Associate Professor of Child Development and Education

Location: 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY

About the role 

The Department of Education, in association with Magdalen College, is seeking to appoint a full-time Associate Professor of Child Development and Education. The appointment will be initially for five years at which point, upon completion of a successful review, the post-holder will be eligible for reappointment to the retiring age. 

The post will be available from September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The appointment is associated with a Non-Tutorial Fellowship at Magdalen College; further details of the Fellowship are provided in the Further Particulars. 

The successful candidate will conduct internationally leading research in the broad area of child development and education, combining empirical psychological or educational research with theoretical analysis. The research should contribute to debates concerning the relationship between education and child development, with a particular focus on primary school aged children. The post-holder will be expected to secure external research funding and to enhance the Department’s research profile. 

You will contribute substantially to teaching on the Child Development and Education (CDE) pathway of the MSc Education, supervise DPhil students, and contribute to the intellectual leadership and research-related activities of the Child Development and Learning (CDL) research group. You will also undertake examining and administrative duties as required by the Department and contribute to the academic and pastoral life of the College.

Candidates should have:

• A completed doctorate in psychology, education, or a closely related field relevant to child development and education;
• An excellent record of high-quality peer-reviewed publications, commensurate with career stage;
• Substantial experience of social scientific research in child development and education, and the ability to relate this work to wider theoretical debates in education and the social sciences;
• Expertise in quantitative research methods and experience across a range of research methodologies;
• A strong record of, or clear potential for, securing and managing externally funded research;
• Substantial experience of teaching and supervising high-achieving graduate students, including doctoral students;
• Direct experience of working with children relevant to their research and teaching;
• A strong record of collaboration and effective teamwork;
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to fostering respectful and inclusive academic environments.

If you would like to discuss this post and find out more about joining the academic community at Oxford, please contact Professor Cristina McKean (cristina.mckean@education.ox.ac.uk). Questions about the College Fellowship may be addressed to the Senior Tutor of Magdalen College (senior.tutor@magd.ox.ac.uk). All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence and will not form part of the selection decision. 

Information about the post, including details of how to apply, is available in the Further Particulars. Applications must be made online. Applicants will be required to upload a CV (including a full publication list), details of teaching experience, a statement of research interests and future research plans, and a supporting statement explaining how they meet the selection criteria.

Only applications received before 12 noon (UK time) on Tuesday, 7 April 2026 will be considered.

It is expected that interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held on 27 May 2026.

The University of Oxford is committed to equality of opportunity and to building an inclusive academic community. Applications are particularly welcome from women and from Black and minority ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in academic posts at Oxford.

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