Civic Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow – FORGE

Position Title:

Compensation:

Department:

About this opportunity:

What you'll do and what you'll bring:

Position Function:

Support the development, implementation, study, and dissemination of FORGE (Foundations of Representative Government and Engagement), a statewide civic education initiative administered through Ball State University’s Center for Economic and Civic Learning (CECL). Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics–National Activities program, FORGE strengthens teaching and learning in American history, civics and government, geography, and constitutional literacy. The Civic Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow will work at the intersection of educator professional learning, curriculum and instructional development, teacher preparation, classroom implementation, and applied research. The Fellow will support practicing educators and teacher candidates, develop and refine instructional resources, contribute to research and evaluation activities, and help disseminate project findings and resources for use by educators, schools, and educator preparation programs. This is a full-time, grant-funded postdoctoral position. Continued appointment is contingent upon available funding and university appointment terms.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Develop, adapt, and refine FORGE curriculum, instructional materials, professional learning resources, and open-access teaching resources focused on American history, civics and government, geography, constitutional literacy, founding documents, and evidence-based civic instruction.

2. Support the design and implementation of Civic Humanities Institutes, Constitutional Literacy and Applied History Labs, Constitutional Inquiry Cycles, regional professional learning activities, and other FORGE instructional experiences.

3. Provide instructional coaching and implementation support to participating educators as they design, implement, assess, and refine project-aligned instruction in their classrooms.

4. Mentor participating teacher candidates in civic content, instructional design, field-based implementation, and professional portfolio development.

5. Work with educators to collect and examine student-learning evidence, instructional artifacts, assessments, student work, and implementation documentation and use evidence to support instructional improvement.

6. Collaborate with the Principal Investigator, Project Director, faculty leads, project partners, and external evaluator to support implementation fidelity, continuous improvement, and achievement of FORGE objectives and performance measures.

7. Contribute to applied research associated with FORGE, including literature review, instrument and protocol development, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and preparation of research and evaluation products consistent with approved university and project procedures.

8. Develop scholarly and practitioner-oriented products arising from the project, including manuscripts, conference presentations, research briefs, instructional resources, implementation guides, and other dissemination products.

9. Help organize, document, and disseminate FORGE resources for voluntary adoption by schools, districts, educator preparation programs, and civic-learning organizations.

10. Participate in project team meetings, professional learning activities, regional events, and continuous-improvement processes and contribute academic and instructional expertise to project planning and implementation.

11. Maintain appropriate project records and follow university, grant, research, and data-management procedures in consultation with the Principal Investigator and appropriate university offices.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate (PhD, EdD, or equivalent terminal degree) in education, history, political science, civic education, social studies education, American studies, philosophy, public policy, or a closely related field by the date of appointment.
• Evidence of scholarly or professional expertise related to American history, civics and government, constitutional studies, democratic institutions, civic learning, or a closely related area.
• Experience conducting research, developing educational resources, or translating scholarly knowledge for educational or public audiences.
• Demonstrated interest in applying scholarship to civic education, educator professional learning, K–12 schools, or community-based civic initiatives.
• Evidence of ability to conduct scholarly or applied research and contribute to academic or professional publications and dissemination.
• Strong written, oral, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.

Additional Position Requirements:

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across university, school, and community settings; manage multiple instructional, research, and dissemination responsibilities; and meet project deadlines.
• Requires travel to participating schools, regional hubs, professional learning activities, and other FORGE events throughout Indiana. NOTE: Must hold a valid driver's license and be insurable under the university's auto fleet policy.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Research or teaching expertise in civic education, social studies education, American history, civics and government, constitutional studies, geography education, or related fields.
• Experience designing or facilitating professional learning for practicing educators.
• Experience with inquiry-based instruction, primary-source pedagogy, historical thinking, constitutional inquiry, geographic reasoning, disciplinary literacy, or evidence-based discussion.
• Experience mentoring preservice teachers or supporting field-based teacher preparation.
• Experience conducting classroom-based, mixed-methods, implementation, or program evaluation research.
• Experience analyzing educational data and translating findings for practitioner and scholarly audiences.
• Record of scholarly publication, conference presentation, or development of publicly accessible educational resources.
• Experience collaborating with schools, community organizations, civic institutions, or multidisciplinary project teams.
• Interest in pursuing an independent program of scholarship connected to civic learning, teacher education, or educational implementation.

How to apply:

For information about this opportunity, please contact:

Dr. David J. Roof, Principal Investigator, at djroof@bsu.edu.

Important:

Please follow upload instructions for attaching all required documents listed below. Only complete applications will be considered.

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae (Do not use the Autofill resume feature.)

References:

Within the application, please provide the names and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Application Deadline: January 15, 2027

What we offer:

At Ball State University, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being. That's why we offer paid 24 vacation days, 12 sick days and 10 holidays a year. Plus, our paid parental leave (6 weeks) is there for life's most significant moments. We offer affordable health and dental insurance, robust long-term disability and life insurance plans, as well a range of retirement benefits to provide financial security to you and your family. These benefits ensure that you can focus on your work and personal growth without worrying about the unexpected.

When you work for us, you are family. And to show our support of your family, we will cover 90 percent of your child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State. We do the same for you. In fact, we'll cover 100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree and 80 percent of your graduate tuition. This offer is good from the very first day you start. It's just one way we do our part to uplift you.

Let's fly together toward a secure and prosperous tomorrow.

Curious about our excellent benefits package?

We have developed a calculator that shows you the value of our core benefits. Select the Total Compensation Calculator - Professional and download the spreadsheet. If you are applying for a 10-month position or one with Burris or Indiana Academy, please select the corresponding calculator.

Relocation Program: MakeMyMove

Looking for a place where your career, community, and quality of life can grow together? Muncie and Delaware County offer the advantages of a university community with the accessibility and affordability of a mid-sized city—short commutes, local arts and culture, parks and trails, educational opportunities, healthcare, athletics, and a strong sense of connection.

Through the City of Muncie’s MakeMyMove program, eligible new residents may access relocation incentives, university-related benefits, co-working options, and community-building opportunities designed to help them get settled and connected.

Current benefits for eligible participants may include:

• Up to $5,000 cash for relocation

• Co-working space courtesy of The Innovation Connector
• Access to the Ball State University Library
• One-semester Rec Fit pass at Ball State University
• Discounted Ball State Athletics tickets
• Help desk for connecting to local resources
• Opportunity for board participation
• Six-month YMCA membership

Relocation programs on MakeMyMove have specific eligibility requirements, and benefits may vary by program. Applicants should review the current MakeMyMove page to confirm eligibility, available benefits, and program status.

Ball State’s support for relocation resources and community partnerships aligns with Destination 2040: Our Flight Path, the University’s strategic plan. The plan calls our University to work with community partners to promote talent attraction and retention, foster economic growth in East Central Indiana, and strengthen the economic and social vitality of the communities we serve.

Explore the program and check your eligibility through MakeMyMove.

That's how Ball State works.

Goodness requires action to grow. We're dedicated to doing our part to keep goodness growing in Muncie, at our university, and as far beyond as possible. That's where you come in. When you join our team, you become part of goodness in action. Our main priority: uplifting students so they can discover their full potential. This is how we fly.

It all comes down to caring.

There are about 3,000 full-time faculty and staff in the Ball State University work family. Each brings unique gifts to help us be the kind of institution we want to be. In return, we do our best to take care of them through comprehensive medical and dental plans, a Health Savings Account (which we contribute to), and a whole range of wellness, retirement, and other benefits like covering the cost of tuition at Ball State for you and your family. We can offer you more.

A great place to work in a great place to live.

Where you live matters just as much as where you work. We get it. That's why we've invested since the very beginning in making our hometown work. On campus, find state-of-the-art facilities and one-of-a-kind arts and cultural events. In Muncie, you'll find a warm and welcoming community with affordable housing and a vibrant downtown arts, food, and music scene. What could be better? You here - for starters.

EEO/AA Statement

Ball State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, genetic information, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, protected veteran status, or any legally protected status.

Disability Accommodations

Ball State provides accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of the position. Contact Melissa Rubrecht, Director of Employee Relations, at 765-285-1823 for assistance.

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