Endowed Chair and Executive Director, Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies

Job no: 537859
Work type: Tenure-Track Faculty
Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)
Categories: Executive/Director/Management, Early childhood education/Childcare
Department:18080000 - ED-SPED SPECIAL EDUCATION

Classification Title:
CTR DIR & ASO/FULL PROF

Classification Minimum Requirements:
A candidate for Associate Professor shall hold the highest degree appropriate to their field or possess professional qualifications above those equivalent to the highest degree relevant to their field. They are expected to have produced creative work, professional writing, or research and successful teaching or professional experience. A candidate for this rank must have a distinguished record of achievement beyond the assistant professor level.

A candidate for Professor shall be qualified for the rank of associate professor and, in addition, be a recognized national or international authority or an outstanding teacher in their field or specialization. A candidate for this rank must have a distinguished record of achievement beyond the associate professor level.

Job Description:
The University of Florida seeks applications for the David Lawrence Jr. Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Studies, a 12-month tenure-track associate or full professor appointment. The Endowed Chair will also hold an administrative appointment as the Executive Director of the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. These roles recognize an eminent scholar with a national or international reputation for research, policy leadership, and transformative initiatives in child development, and early childhood studies or education. The Director and Chair will provide visionary leadership to advance transdisciplinary research, policy, and practice that supports the development, well-being, learning, and optimal outcomes for young children and their families.

The David Lawrence, Jr. Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Studies will have a faculty appointment in an academic unit (e.g., the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies). The Endowed Chair will also hold an administrative appointment as the Executive Director of the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. The Center endowment serves as a robust reserve and resource for advancing the Center's initiatives and the financially-sound Lawrence endowment will support the Chair holder's own research activities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Provide vision and leadership as the Director for the Anita Zucker Center and Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Studies, advancing transdisciplinary research and policy initiatives in early childhood.
• Research and Scholarship: Conduct high-quality, impactful research in early childhood studies and maintain a strong record of scholarly publications.
• Policy Engagement: Play a prominent role in national and international discussions on early childhood policy, advocating for optimal outcomes for all young children, their families, and the practitioners that support them
• Collaboration and Outreach: Strengthen partnerships with UF entities, national organizations, and early childhood researchers and practitioners to bridge research, policy, and practice.
• Funding and Resource Development: Secure a broad array of external funding (e.g., grants, contracts, gifts) and partnerships to support the Center's initiatives. Expand the Center's impact by identifying and pursuing new opportunities, building capacity, and ensuring the sustainability of its initiatives.
• Mentorship and Professional Development: Mentor faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates contributing to programmatic and faculty development.

Expected Salary:
Commensurate with education and experience.

Required Qualifications:

• A doctorate in an appropriate field related to early childhood studies or education, child development, or a related discipline
• A distinguished record of research and scholarship in early childhood studies and/or child development
• Tenure eligible as an (advanced) associate or full professor
• National or international recognition for leadership and impact in child development, early childhood studies or education
• Proven success in securing and administering external funding from various sources (e.g., federal, state, foundation)
• Experience mentoring doctoral students, postdoctoral associates, and faculty colleagues
• A commitment to transdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience in higher education administration, policy formulation and advocacy for child development or early childhood studies
• Experience leading a research center with affiliated faculty and staff
• Experience developing and implementing large-scale research or policy initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships with academic, government, and nonprofit organizations

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Application Procedures: Applicant should upload all materials to the University of Florida's employment website https://jobs.ufl.edu. If technical assistance is needed, please contact Human resources at (352) 392-2477. Complete applications include: (1) a letter of application addressing required and desired qualifications, (2) curriculum vitae or résumé, (3) contact information for three references, who after further review will be asked to send a letter of recommendation through the online application system.

Applicants should reference requisition 537859, position number 00042129. Inquiries about the position can be addressed to Erica McCray, Search Committee Chair ([email protected]). Review of candidates will begin on December 12, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be submitted by December 5th. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the committee and hiring authority.

The selection process will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida's "Government in the Sunshine" and Public Records laws. Search Committee meetings and interviews are open to the public and all applications, resumes, and other documents related to the search will be available for public inspection. Final candidates will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to Student" is visible. Degrees earned outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credentialing Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org.

Health Assessment Required:No

Advertised: 11 Nov 2025 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close:

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