Working/Functional Title

Center Director for EPIC

Position Summary

The College of Education at Michigan State University is seeking a Center Director, to lead the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC). The director of the EPIC (https://epicedpolicy.org/) , a well-established and respected research-policymaker partnership (RPP) serves as the strategic education research partner to the state of Michigan. Candidates with deep experience using large-scale data sets to inform education policy and practice and who also have experience with multi- or mixed-methods research are especially encouraged to apply. The position is open with respect to disciplinary background, although the position is best-suited for a scholar from the fields of economics, sociology, political science, policy, or education measurement. This is a college-wide search, meaning that the selected candidate may sit in any of the College’s departments and units, and affiliations with more than one department in the college and university are possible depending on the candidate’s qualifications and requirements.

It is expected that the successful candidate will enter the position at the rank of professor, although associate professors with established records of accomplishment in research and teaching, as well as obtaining external financial support for their work and evidence of collaboration with local, state, or national education agencies, with particular attention to issues of educational equity, are encouraged to apply.

Duties

Lead and direct EPIC, the incumbent will establish and maintain strong partnerships and relationships within State government and across the state along with research, teaching, and service responsibilities. The associated duties include (but are not limited to) working with EPIC’s managing director, EPIC’s research and administrative staff, and affiliated faculty to:

• Produce high-quality, timely, relevant “research with consequence” in support of education policymakers and practitioners.

• Establish and maintain relationships with state, local school district, agency, and stakeholder partners.

• Attract financial support from a diverse array of government and philanthropic entities in support of EPIC’s mission to provide “research with consequence” to improve the educations and lives of Michigan’s students and educators.

In support of this mission, the successful candidate will be able to leverage key features of EPIC and the College, including:

• EPIC’s unprecedented data sharing agreement with the State of Michigan that provides access to all administrative educational data sets with regular updates.

• EPIC’s team of researchers, staff, and affiliated faculty from MSU and across the country

• EPIC’s track-record of securing grant funding to support research projects co-constructed with partners, as well as several existing external research and evaluation grants and contracts from a diverse array of philanthropic and government sources.

• EPIC’s prominence in education policy decision making in Michigan, including well-established relationships with policy and practitioner partners, and a significant media presence.

• The U.S. News and World Report number 1-ranked elementary and secondary teacher education program in the country, the number 2-ranked higher education program, the 10th ranked education policy program, as well as top 10 rankings in education administration, educational psychology, and curriculum and instruction.

• A campus-wide community of scholars with research interests in education policy from other departments such as Economics, Political Science, and the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations.

  Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -field related to education policy and practice

Minimum Requirements

• Earned doctorate and a record of national stature in scholarly achievement in a field related to education policy and practice.

• Current academic position at the rank of full professor, or as a current associate professor on a strong trajectory or extensive experience leading and influencing education policy within state government or national education agencies.

• Record of research and publication in peer-reviewed journals and other forms of communication.

• Evidence of leadership in funded, large-scale research projects with policy relevance

• Evidence of deep engagement or collaboration in partnerships with local, state, or national education agencies.

• Evidence of obtaining large external funding.

• Experience with communicating research in ways that reach partners, stakeholders, and the public, including through policy briefs, reports, and a presence in the media.

• Record of success in grant writing/proposal development and the acquisition of extramural funding.

• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, and public speaking skills.

• Record of high-quality leadership/mentoring experiences with students, faculty and staff.

• Evidence of a capacity to contribute to the intellectual, research and instructional life of the College and the University.

  Desired Qualifications

• A record of service and leadership in national or international professional associations

  Required Application Materials

• A cover letter detailing qualifications for this position;

• A statement of research and teaching interests;

• A statement of leadership philosophy that highlights your experience working with partner organizations and leading large project teams or centers;

• A current curriculum vitae;

• Name and contact information for three professional references.

  Special Instructions

Review of applications will begin October 1, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted electronically to the Michigan State University Human Resources website http://careers.msu.edu.

Questions may be directed to the search chair Scott Imberman or to other members of the search committee: Sheneka Williams, Barbara Schneider, Tanya Wright, Maddy Mavrogordato, Emily Mohr, Adrea Truckenmiller

Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.

Review of Applications Begins On

10/02/2023

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

https://epicedpolicy.org/

Department Statement

Founded in 2017, EPIC is an independent, non-partisan education policy research center located in the College of Education at Michigan State University. EPIC is the strategic research partner to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and local school districts, providing evidence to produce new insights that decision-makers can use to create and implement policy.

EPIC is devoted to research with consequence and the idea that rigorous evidence using a variety of methods can improve education policy and practice and, ultimately, students’ lives. EPIC functions as the research arm of the Michigan Education Research Institute, a collaboration between the Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC) at the University of Michigan, the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), and MDE.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.