About the Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child

Poverty entraps children in a cycle of adversity, restricting access to education, nutrition, health care, and stable relationships. Addressing these complex challenges requires a holistic and multifaceted research response. Research into effective, whole-child interventions is essential to creating pathways out of poverty for children around the world. At the University of Notre Dame’s Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child (GC-DWC), we work on research-practice partnerships that focus on the following core areas:

• Fostering positive human relationships and attachment for children
• Meeting a child’s core developmental needs (health, nutrition, and safety)
• Promoting the skills and competencies required for success across the life course (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood)

Our work utilizes a rigorous multidisciplinary approach, drawing on neuroscience, biology, economics, and developmental science to study the complex systems that enable children to reach their full potential. We partner with families, communities, and schools to evaluate and activate whole-child approaches to learning and development—meeting basic needs, fostering supportive relationships, and promoting core capabilities. We are committed to rapid translation, integrating research into evidence-based action by accelerating promising practices in the field.

About the Fellowship 

As our Postdoctoral Fellow, you will become a key part of the GC-DWC’s effort to build a robust research portfolio on early childhood development and early grade programs in low-resource and crisis contexts across Haiti, India, and the United States. Fellows will work closely with the core faculty at the GC-DWC, including Dr. Neil Boothby, Dr. Nikhit D’Sa, and Dr. Fernanda Soares. This is an opportunity to directly advance your scholarly publication record and collaborate with a team of researchers working directly on applied research-practice partnerships at the nexus of child development, education, nutrition, and public policy. You will have the opportunity to:

1. Collaborate and implement: Partner with our team and external stakeholders to support ongoing studies
2. Leverage existing data: Analyze the data we are collecting/have collected
3. Innovate new research: Develop new studies aligned with the needs of the GC-DWC’s research-practice partnerships

Here are some example projects that you may work on: 

1. Manage impact evaluations of early childhood development interventions (e.g., comprehensive preschool programming and parent engagement) in Haiti
2. Develop longitudinal research opportunities within research-practice partnerships in the US
3. Support the development of evidence-based ECD preschool curriculum in India
4. Support research and analysis on the psychometric properties of primary school literacy, numeracy, and SEL assessments developed in crisis contexts

Who we’re looking for 

We are seeking a dynamic researcher with a passion for global education and early childhood development. Some key qualifications include: 

• Doctorate (PhD or EdD) awarded or expected by the start date in education, international development, policy studies, economics, sociology, psychology, or a related field
• Experience working in low-resource and/or crisis contexts in the majority world
• Experience in applied quantitative research methods and analysis
• Knowledge of and academic experience with qualitative research methods
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing research studies with diverse groups of partners and stakeholders
• Evidence of a strong scholarly publication record
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to develop and maintain professional relationships across diverse internal and external entities

Role details and benefits 

• Compensation / Benefits: The budget for this position is $64,000 - $70,000, depending on experience. Postdoctoral students are compensated within the range of the NIH’s National Research Service Awards (NRSA) stipend levels. The University provides a full range of benefits including medical, vision, and dental insurance, child/elder care resources, and parental leave. 
• Location: We will support relocation costs for candidates not already based in the South Bend area.

• We will support relocation costs for candidates not already based in the South Bend area. 
• Visa sponsorship: We are happy to consider candidates based outside the U.S., and to consider sponsoring U.S. work authorization. However, we don’t control who is and isn’t eligible for a visa, and we can’t guarantee visa approval.
• Travel: The Fellow may be expected to travel to and work in sites in the majority world for several weeks per year.

Start date: The preferred start date is flexible within May/June 2026. The position is for one year, with a possible second-year extension, depending on the availability of funding.

Salary Range: $64,000 - $70,000

Application materials should include (1) a CV; (2) one academic writing sample; (3) written responses to the three questions below. We will be reviewing these questions in lieu of a cover letter. Please complete your answers independently, without using generative AI or consulting others and limit responses to 250 words per question.

1. Imagine you receive a grant to study any topic in comparative and international education. What study would you design, and what would your research question be?

2. What would you consider the most impressive achievement in your career so far? Why?

3. What do you consider to be your two biggest strengths as a researcher?  Please limit responses to 250 words if possible.

Please direct all materials to [email protected]. We ask that you put 'Postdoctoral Fellowship Application' in the email subject. All interest must submit by December 5, 2025. 

At Notre Dame, we know our impact depends on exceptional people, people like you. We are committed to fostering a vibrant, welcoming community. In keeping with our mission, we encourage applications from all who will help build and strengthen our beloved community. We strive to empower every employee to flourish, knowing your success propels Notre Dame to new heights of impact.