Cleo L. Craig Child Development Laboratory Director and

Early Childhood Education Teaching Instructor/Teaching Assistant Professor,

Department of Human Development and Family Science

January 2027

POSITION: The Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) in the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) at Oklahoma State University (OSU) is seeking highly qualified candidates for a full-time, 9-month career-track position at the rank of Teaching Instructor/Teaching Assistant Professor in Early Childhood Education (ECE). This position will also be the Director of the Cleo L. Craig Child Development Laboratory (CDL) and will include an additional 2 months’ salary for these duties. The successful candidate will teach ECE courses and direct the operations of the CDL. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in the university’s land-grant mission and a desire to make a positive impact on the development of children and the academic community through teaching, scholarship, and service.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Serve as the Director of the CDL on the OSU Stillwater campus: 

Support and grow high quality and innovative programming in the CDL and grow its reputation as a national model for early childhood education.

Oversee the vision, mission, and planning for the CDL in collaboration with the newly formed CDL Advisory Council, CDL faculty and staff, HDFS department faculty, and the local community.

Manage, supervise, and support CDL staff members.

Support and facilitate high-quality programming for children enrolled in the CDL guided by Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Child Development (CD) theories and best practices.

Work in collaboration with HDFS ECE faculty to plan and provide CDL staff with exceptional professional development and relevant training opportunities.

Ensure that CDL policies, procedures, and programming are in line with government standards (Oklahoma Department of Human Services), National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Oklahoma State Department of Education (including maintaining licenses and accreditations).

As appropriate, collaborate with other colleges and departments/schools within OSU to facilitate student internships, observations, and research opportunities within the CDL.

Work effectively with CDL parents and families providing information, resources, and a warm and inviting environment.

Work with CEHS OSUF Development Team, Dean, and unit head to maintain and cultivate positive relationships with CDL donors when needed for CDL initiatives.

Work with OSU Foundation and HDFS Department Head to seek funding to support the growth and viability of the CDL.

Work with the accountant to maintain financial records and accounts for the CDL.

Teaching Instructor/Teaching Assistant Professor:

Serve as a Teaching Instructor/Assistant Professor and active member of the HDFS faculty.

Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in the ECE program as needed.

Participate in HDFS faculty meetings, ECE program meetings, and meet regularly with the ECE program coordinator to facilitate connections between the ECE academic program and the CDL.

Contribute to the vision of the HDFS department and ECE Program.

Mentor undergraduate and/or graduate students.

Demonstrate a commitment to pre-service teacher education.

Contribute to departmental outreach and engagement activities.

Participate in departmental, college, and university committees or other service activities.

Engage in responsibilities consistent with the land grant mission at OSU.

Carry out other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field and eligible for Oklahoma State Department of Education teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education.

Three or more years of teaching experience with children in infancy through kindergarten and administrative experience in early childhood programs.

Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and an ability to interact well with a variety of people. Must possess the ability to work well under pressure, handle multiple assignments simultaneously, and be self-motivated. Physical requirements include the ability to lift up to 50lbs as related to the assignment in the CDL. Successful candidate must provide evidence of employment eligibility as required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Doctoral Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field.

Expertise in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or Early Intervention.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: Salary will be commensurate with education, experience, qualifications and contingent on available funding. Benefits include comprehensive medical and retirement plans. Information on benefits can be found at https://hr.okstate.edu/benefits/index.html

GENERAL INFORMATION:

HDFS is a vibrant community of scholars with approximately 20 full-time faculty members, 400 undergraduate students, and 90 graduate students. Undergraduate specializations are offered in Child and Family Services, Early Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and Opportunity Orange Scholars (inclusive post-secondary education for students with intellectual disability). Graduate specializations are offered in Applied Human Services, Developmental and Family Science, Early Childhood Education, and Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). Recent graduates with terminal degrees (B.S. with the ECE option, M.S. with the MFT and CFS options, and Ph.D.) have experienced near-100% success in finding relevant employment and passing licensing exams. Faculty in HDFS have active programs of research and currently have projects funded by diverse State and Federal entities including NIH, USDA, and NSF.

The department has established several outstanding centers and clinics, including the Child Development Laboratory, the Center for Family Resilience, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, Center for Developmental Disabilities, and the Center for Family Research and Engagement. Consistent with the land-grant emphasis on scholarship dissemination, members of the faculty work with community partners in regional agencies and with Cooperative Extension educators in all 77 counties in Oklahoma. Additionally, Oklahoma ranks fifth in the country for Pre-K access for 4-year-olds, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). Oklahoma also scores among the top 11 states in the nation for quality Pre-K programs. For more information about the department, its faculty, centers, and programs, please go to: https://education.okstate.edu/departments-programs/human-development-family-science/index.html

The College of Education and Human Sciences includes 7 academic units, 172 faculty, and nearly 200 full-time staff. Additional information regarding the College of Education and Human Sciences may be found at http://education.okstate.edu/.

Oklahoma State University, an R1 comprehensive land-grant institution with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students. The university offers 87 undergraduate majors, 84 Master’s programs and 48 programs at the doctoral levels at campuses in Stillwater and Tulsa. Stillwater is a micropolitan community of approximately 49,000 people with high-quality amenities and a comparably low cost of living. Oklahoma City and Tulsa are within a 1-hour drive and cities such as Fayetteville, AR, Joplin, MO and Wichita, KS are within a comfortable 2-3-hour drive time of Stillwater. In addition to excellent healthcare, education (public and private primary and secondary schools), and recreational services, the community affords a rich variety of cultural activities typical of a major university environment, including museums, music, art, and theater. Providing a combination of larger city amenities with an airport and cultural life, while maintaining the charm of a smaller community with affordable housing and excellent schools, Stillwater is ranked one of America’s safest cities. See http://VisitStillwater.org for more information.

APPLICATION INFORMATION: Applications will be accepted online at https://jobs.okstate.edu/.  To apply, submit a letter of interest and qualifications for the position, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. This position is contingent on available funding.

Questions about the position may be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Brandt Gardner, Associate Professor, brandt.gardner@okstate.edu.