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Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Early Child Edu Teacher
Job Summary:
The Early Childhood Teacher at the UW-Madison Child Development Lab (CDL) is responsible for creating a safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment for children ages six weeks to five years.
This role involves planning and implementing play-based curriculum, facilitating daily learning activities, and assessing children’s progress to support their cognitive, social, and emotional development.
The teacher collaborates closely with families, professional staff, and university students, serving as both an educator and mentor in a unique teaching and research setting.
Additional responsibilities include supporting student training, contributing to a team-based environment, and participating in ongoing professional development. This position requires the ability to sit on floor and get up and down with ease; run, jump and climb hills and step stools; reach overhead to retrieve items on shelves above shoulder level; to lift at least 35 pounds and carry this weight across a classroom; engage in vigorous outdoor and large motor play for at least 30 minutes; push/pull at least three children in a stroller, wagon and evacuation crib; walk up and down stairs; move/push classroom furniture as needed; perform physical tasks within a time frame commensurate with needs of fast-paced classroom. This position also requires active participate in outdoor activities with the children daily in all types of weather.
Work Schedule:
9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Some nights and weekends may be required for staff to attend professional development trainings.
This position is anticipated to start on 6/29/2026. Final determination of start date will be made at time of hire
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Plans and facilitates classroom programming and schedules daily classroom activities for an early childhood education facility according to established curriculums
- Maintains the safety and physical well-being of children in a designated classroom
- Evaluates individualized and developmental educational plans for children in collaboration with other stakeholders, as needed
- Maintains and documents effective communication with internal and external stakeholders to relay pertinent information and provide updates of child activities per established guidelines and regulations
- Mentors new teachers and students
Department: The Child Development Lab
The Child Development Lab (CDL) is a unique early care and education program serving children from six weeks to five years of age. In addition to providing high-quality early childhood education, the CDL functions as a teaching and research laboratory for university students, faculty, and staff. The program is state-licensed, accredited by the City of Madison, and nationally accredited through the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA). It is housed in a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility on the beautiful UW–Madison campus. The CDL is licensed for 75 children and offers year-round programming.
The CDL's tripartite mission is:
1. To provide UW students with carefully supervised training opportunities associated with their course of study.
2. To provide a population and a setting in which UW faculty and students can conduct research on issues related to child development, early learning and family studies.
3. To engage in outreach activities, such as hosting professionals and scholars from around the world, serving on committees, providing continuing education to other teachers in the community and helping to organize community service projects.
Since its founding in 1926, the CDL has been a leader in early childhood education, research, and teacher training for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. It was the first preschool laboratory of its kind in Wisconsin and the first laboratory school in the nation to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in the 1980s.
Learn more: https://childdevelopmentlab.wisc.edu/
Compensation:
Starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Well-qualified applicants can anticipate an annual salary between $45,000 - $50,000, with final salary being determined at time of hire.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.
Required Qualifications:
Must successfully complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check prior to employment, with an annual criminal background check completed thereafter.
Physical exam required upon job offer and again every 2-5 years.
Must meet WI State Licensing requirements for staff working in childcare programs.
Must complete required trainings and professional development on an ongoing basis.
Required Licenses/Certifications:
To be considered for a 4K teaching position, candidates must have a Wisconsin DPI license to teach kindergarten.
To be considered for an infant teaching position, candidates must meet the minimum infant/toddler training requirements for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Preferred Qualifications:
Two years documented experience teaching children 6 weeks-6 years of age.
Experience working in a campus child care program.
Evidence of the ability to work well in a complex, team environment with both professional and student staff, with strong communication and organizational skills.
Documented ability to apply knowledge of child development to both curriculum development and its implementation in the classroom.
Experience with play-based inquiry curriculum.
Experience adapting teaching methods to an individual child’s needs, including children with special needs.
Evidence of the ability to understand and communicate children's development and needs to families.
Education:
Preferred bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or related field.
How to Apply:
Click the "Apply" button to start the application process.
You will be prompted to upload the following documents:
Applicants should attach a resume and a cover letter detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced above. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process.
During the interview process candidates will be asked to spend approximately 45 minutes in the classroom interacting and engaging with children.
The search committee will review all application materials after the posted deadline. We will notify selected applicants to participate further in the selection process directly. References will be requested of final candidates. All applicants will be notified after the search is complete and a candidate has been selected.
University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
Contact Information:
Lizzie Druke, HR
edruke@wisc.edu
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.