Open Rank Professor of Special Education (Tenure Track)

Open Rank Professor of Special Education (Tenure Track)

Job no: 537926
Work type: Tenure-Track Faculty
Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)
Categories: Education/Training/Instructional Design
Department: 18080000 - ED-SPED SPECIAL EDUCATION

Classification Title:
AST/ASO/FULL PROF

Classification Minimum Requirements:
Candidates for Assistant Professor shall hold the highest degree appropriate to their field or possess equivalent qualifications based on professional experience. A candidate shall be expected to demonstrate successful experience pertinent to the position they are being recommended and have demonstrated qualities relevant to the goals of the academic unit in which they will be employed.

Candidates 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.

Candidates for Full 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 is currently accepting applications for a tenure-line Open Rank (Assistant/Associate/Full) Professor of Special Education. The Special Education program is housed within the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies. Program faculty have an established reputation as leaders in (a) special education teacher education; (b) sustaining a robust special education teacher workforce; (c) and evidence-based literacy instruction to address the needs of students with dyslexia and other struggling readers. Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain a systematic line of research, obtain and manage external funding, advise and mentor graduate students, and teach courses within the Special Education Program commensurate with the incoming rank. Additionally, candidates will engage in service to the school, college, university, and profession.

The 9-month tenure-accruing faculty appointment will begin in August 2026 and includes the possibility of summer employment. Salary is negotiable, competitive, and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position provides a negotiable start-up package that may include reduced initial teaching, advising, and service loads, as well as moving expenses, computer and technology resources, and a graduate research assistant. The School's faculty and four associated centers are national leaders in generating more than $50 million in external funding providing excellent opportunities for collaboration and support for research and scholarly productivity.

Responsibilities

• Conduct scholarly activities commensurate with the expectations of a faculty member at the incoming rank for a top-10 public research institution and member of the AAU
• Publish in significant, high-impact refereed scholarly journals
• Vigorously pursue and secure external funding
• Teach (face-to-face, blended, and/or online) courses
• Advise, engage, and mentor graduate students in teaching, research, and outreach activities
• Participate in program development
• Provide service to the program, school, college, university, and the profession

ABOUT THE COLLEGE: The College of Education at the University of Florida, founded in 1906, has consistently been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation in Online Graduate Education for the last nine years, No. 2 nationally for undergraduate education and 8th nationally among public graduate colleges of education (U.S. News & World Report). Four of the College's academic programs occupy top-20 spots in the U.S. News rankings: Counselor Education (1st), Special Education (5th), Educational Administration (17th), and Elementary Education (17th). Cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and public scholarship-often conducted in partnership with other UF colleges, school districts and communities across the state and nation-are yielding powerful learning systems and models that are helping to transform education in today's changing world, starting with our youngest learners. Faculty researchers last year garnered more than $150.3 million in external awards supporting studies and projects addressing education's most critical issues. With both on campus and online options, the college offers 29 bachelor's and advanced degree programs and concentration areas, within nine academic specialties. To sustain the college's innovative edge, heightened emphasis on emerging technologies, student experience and interdisciplinary research will effectively prepare tomorrow's leaders in all education disciplines. The College's educator preparation programs have been continuously accredited by CAEP and NCATE since 1954. Follow us: @UF_COE (X), @uf_coe (Instagram), @university-of-florida-college-of-education (LinkedIn), and @UF.COE (Facebook)

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY: The University of Florida, founded in 1853, is a public land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant research university and one of the most academically renown universities in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks UF 6th among public universities. National rankings such as 1st by the Wall Street Journal and 4th by Forbes in their respective lists of Public Universities are a result of UF's commitment to provide the highest quality education at the best value. UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 200 research, service and education centers, bureaus and institutes, and boasts more than 6,600 faculty members, 60,000 students and 405,000 living alumni. Faculty scholars last year generated more than $1.26 billion in research awards. UF recently launched a $70 million AI partnership with NVIDIA, taking the first step toward ensuring access to bringing AI to students and faculty from across campus and the state. The Florida Legislature designated UF as a "preeminent'' state university in 2013.

ABOUT THE AREA: UF is situated in Gainesville in North Central Florida, a vibrant college town that blends big-city cultural and athletic offerings with small-town friendliness and charm, along with excellent schools. Gainesville, located about halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, is often recognized as one of America's best college towns and is easily accessible to three major metropolitan areas (Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa). The National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Gainesville as a "Tree City USA" every year since 1982. USA Today ranked Gainesville as the number one place to move in the Sunshine State. Add the allure of Florida's famous sunshine, tropical breezes, and abundant wilderness, springs, rivers and seashores nearby, and it is little wonder that top-caliber faculty and students find our College and University to be the perfect balance of premier academics and a fulfilling lifestyle.

Expected Salary:
Commensurate with education and experience.

Required Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in special education or a closely related field.
• A strong and established record of research and scholarly writing that is commensurate with incoming rank
• Success in seeking, securing and administering external grants or contracts that is commensurate with incoming rank
• Evidence for successful teaching at the university level

Preferred:

• Experience mentoring graduate students
• Evidence of successful collaboration with faculty, students, and K-12 school-based personnel
• Previous, current, or potential for future active engagement with and/or leadership in relevant professional organizations.
• Experience working with people with disabilities in an educational setting

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Application Procedures: Applicant should upload all materials to the University of Florida's employment website If technical assistance is needed, please contact Human Resources at (352) 392-2477. Complete applications include: (a) a letter of application addressing required qualifications, (b) curriculum vitae, (c) up to two representative publications and/or papers, and (d) 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 537926, position number 00042746. Inquiries about the position can be addressed to Dr. Matthew Burns ([email protected]), Search Committee Chair. We will begin reviewing applications on December 15, 2025 . 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, vitae, 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

Health Assessment Required:No

Advertised: 18 Nov 2025 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close:

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