Description

Search to Fill One Postdoctoral Fellow

in the Field of Child Welfare, Youth Mental Health, and Family Services

Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work

College of Social Work & Criminal Justice

Florida Atlantic University

The Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University

welcomes applications for one postdoctoral fellow in the in the field of child welfare for a two-year, 12-month position at the Boca Raton, Florida campus. The anticipated start date for this position is August 2026.

Florida Atlantic University is identified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S.

Department of Education. In 2024, The U.S. News and World Report ranked Florida Atlantic

No. 22 in the United States in terms of “Social Mobility,” and in 2025, the University attained the prestigious R1 (research-intensive) university ranking by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

This fellowship is devoted to research, and the scholar will primarily work with faculty affiliates of the Sandler School of Social Work Child Welfare Institute. This fellowship offers innovative research training and experience with faculty who are currently engaged in state-funded research, community-engaged, and secondary data analysis of child welfare data. The Sandler School of Social Work is particularly interested in applicants who can complement existing faculty research, as well as contribute their own expertise. There will be considerable opportunity for the postdoctoral scholar to participate in developing and implementing research projects, project coordination, recruitment, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant writing.

The fellow will further research and training agendas through formal mentorship and coursework, seminars, conferences, and other career development activities. The fellow will have a primary mentor assisted by other mentors in a team approach. The fellow will work with established investigators on research projects and be expected to prepare and submit manuscripts for publication, present at local and national conferences, and develop and submit at least one grant proposal by the end of the fellowship term. The fellow will utilize community-based participatory research methods and population health science. The fellow will implement evidence-based interventions and/or produce scientific evidence with the goals of increasing health care access, educational outcomes, and reducing disparities behavioral risk factors among children and youth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct independent and collaborative research in child welfare, with a focus on children, parents, caregivers, or professionals involved with or impacted by child welfare or foster care.
• Analyze data, interpret findings, and prepare research manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Assist with ongoing grant-funded projects, including data collection, management, and analysis.
• Prepare grant proposals and participate in the development of future funding applications, including identifying funding sources and assisting with proposal writing.
• Present research findings at academic conferences and other relevant forums.
• Collaborate with faculty, research staff, and community partners on child welfare research initiatives.

Qualifications:

• All applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States at the time of application.
• Ph.D. in Social Work or a closely related field with a focus on child welfare or related areas or be enrolled in an accredited doctoral degree program and fulfill all degree requirements prior to program entry.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting child welfare research, including study design, data collection, and analysis.
• Strong publication record (or evidence of potential to publish) in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience or demonstrated potential in writing grant proposals and securing external funding.
• Proficiency with quantitative and/or qualitative analysis and methodology.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to work independently and in collaborative research teams.
• Availability for an on-campus position (no remote options are available for this position).
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency with statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R, SAS) and/or qualitative analysis tools (e.g., NVivo, dedoose, ATLAS.ti).
• Experience with research projects that involve interdisciplinary teams and community-based participatory research.
• Familiarity with child welfare policies and practices in the United States.
• Experience with large-scale data sets and advanced statistical techniques.
  
  

Instructions to Applicants

All applicants must complete a Postdoctoral Fellowship Application and submit the following required documents:

       Cover letter outlining research interests, experience, and career goals.

• Curriculum vitae (CV).
• Contact information for three professional references.
• Up to three writing samples or publications.
  
  

Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin on November 10, 2025.

Application link: https://fau.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/FAU/details/Postdoctoral-Research-Fellow_REQ19162

Questions regarding this position can be posted to

the chair of the recruitment committee, Dr. Morgan Cooley at cooleym@fau.edu.

Salary for this position is competitive with the market for similar positions.

FAU is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including minorities and women.