Postdoctoral Associate - Political Science

Position Summary

The Department of Political Science at Rice University invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in American politics. This full-time position has no teaching or service obligations. In addition to carrying out their own research agenda, the Fellow will be expected to conduct research on executive politics and be actively engaged in the intellectual life of the Department.

Research interests in American political institutions, especially the presidency and bureaucracy, are preferred but not required. We invite applicants with complementary research interests, including (but not limited to): public opinion, judicial politics, state and local politics, mass media, representation, and elections.

This is a one-year on-campus position with potential for renewal based on performance.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Curate and build their own research portfolio with collaborators, technical staff, and other resources

• Working on research at the direction of the project PI

• Managing and working with research assistants

• Grant development and writing, as needed.

Requirements

• A Ph.D. by September 1, 2026 in a related area (e.g., political science, economics, public policy, etc.), with required proof of degree

• Demonstrated interest in one or more of the following: American politics, political institutions, the American presidency, or bureaucratic politics.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong project management skills with exceptional attention to detail

• Strong time management skills with a proven ability to multitask and work successfully with little supervision

• Mastery of one or more programming languages commonly used for computational social science (e.g., R or Python)

• Ability to work with and analyze administrative data.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should apply online through the Rice University job portal. Applicants are required to upload the following materials:

1. Research Statement
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Writing sample
4. Names of two references who can supply letters of recommendation upon request.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits  

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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.