Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Child and Family Development

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Child and Family
Development

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Child and Family
Development at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located
in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all
backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our
deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity,
diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational
opportunities which prepare students for success in a global
society.

Position Purpose:

The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) for Child and Family
Development at Wayne State University (WSU) is excited to welcome a
new colleague to our collaborative and interdisciplinary research
community. We invite applications for a tenure-track Assistant
Professor position beginning August 2027. The successful candidate
will hold a joint appointment between MPSI and an academic
department aligned with the candidate’s disciplinary
background.

We welcome applications from scientists whose work addresses the
development, health, and well-being of infants, children,
adolescents, or families. Applicants’ research programs should
align with the urban mission and values of WSU and MPSI and contribute to research,
training, and community engagement that advance knowledge and
solutions benefiting children, families, and communities.

Areas of particular interest include research on the processes and
contexts that shape the development and health of children and
families from infancy through young adulthood; risk, resilience,
prevention, and intervention; and translational research that can
drive innovations that promote health and well-being, including
emerging technologies and new models of healthcare. We are also
interested in work that examines influences across multiple levels
of context, from individuals and families to communities and
populations; however, we are open to work that addresses other
important questions in developmental science and family
health.

Essential Functions:

Successful candidates will have a strong, independent program of
research, evidence of or clear potential for external funding, and
demonstrated quantitative expertise in developmental research
methods. Responsibilities at MPSI include research, professional
service, training and mentorship, and community engagement, along
with teaching responsibilities in the academic department in which
the candidate holds a joint appointment.

About Wayne State:

Wayne State University is a premier, public, urban research
university located in Detroit, Michigan with a bold Strategic Plan . The
200-acre traditional and high-tech campus is in the heart of
Midtown, offering unparalleled access to cultural experiences,
community involvement, and corporate career opportunities. Wayne
State University is the third largest institution of higher
learning in Michigan and the most diverse campus in the state with
over 24,000 students from every U.S. state and nearly 80 countries.
Wayne State is home to 13 colleges offering 375 degree programs, as
well as seven interdisciplinary research centers and
institutes.

wayne.ed

About Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family
Development:

The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) is a vibrant
interdisciplinary research institute within Wayne State
University’s Division of Research and Innovation (DORI; research.wayne.edu ). With
support from research cores and facilities across campus, current
research at MPSI examines how developmental processes, during
gestation through young adulthood, shape trajectories of mental and
physical health, learning, and well-being within individuals,
families, communities, and society. Through community-engaged work,
we strive to translate developmental science into innovative
programs, policy advancements that prioritize children and
families, and workforce training models that help children,
families, and communities thrive . Along with other research
institutes and centers within DORI, we address pressing societal
issues through innovation and research excellence.

The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI), founded in 1920, has
been at the forefront of developmental science that translates
research excellence into practice and policies that strengthen
child and family well-being. With a distinguished history of
impactful scholarship and practice in child and family development,
including opening one of the nation’s first laboratory nursery
schools and pioneering early studies on nutrition and high-quality
education models, MPSI has worked to advance the development,
health, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, young
adults, and their families. Today, the Institute brings together 11
core and 12 affiliate faculty, 16 predoctoral trainees, external
funding from federal, state, and philanthropic sources, and
programs that reach thousands of professionals and community
members each year. Building on more than a decade of significant
growth and accomplishment, MPSI is seeking its next f.aculty member
to contribute to the Institute’s continued research excellence and
community impact. To learn more about MPSI, please visit our
website at https://mpsi.wayne.edu , the
2023-2027 strategic plan at: https://mpsi.wayne.edu/strategic-plan
, and our most recent Biennial Report at: https://mpsi.wayne.edu/about/2023-2024-mpsi-report.pdf
.

Minimum Qualifications:

Ph.D. or equivalent in a field related to child and family
development before the start date.

Strong record of research productivity and high potential for
significant external funding.

Strong evidence of a novel research agenda and demonstrated
potential for excellence in research, community engagement,
service, and teaching.

Demonstrated commitment to effective mentoring, teaching, research
practices, and community engagement across varied populations,
communities, and contexts, along with a strong record of
collegiality and collaborative work.

Demonstrated committed to interdisciplinary research and team
science.

Application Procedure:

Review of applications will begin December 1, 2026, and
continue until the position is filled. To apply go to https://jobs.wayne.edu job. Click on
“Wayne Talent career site” and search for posting “Req #
3693.”

Applications should submit the following directly to the online
system:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Key reprints/preprints
• Statement of research interests
• Statement of teaching interest and evidence of teaching

effectiveness, if available

• Statement that addresses how your research fits with the

missions of MPSI, DORI, and WSU

• List of at least three references who could be contacted

Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Julie Wargo Aikins, Chair of the
Search Committee, at julie.wargo.aikins@wayne.edu

School/College/Division:

The Division of Research & Innovation

Primary Department:

H0910 - Merrill Palmer Institute

Employment Type:

• Regular Employee
• Job type: Full Time
• Job category: Academic/Faculty

Funding/Salary Information:

• Compensation type: Annual Salary
• Annual Salary: To be determined

Working Conditions:

Normal Faculty Environment

Job Openings:

• Number of openings: 1
• Reposted position: No

Background check requirements:

University policy requires certain persons who are offered
employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal
history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment,
the university will inform you if a background check is
required.