Chair and Full Professor of Special Education

Description

Chair and Full Professor of Special Education

Tenure Track

Peabody College of Education and Human Development of Vanderbilt University

The Department of Special Education of Peabody College at Vanderbilt University invites applications for a Chair and Professor position in Special Education to join our faculty in the summer of 2026. A more accelerated timeline may be possible. The Chair will support an exceptional faculty to fulfill the research, teaching, and service missions of the Department, College, and University. The incoming Chair will capitalize on our department’s established stature, history, and existing partnerships to launch new initiatives.

Vanderbilt University and Peabody College provide strong faculty support (e.g., competitive salaries, generous start-up funds, expert support for grant preparation and post-grant award management, tuition benefits for dependent children). The Department is housed in Peabody College which is ranked among the top schools of education nationwide. The Department of Special Education—consistently ranked first among special education programs in the country—includes a highly collaborative faculty committed to excellence in research, teaching, interdisciplinary partnerships, and leadership training. Our department is structured with five tracks: early childhood, high-incidence disabilities, severe disabilities, vision impairments, and applied behavior analysis. For over five decades, our department has been a prominent leader in the field of special education across undergraduate, masters, and doctoral training. Our faculty are productive and invested in research that is ambitious, innovative, and inspiring. We partner extensively with school districts, disability organizations, and state agencies to meet the needs of students with disabilities from a wide variety of backgrounds, and to prepare the next generation of teachers, applied behavior analysts, and scholars. Affiliation is possible with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development http://kc.vanderbilt.edu), which is highly regarded for its interdisciplinary research, training, and community partnerships as well as the Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center (https://www.vanderbilt.edu/roberts-academy-and-center/), an academy for primary students with dyslexia and an innovative center focused on outreach and dyslexia research.

We are seeking an incoming Chair who will collaborate with our faculty to determine the trajectory of the department and lead an innovative vision for the future. The Chair will focus primarily on leadership and administrative responsibilities. Specifically, the Chair will: plan and implement initiatives for the department; collaborate with department, college, and university leadership; support and evaluate faculty and staff; manage financial, physical and human resources; mentor and support students; and perform and disseminate research.

Qualifications

Qualifications: The minimum required qualifications are:

• An earned doctoral degree in special education or a related field
• Robust record of scholarship, including external research funding, teaching and service commensurate with the position of full professor
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills

The preferred qualifications are:

• Previous administrative experience in higher education including experience managing financial, physical, and human resources
• Demonstrated leadership abilities in academia including creation and implementation of innovative initiatives

Application Instructions

Application Instructions: Applications will be reviewed beginning May 1, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit: 1) a letter of interest that addresses their qualifications, leadership philosophy, fit with the position, and program of research; 2) a current curriculum vitae, and 3) the names and contact information for three scholars who may be asked to write letters of recommendation. Please apply at the following link:

[Interfolio Information]

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the Vanderbilt Peabody College website at http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/. Inquiries about the search should be directed to the search committee chair, Meghan Burke, [email protected]

Vanderbilt University 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, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Vanderbilt University shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

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