the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning (VPTL) in developing a research agenda for the newly established Pedagogical Research and Scholarly Teaching (PRST) unit of the TLC. The position is a full-time appointment with a start date of January 1, 2026. Salary range is commensurate with experience. The position comes with University benefits. This appointment is for 2 years with the possibility of extension.

Overview of the Position

Pedagogical Research and Scholarly Teaching (PRST) is a new unit within the TLC devoted to advancing action research, discipline-based education research (DBER), the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), and interdisciplinary research in the learning sciences. PRST brings together faculty, including Professors of Teaching, TLC staff, and campus partners (including students) as thought leaders in investigatory teams to identify research themes, secure funding, and pilot projects that elevate teaching excellence, accelerate instructional innovation, and promote pedagogical experimentation and discovery across the disciplines at UCLA. Current research projects include empirical investigations of evidence-based teaching practices, the impact of educational technology (i.e. Artificial Intelligence) and technology-enhanced learning spaces, systematic studies of instructional modalities and other methodological interventions at the undergraduate and graduate student levels, and faculty engagement in professional teaching development. The Pedagogical Research Postdoctoral Scholar will work collaboratively with the VPTL to contribute to TLC's mission of increasing the use of data-informed pedagogical practices.

Core Responsibilities

* Develop theory of change, conduct literature reviews, and design IRB-approved, mixed-method empirical studies to examine the impact of educational interventions.

* Engage with graduate research assistants, project team members, and TLC staff to focus, improve, and evaluate the efficacy or feasibility of research approaches.

* Support extramural grant proposal writing and study design including logic model development.

* Create and administer assessments, collect data, analyze results, report and disseminate research findings.

* Establish and maintain data collection and management standards for the PRST.

* Work collaboratively with the VPTL to author research manuscripts, prepare and present research conference papers, posters, and talks.

* Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned by the VPTL.

Qualifications and application instructions

Applicants who are All But Dissertation (ABD) and will have received their Ph.D. degree by December 31, 2025, are encouraged to apply.

To apply, candidates should submit a cover letter expressing their interest in the position, curriculum vitae, sample of academic writing that includes a section on research methods (e.g., article, dissertation chapter), and the names and contact information for three professional references. Please complete reference check authorization release form and upload with your application materials.

This position is represented by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW): https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargainingunits/px/contract.html.

Questions about the position should be directed to Professor Erin Sanders O'Leary, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, at esoleary@teaching.ucla.edu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

* Ph.D. in higher education, sociology, psychology, or other social science discipline.

* Advanced quantitative data collection and analytical skills.

* Experience with qualitative and mixed-methods research design and analyses.

* Ability to conduct survey research in an educational setting.

* Ability to develop data management plans and maintain data integrity, confidentiality, and ethical standards in survey research and data management.

* Excellent verbal/written communication skills.

* Demonstrated interpersonal skills and mentorship abilities.

* Strong organizational skills and ability to complete complex projects according to deadlines

* Ability to work independently, be flexible, and pay attention to detail.

* Ability to be a productive, collegial contributor to and leader of diverse teams of professionals in pedagogy, assessment, and institutional research.

* This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement within the state of California; the incumbent must reside within the state of California or be willing to relocate.

* Experience studying student learning, evidence-based teaching practices, curriculum development, and/or faculty engagement in professional development in higher education.

* Familiarity with a variety of qualitative research methods, including but not limited to ethnography, interviews, focus groups, and content analysis.

* Background engaging with campus data stewards, including institutional research (IR) offices.

* Experience with Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications supporting Human Subjects Research in Social and Behavioral Sciences.

* Skill in engaging nontechnical audiences in meaningful discussion about data and statistical results as it relates to teaching and classroom assessment; experience building consensus among stakeholders leading to educational reform at course, program, and/or department level.

* Ability to use tools to code qualitative data (e.g., nVivo), survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey), data visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Tableau), and data management software (e.g., Excel, Google sheets).

• 3 required (contact information only)

Provide the names and contact information for three professional references when submitting an application. Applicants will be contacted when letters of recommendation is needed.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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