Open Rank Faculty Position in Special Education and Emerging Technologies

The University of South Florida (USF), a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), invites applications for an open-rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) faculty position to lead and expand a strategic research area focused on Special Education and Emerging Technologies. USF seeks a nationally and internationally recognized or rising scholar who will sustain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program, lead interdisciplinary collaborations, and mentor faculty and graduate students. This position represents a significant institutional investment to establish a nationally visible, externally funded research enterprise focused on the development and implementation of approaches designed to improve educational access and meaningful outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Candidates with experience serving as Principal Investigators on federal grants are especially encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will build a productive research program while creating opportunities for colleagues and students to develop their scholarship and compete for external funding.

Job Description

The University of South Florida College of Education serves a community of over 2,200 students and 130 faculty members dedicated to advancing high-quality education through excellence in research, teaching, and learning. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and fully approved by the Florida Department of Education, the College offers innovative teacher training and collaborative graduate programs aimed at developing educational leaders. In partnership with school districts across the Tampa Bay region, the College is committed to extending proven educational initiatives and exploring new approaches to preparing lifelong learners. Whether pursuing initial teaching certification or advancing professional development through graduate studies, the College provides comprehensive resources and support to help students achieve their educational and career goals.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in Special Education or a closely related discipline.
• A record of peer-reviewed scholarship and research achievement appropriate to the rank at a research-intensive university.
• An active research agenda focused on special education or disability that aligns with accessibility and emerging technologies.
• Evidence of success in securing competitive external research funding, or strong potential appropriate to career stage.
• Evidence of effective graduate mentorship or the capacity to mentor graduate students.
• Evidence of successful interdisciplinary collaboration or the capacity to contribute substantively to collaborative research teams.

Candidates seeking appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor level must demonstrate sustained scholarly productivity, substantive leadership on externally funded research, and national or international recognition commensurate with the proposed rank. Appointment rank and tenure status will be determined in accordance with University policies and the approved position authorization.

Preferred Qualifications

• A sustained record of competitive external funding as Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, or another role demonstrating substantial intellectual leadership.
• Experience securing federal research awards and developing a coherent program of research across successive projects.
• Evidence of successful faculty mentorship, such as collaborative publications, funded proposals, or colleagues' development as research leaders.
• Experience building interdisciplinary teams, research programs, laboratories, centers, or multi-institutional partnerships.
• Research integrating accessible or emerging technologies with rigorous evaluation of interventions, implementation, or educational outcomes.
• Research expertise in literacy or other critical areas of special education, particularly where such expertise supports the development of externally funded research programs.
• Experience conducting research in authentic educational or community settings and translating findings into usable practices, tools, or policy.

Research Opportunity at USF

USF's academic and health enterprise offers opportunities for collaboration across education, artificial intelligence and computing, engineering, psychology, communication sciences and disorders, behavioral and community sciences, and health-related disciplines. The successful candidate will help develop a sustained area of research strength that draws on these complementary capabilities and expands opportunities for faculty and graduate students.

Candidates should be positioned to pursue sustained competitive funding from IES/NCSER, NSF, NIH, other federal programs, foundations, or research partnerships appropriate to their agenda.

Application Instructions

Review of applications will begin on November 16, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, candidates are encouraged to apply by November 16, 2026. Applications should be submitted through Careers@USF - Job ID 44541 and include the following materials:

• Cover letter with contact information, the rank sought, and a description of the candidate's fit with this position.
• Full curriculum vitae.
• Research statement describing major scholarly contributions, competitive external funding and the candidate's role in securing it, and a vision for building an interdisciplinary, externally funded research program at USF.
• Teaching and mentoring statement describing the candidate's approach to graduate education, mentoring, and student success.
• Names and contact information for 3 professional references.

For additional information about the USF College of Education, visit https://www.usf.edu/education/

Responsibilities

Assistant/Associate/Professors in the Department of Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education (LLEEP) at the USF College of Education are responsible to a Chair or to other appropriate administrators of a state university. Assistant/Associate/Professors are responsible for teaching, research, service and related administrative activities and for academic advising. Assistant/Associate/Professors may represent the University, College, or Department on university and/or statewide committees.

Research Focus

We welcome scholars whose research connects special education, accessibility, and emerging technologies with rigorous intervention, assessment, implementation, or systems research. Artificial intelligence, assistive technologies, adaptive systems, and other emerging technologies are particularly relevant areas of interest. Candidates may bring an established technology-focused research program or a compelling agenda for integrating emerging technologies through substantive interdisciplinary collaboration.

We are particularly interested in research that examines whether, how, for whom, and under what conditions interventions and innovations improve outcomes. Relevant areas may include one or more of the following:

• Academic, behavioral, and communication interventions, including intensive literacy and mathematics intervention.
• Accessible and assistive technologies, including AI-enabled tools, adaptive learning, augmentative and alternative communication, and Universal Design for Learning. Immersive and interactive learning environments, including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, simulations, and other emerging technologies.
• Assessment, progress monitoring, data-based individualization, and decision-making.
• Special education workforce preparation, professional learning, and development.
• Implementation, adaptation, and scaling of effective practices.

These examples are illustrative. Candidates should demonstrate a coherent research program with a clear focus on individuals with disabilities and a credible contribution to the position's emphasis on educational access and emerging technologies.

Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Develop and sustain a nationally visible research program that produces influential scholarship and meaningful improvements in outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
• Secure competitive external research funding and provide substantive intellectual leadership on funded projects.
• Conduct rigorous research appropriate to the questions under study, including development, intervention, efficacy, effectiveness, measurement, implementation, or systems research.
• Build interdisciplinary research teams and collaborative funding initiatives across the College and University.
• Mentor faculty and emerging researchers in developing research programs, preparing competitive grant proposals, and leading collaborative projects.
• Mentor doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and other and early career scholars and contribute to the preparation of future researchers and teacher educators.
• Develop sustained partnerships with schools, districts, agencies, disability organizations, individuals with disabilities and their families, technology developers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Translate findings into practices, interventions, accessible tools, resources, or policy that can be used in educational and community settings.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching and University service in a manner appropriate to rank and the responsibilities of the appointment.

Responsibilities

Assistant/Associate/Professors in the Department of Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education (LLEEP) at the USF College of Education are responsible to a Chair or to other appropriate administrators of a state university. Assistant/Associate/Professors are responsible for teaching, research, service and related administrative activities and for academic advising. Assistant/Associate/Professors may represent the University, College, or Department on university and/or statewide committees.

Research Focus

We welcome scholars whose research connects special education, accessibility, and emerging technologies with rigorous intervention, assessment, implementation, or systems research. Artificial intelligence, assistive technologies, adaptive systems, and other emerging technologies are particularly relevant areas of interest. Candidates may bring an established technology-focused research program or a compelling agenda for integrating emerging technologies through substantive interdisciplinary collaboration.

We are particularly interested in research that examines whether, how, for whom, and under what conditions interventions and innovations improve outcomes. Relevant areas may include one or more of the following:

• Academic, behavioral, and communication interventions, including intensive literacy and mathematics intervention.
• Accessible and assistive technologies, including AI-enabled tools, adaptive learning, augmentative and alternative communication, and Universal Design for Learning. Immersive and interactive learning environments, including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, simulations, and other emerging technologies.
• Assessment, progress monitoring, data-based individualization, and decision-making.
• Special education workforce preparation, professional learning, and development.
• Implementation, adaptation, and scaling of effective practices.

These examples are illustrative. Candidates should demonstrate a coherent research program with a clear focus on individuals with disabilities and a credible contribution to the position's emphasis on educational access and emerging technologies.

Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Develop and sustain a nationally visible research program that produces influential scholarship and meaningful improvements in outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
• Secure competitive external research funding and provide substantive intellectual leadership on funded projects.
• Conduct rigorous research appropriate to the questions under study, including development, intervention, efficacy, effectiveness, measurement, implementation, or systems research.
• Build interdisciplinary research teams and collaborative funding initiatives across the College and University.
• Mentor faculty and emerging researchers in developing research programs, preparing competitive grant proposals, and leading collaborative projects.
• Mentor doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and other and early career scholars and contribute to the preparation of future researchers and teacher educators.
• Develop sustained partnerships with schools, districts, agencies, disability organizations, individuals with disabilities and their families, technology developers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Translate findings into practices, interventions, accessible tools, resources, or policy that can be used in educational and community settings.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching and University service in a manner appropriate to rank and the responsibilities of the appointment.