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.

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

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.  

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.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

Benefits Information

A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.

Commitment to Diversity

The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University?s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member?s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).

Privacy Notice

Review the University of Washington Privacy Notice for Demographic Data of Job Applicants and University Personnel to learn how your demographic data are protected, when the data may be used, and your rights.

Disability Services

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

About University of Washington

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public institutions in the west coast and one of the preeminent research universities in the world. The University of Washington is a multi-campus university comprised of three different campuses: Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell. The Seattle campus is made up of sixteen schools and colleges that serve students ranging from an undergraduate level to a doctoral level. The university is home to world-class libraries, arts, music, drama, and sports, as well as the highest quality medical care in Washington State and a world-class academic medical center. The teaching and research of the University’s many professional schools provide undergraduate and graduate students the education necessary toward achieving an excellence that will serve the state, the region, and the nation. As part of a large and diverse community, the University of Washington serves more students than any other institution in the Northwest.

Connections working at University of Washington