Assistant Professor of Special Education--Moderate/Severe Disabilities, Regular Title Series

Job Title
Assistant Professor of Special Education--Moderate/Severe Disabilities, Regular Title Series

Requisition Number
FE04627

Department Name
8G070:Early Childhood, Spec Ed & Counselor Ed

Work Location:
Lexington, KY

Type Of Position
Faculty

Position Time Status
Full-Time

Tenure Track Status
Tenure Track

Required Education
Earned doctorate or expected doctorate in special education prior to start date.

Required Related Experience

• Experience providing services to school-aged youth with moderate to severe disabilities, or supporting service providers (e.g., special education teachers, registered behavior technicians, etc.) in P12 educational environments in the United States for a minimum of three years
• A commitment to innovative student-centered and accessible learning environments
• Effective collaboration with P-12 partners in education
• Demonstration of effective instructional practices in schools

Required License/Registration/Certification
n/a

Job Summary
The Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education (EDSCE) invites applications for an
Assistant professor position in Special Education – Moderate to Severe Disabilities (MSD)
. This regular title series faculty member will provide expertise in support of the MSD program across elementary and secondary school levels.

This tenure-eligible position is a 9-month appointment, effective August 16, 2026.

Responsibilities Include The Following

• Teach two courses each semester (fall and spring), particularly coursework and fieldwork supervision within our undergraduate program;
• conduct a line of research relevant to special education (e.g., peer reviewed publications, grant proposals, presentations) with preference given to applicants whose research includes:
• methodological expertise that complements our existing expertise in single-case research, which could include other quantitative methodologies (e.g., group design, meta-analyses, longitudinal analyses, survey research) and mixed-methods approaches, and/or
• a focus is on special education policy, teacher preparation, or pedagogy and curriculum design;
• advise current and incoming students; engage with P12 and university faculty in program planning, implementation, and evaluation;
• ensure innovative programs comply with accreditation and state standards;
• serve on masters and doctoral committees; and provide service to the department, college, university, and profession.

The Distribution of Effort (DOE) for this position is approximately:

• 50% Instruction (12 credit hours – four 3-credit hour courses each academic year)
• 30% Research
• 20% Service (service to the college, department, institution, and the profession)

Interested applicants should submit an application at

and include the following materials:

• a detailed cover letter noting academic credentials and professional experience related to the responsibilities for this position, including the required and preferred experiences and expertise — upload under Cover Letter;
• a curriculum vita — upload under Curriculum Vita;
• a combined statement on research, teaching, and service — upload under Specific Request 1;
• 2-3 professional writing samples — upload under Writing Sample;
• names and contact information for three professional references – upload under References. Once finalists are selected, references will be contacted to upload their letters.

Review of applications will begin
October 15, 2025
, and will continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding the position or application materials may be directed to search committee co-chairs:

Dr. Sally Shepley (

) and

Dr. Mark Samudre (

).

Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with comprehensive rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees' retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans, and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit:
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
The ideal candidate will possess in-depth knowledge of evidence-based practices for teaching K-12 students with moderate to severe disabilities. They should have strong instructional and assessment skills and the ability to teach and supervise teacher candidates, along with excellent collaboration and communication abilities to foster supportive, accessible, and effective learning environments for all students.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? :
No

Preferred Education/Experience
Preference will be given to applicants whose research includes:

• methodological expertise that complements our existing strengths in single-case research, such as other quantitative methodologies (e.g., group design, meta-analyses, longitudinal analyses, survey research) or mixed-methods approaches, and/or
• a focus on special education policy, teacher preparation, or pedagogy and curriculum design.

Additional preference will be given to applicants with experience supervising practicum and student teaching in P-12 schools for university teacher candidates.

Open Until Filled
Yes

Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.