Postdoctoral Scholar - Evans School Policy Analysis and Research Group (EPAR)

Description

The Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance is a nationally top ranked public policy school, serving nearly 500 students across multiple degree programs: Master of Public Administration (MPA), Global MPA, Executive MPA, and Ph.D. in Public Policy & Management. The Evans School is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of leaders and managers in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Guided by our mission statement and driven by values in the spirit of public service, the Evans School’s approach to policy and management education is rigorous, hands-on, and professionally relevant. The Evans School believes that our community should reflect the diverse backgrounds, opinions, experiences, and perspectives evident in the world in which we live. We strive for substantive inclusion and equity and continually work to increase our awareness and understanding of ourselves and the communities we serve.

The Evans School invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Scholar. This is a twelve-month position based at the University of Washington in Seattle, with a possible extension depending upon available funding and satisfactory performance in the role. The Postdoctoral Scholar will work for the Evans School Policy Analysis and Research Group (EPAR). EPAR conducts rigorous interdisciplinary research on a range of topics related to agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA), including small-scale producers, gender, nutrition, climate, food system risks and digital financial services. For more information about EPAR, please see: https://epar.evans.uw.edu/

The Postdoctoral Scholar will provide support on current contracts that involve constructing agricultural indicators and doing analyses associated with agricultural transformation and small-scale producers. Priority skills are proficiency with Stata, R and spatial mapping, and familiarity with the LSMS-ISA and other agricultural and spatial data in SSA and SA.

This position is a combination of service and applied research and may include preparing confidential reports for the Gates Foundation, public research briefs and literature reviews, public coding syntax files, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Some support for presenting at conferences is available and supporting EPAR’s efforts to move technical reports to publication is a part of the position, though the range of expected activities is broader and importantly includes support and mentoring across a team of graduate students on other EPAR projects.

There are 2 full-time positions available.

Position responsibilities are:

Building out data and coding public repositories and conducting applied research: (60%)

• Curating and analyzing panel and other socio-economic survey data
• Drafting and collaborating on manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and reports
• Preparing presentations for academic conferences and stakeholder workshops

Responding to service requests: (40%)

• Developing conceptual frameworks and assisting with evidence reviews
• Retrieving and conducting text analysis and topic modeling on large sets of regulatory filings, grant documents, and government regulatory and policy documents
• Collaborating with and mentoring graduate student researchers on research and analysis
• Potentially supporting training analysts from SSA and SA

Qualifications

University of Washington Postdoctoral Scholar appointments are for a temporary, defined period not to exceed five years/60 months, including any previous postdoctoral experience. At the time of their appointment, candidates must have:

• Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in development or agricultural economics or equivalent. Candidates should be no more than five years removed from completing doctoral level training. Doctoral level training must be completed by June 2025.
• Experience with the LSMS-ISA or other similar household level surveys.
• Excellent writing, research, and analysis skills
• Good organizational and project management skills
• Strong statistical/econometric skills
• Experience with Stata, R and spatial mapping software
• Experience coding and managing online open-sourced data platforms is desirable
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work independently and on research teams
• Interest in rural economies in developing countries

Training in economics is desirable, particularly if paired with other data science or modeling skills. Other quantitative social scientists are also invited to apply with a background in agriculture and statistics. Candidates whose backgrounds or experience have provided them with current contextual knowledge of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and/or South Asia are particularly encouraged to apply.

The base salary range for this position will be $5,800 - $7,000 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. 

Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website. 

For questions, please reach out to Angela Burgess at akburg@uw.edu.  

Application Instructions

Initial review will begin June 1, 2025 and continue until the position is successfully filled. To be considered for this position, please submit the following materials through Interfolio:

1. Cover letter briefly describing your interest in the EPAR Postdoctoral Scholar position, your qualifications for the position, and your professional development goals.
2. Current resume or CV.
3. Three names and contact information for references. At least one reference must be an academic reference from your doctoral dissertation committee. Letters of reference will be requested for short-listed candidates.
4. A recent sole-authored writing sample.
5. Copies of transcripts and/ or proof of academic good standing (transcript of highest degree conferred; proof of academic good standing on official letterhead and signed by graduate program director, advisor, or equivalent).
6. Copies of official GRE score documents if available.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Equal Opportunity

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

Benefits Information

The University is committed to providing excellent benefits to our faculty. For a summary of available benefits, please see UWHR benefits information.

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Disability Services

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.