Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Associate/Full Professor of Child Development and Director, Child Development Laboratory
Position: Associate or Full Professor, full-time (50% research, 50% teaching), tenure-track, benefits-eligible, 9-month academic year appointment. Appointment as Director of the Child Development Laboratory (CDL) includes an additional 2 months of paid summer appointment, an administrative stipend, and a course reduction.

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) seeks outstanding candidates for a faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor rank with expertise in child development and early care and education. As Director of the CDL, the successful candidate will provide a vision for the CDL that combines research, teaching, and outreach with the year-round delivery of high-quality accredited early childhood education programming for children 6 weeks - 5 years old. In addition to providing administrative and academic leadership for the CDL, this position involves teaching at least one undergraduate or graduate course per year and participating in faculty governance and department, college, and campus culture. The Director will oversee an administrative team that includes: (a) an Associate Director who runs the day-to-day childcare programming operations and supervises the teaching staff, and (b) a Research Coordinator who manages the CDL’s research and academic teaching portfolio.

Child Development Laboratory

Established in 1941, the Child Development Laboratory (CDL) has a long history of supporting teaching, research, and outreach/engagement activities on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus. As a laboratory school, the CDL program is charged with serving as a site for graduate and undergraduate educational activities in the field of child development, facilitating faculty and student research in child development, and providing model programs and leadership for the local, state, and national child development/early childhood communities. The program fulfills the Land Grant mission by: serving as a site for practicum and internship placements for UIUC students; facilitating student observations in support of UIUC coursework; assisting with the implementation of class projects that allow students to begin applying theory and research covered in courses to actual application in working with children; assisting with data collection for faculty and student research projects; and participating in outreach and dissemination activities with local, state and national early care and education programs. The CDL balances laboratory school activities with providing high-quality early care and education programming for the 160 enrolled children and their families. In addressing its academic mission as a laboratory school, CDL staff pursue a transdisciplinary approach to facilitating teaching and research in child development. The most recent annual report can be found at: https://cdl.illinois.edu/annual-report/.

Department:
The mission of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is to address contemporary issues that affect children, youth, adults, and families through high quality research, teaching, and outreach programs. HDFS is united by a shared value of diverse cultures, communities, and family structures and a strong commitment to antiracism. We promote the health and well-being of individuals and families in changing societal contexts through state-of-the-art quantitative and qualitative research methods, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research collaborations, and innovative community engagement efforts grounded in evidence. Through premier undergraduate and graduate programs, we are committed to recruiting and training the next generation of leaders, scholars, and educators to address the needs of individuals and families in a changing society.

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with the candidate’s rank and experience. Position begins August 16, 2024. Applications received by October 15, 2023 will receive priority. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after the closing date. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified.