Assistant Professor, Research Methodology Cluster Hire, Fall 2027

Assistant Professor, Research Methodology Cluster Hire, Fall 2027

Location:
Knoxville, TN, United States
Open Date:
Sep 15, 2026
Description:

The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville seeks applicants for three nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor positions beginning August 1, 2027. These positions are part of a strategic investment in research methodology to strengthen graduate education and research across the college.

We welcome applications from early career scholars with an active and rigorous research agenda in one or more of the following areas:

• Advanced Quantitative Methods
• Education Data Science Methods
• Qualitative Research Methods

We are interested in candidates whose work addresses emerging methodological challenges, critically examines how research methods shape educational inquiry, and explores the opportunities, limitations, and implications of artificial intelligence for research. We seek scholars who are committed to preparing the next generation of researchers.

The Qualitative Research Methods and Advanced Quantitative Methods positions will be housed in the Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology program in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. The Education Data Science Methods position will be housed in the Computing, AI, and Data Analytics in Education program in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. Program faculty work collaboratively across departments to provide methodology courses throughout the College.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Maintaining an active and innovative scholarly research agenda.
• Pursuing external funding opportunities to support one’s research agenda.
• Teaching undergraduate and graduate-level research methods courses.
• Advising master’s and doctoral students and serving on graduate committees.
• Contributing to the development and refinement of research methods curricula, programs, and initiatives.
• Engaging in service to the department, college, university, profession, and broader educational community.

Qualifications:

Required qualifications include:

• A doctorate (completed by August 2027) in educational research, evaluation, statistics, data science, qualitative inquiry, survey methodology, educational measurement, educational psychology, learning sciences, or a closely related field.

•  Evidence of, or potential for, an active and rigorous scholarly program, including the potential to secure external funding.

Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas:

Advanced quantitative methods (e.g., Bayesian methods, longitudinal or growth modeling, latent variable modeling), survey methodology, assessment, measurement, or related approaches;

Education data science, computational approaches for analyzing educational data, the use of AI as a research method, natural language processing, or related approaches; or

Qualitative research methodologies, with experience in multiple qualitative research designs and traditions of inquiry (e.g., basic qualitative research, case study, narrative, phenomenology, ethnographic methods, grounded theory, critical/discourse approaches).

Evidence of potential for excellence in teaching and mentoring.

Demonstrated ability to work collegially with others, including faculty, staff, and students.

Willingness to teach in multiple instructional formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid environments.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience teaching graduate-level research methods courses.
• Scholars interested in the intersection(s) between quantitative methods, education data science, and qualitative methods
• Experience mentoring student research projects.
• Record of, or strong potential for, pursuing or securing externally funded research.
• Experience with multiple statistical software packages (e.g., R, Python, SPSS, Stata, SAS), qualitative data analysis software (e.g., Dedoose, NVivo, Atlas.ti, MAXQDA), or other computational tools and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, relevant to the candidate's area of expertise.

Application Instructions:

Application Instructions 

To apply, please submit the following using the Interfolio Faculty Search platform at Interfolio LINK  (1) a two page cover letter, which should consist of a summary of how the applicant meets the required and preferred qualifications, and identify the research area for which the candidate would like to be considered (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) one representative publication, and (4) the names and contact information for three references who are able to speak to the candidate’s qualifications for the position. No other submitted documents will be considered.

Note regarding the use of generative AI: The committee understands that some candidates may elect to use generative AI to help prepare application materials. We view using AI for brainstorming, editing, and formatting as appropriate and ethical; however, candidates should not submit fully unedited, AI-generated text or falsified information. 

The College of Education, Health and Human Sciences is a multidisciplinary unit with 90+ tenured/tenure-track faculty members, housed in six departments. Our Departments of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Theory and Practice in Teacher Education collaborate extensively across research, graduate education, and methodological training. The College is committed to advancing innovative research and preparing scholars who address consequential educational and societal challenges.

Located near the beautiful Smoky Mountains, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) was founded in 1794 and is one of the oldest public universities in the country. UTK is a vibrant and diverse urban campus located in the heart of Knoxville. It is the flagship campus for the UT system, a participating institution of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and is officially designated as a Research (Very High Research Activity) and Community Engagement University by the Carnegie Foundation. For more information about UTK and Knoxville, please visit: http://www.utk.edu/aboutut/

Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.

Inquiries about the position should be directed to co-chairs:

Dr. Louis Rocconi
Associate Professor and Search Committee Co-Chair
lrocconi@utk.edu

Dr. Josh Rosenberg
Associate Professor and Search Committee Co-Chair
jrosenb8@utk.edu

 
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.