Professor

Human Development & Family Science; West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Purdue University seeks faculty to expand its interdisciplinary capacity for P–12 mathematical learning and cognition research across multiple colleges in West Lafayette, Indiana. The cluster hire aims to advance theory, interventions, and professional learning for teachers, educators, and policy-relevant practice.

Successful candidates will hold doctoral degrees in relevant fields, demonstrate a strong research program, and be prepared for cross‑department collaboration, with potential joint

Qualifications

• PhD in one of the listed fields by start date.
• Established nationally/internationally recognized and coherent research program.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor doctoral students and junior faculty.
• Experience with cross-disciplinary collaboration and leadership in research.

Responsibilities

• Conducting research and maintaining a strong line of scholarship within a coherent program of research relevant to P-12 Mathematics Learning and Cognition.
• Seeking external funding to build a focused research program.
• Disseminating results via publications and presentations to professional organizations.
• Teaching a variety of courses in undergraduate and graduate programs in relevant departments.
• Guiding and mentoring doctoral students and contributing to dissertation committees.
• Engaging in service to the program, department, college, and profession.

Skills

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Mentoring doctoral students

Cross-disciplinary research

Research program development

Education

Earned doctorate in Educational Psychology

Earned doctorate in Human Development and Family Science

Earned doctorate in Mathematics Education

Earned doctorate in Learning Sciences

Earned doctorate in Cognitive Science

Earned doctorate in Educational Neuroscience

Master's degree in Mathematics (joint appointment in Science college)

Job description

Purdue University is actively seeking faculty to expand its interdisciplinary capacity for research on P–12 mathematical learning and cognition. Building on existing strengths across departments in the Colleges of Education, Health and Human Sciences, and Science, this initiative will advance understanding of the processes and contexts that shape P–12 learners’ mathematical understanding, reasoning, problem solving, and positive mathematical dispositions. The faculty hired through this initiative will contribute to theory and empirical research on mathematical learning, reasoning, and cognition, with implications for educational research, practice, and policy. The Colleges of Education, Health and Human Sciences, and Science at Purdue University invite applications for multiple full professors to join the P-12 Mathematical Learning and Cognition Initiative.

Job Summary

CLUSTER HIRE: We are seeking innovative and productive scholars at the intersection of multiple fields of expertise (e.g., educational psychology, human development, mathematics education, cognitive science, developmental psychology, neuroscience, mathematical sciences) to join the faculty at Purdue University. Collectively, these scholars will contribute to an interdisciplinary initiative focused on (1) advancing a leading research program on learning, development, and reasoning in the context of mathematics; (2) translating research to the design of interventions, curricular materials, and professional learning experiences; (3) supporting the preparation and professional learning of highly‑qualified pre‑service and in‑service teachers, as well as educators in informal learning spaces, to support mathematics learning; and (4) informing policy and instructional practice relevant to mathematics learning and cognition.

The positions will bring complementary perspectives to the study and support of P‑12 mathematical learning. Possible areas of emphasis include developmental learning trajectories; the processes, contexts, strategies, and/or dispositions that shape mathematical learning; instructional supports and interventions; and the processes and contexts that influence the effectiveness in supporting P–12 mathematical learning and cognition.

A successful candidate might hold a joint appointment across departments in two colleges: Educational Studies in the College of Education; Human Development and Family Science in the College of Health and Human Sciences; and/or Mathematics in the College of Science.

Purdue is also home to several centers focused on learning—particularly in the STEM learning fields. The hired faculty will also have the opportunity to affiliate with existing research centers on campus, as appropriate, including: The Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM, The Center for Early Learning, the Center for Rural Research, Education, and Outreach, and the Methodology Center at Purdue.

Required Qualifications

Hold an earned doctorate in Educational Psychology, Human Development and Family Science, Mathematics Education, Learning Sciences, Applied Developmental Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Educational Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, or a related field by the start date. If seeking a joint appointment in the College of Science, a master's degree in mathematics is required. The individual will have an established nationally/internationally recognized and coherent research program, made significant contributions to their field through a range of scholarly accomplishments, obtained extramural funding to support research and innovative practice, and demonstrated leadership in the field. Demonstrated commitment and ability to successfully mentor doctoral students and junior faculty, as appropriate. Demonstrated commitment to cross‑disciplinary collaboration. Candidates must meet qualifications applicable to the rank of full professor with tenure.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience conducting research in the context of mathematical learning environments, such as classrooms or informal learning spaces such as homes, after‑school programs, or museums. Experience employing quantitative research methods, qualitative methods, and/or mixed‑methods research. Evidence of post‑secondary teaching excellence in courses relevant to the candidate’s area of expertise and potential departmental appointment(s) within undergraduate and/or graduate programs. Record of engagement and/or leadership in professional organizations commensurate with that of a full professor.

Responsibilities

• Conducting research and maintaining a strong line of scholarship within a coherent program of research relevant to P-12 Mathematics Learning and Cognition.
• Seeking external funding to build a focused research program.
• Disseminating results and findings via publications and presentations to local, state, national, and international professional organizations.
• Teaching a variety of courses in undergraduate and graduate programs in relevant departments.
• Guiding and mentoring doctoral students in their area of expertise, contributing to dissertation committees.
• Contributing to and engaging in service to the program, department, college, and profession.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is Indiana’s land‑grant university and a Carnegie Foundation tier‑one research institution with very high research activity. The University’s 2,660‑acre main campus in West Lafayette enrolls more than 51,000 students representing over 135 counties.

Purdue’s 11 colleges and schools offer over 200 undergraduate majors, more than 160 master's and doctoral programs, and professional degree programs in technology, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. Seventy percent of these programs are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) based. Purdue is leading innovative education and workforce programs in key emerging research areas, enabling a rapid expansion of skilled STEM talent. Purdue is the first university in the country to establish AI graduation requirements.

Building on Purdue’s mission and impact, in 2024 Purdue opened Purdue University in Indianapolis, a new, fully integrated urban campus, serving as one bookend for a 65‑mile‑long Hard Tech Corridor in Indiana that stretches from downtown Indianapolis through the LEAP Innovation District in Lebanon to Discovery Park District in West Lafayette. With nearly 20 STEM‑focused majors in leading and emerging fields, Purdue University in Indianapolis is a unique opportunity to connect Purdue students, educators, and researchers with industry to develop talent and jobs that fuel the future of innovation in the Heartland. Purdue operates two regional campuses, Purdue Fort Wayne and Purdue Northwest (PNW), a minority‑serving institution and Indiana’s largest Hispanic‑Serving Institution. In the 2022-2023 academic year, PNW’s undergraduate population was more than 25% Latino. Of those, 70% were first‑generation students. In total, the University’s four campuses have a combined student enrollment of over 70,000 and a system‑wide budget of more than $2.8 billion.

Equal Opportunity

Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university.