Postdoctoral Fellow (Migration & Development)

Stanford University is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Immigration Policy Lab (IPL). In the face of the challenging social, political, economic, and ethical issues raised by the substantial increase in foreign-born populations, IPL conducts research that employs field and natural experimental methods to examine the impact of immigration and integration policies throughout the world. Using large datasets, creative research designs, and modern analytical tools, we bring new evidence to bear on the urgent problems practitioners face. Through collaborations with the people who set public policy, as well as those who serve immigrant communities, our research generates solutions with the potential to improve lives. IPL reorients academic training by placing postdocs in a hub of experiential research activity. Working side by side with faculty and professional staff, postdocs are fully immersed in an innovative research model that combines the efficiency and rigor of an academic lab with the energy and innovation of a civic-tech startup.

Position
We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to join our team, collaborating on and developing projects broadly related to migration and development. The principal job of the postdoc will be to design and implement immigration policy evaluations and conduct rigorous quantitative analyses using advanced methods of causal inference under the supervision of Professors Jens Hainmueller, David Laitin, and Jeremy Weinstein. She or he will be involved in all aspects of the research, but with a particular emphasis on research design, survey design and implementation, data acquisition, data analysis, and interpretation of results for projects associated with IPL’s Migration and Development Initiative (generously supported by the Stanford King Center on Global Development).

IPL is a highly collaborative environment, and postdocs will have the opportunity to develop new lab projects with other team members as well as join existing ongoing projects. The postdoc will have the opportunity to co-author papers envisioned to appear in top journals that report on the results of the studies and work with an array of affiliated faculty from top institutions. While the majority of the postdoc’s time will be dedicated to collaborative lab projects, there is also an opportunity to work on independent research.

The initial appointment will be for one year (with potential to renew for a second year). Start date is flexible, but January 2021 or earlier is preferred. Salary is standardized based on Stanford University guidelines. Benefits are provided.

Qualifications
The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will have completed a Ph.D., with a preference for Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Statistics, or Computer Science. She or he should have a range of statistical and data skills including graduate-level knowledge of program evaluation methods, data management, and data analysis. Experience in running and managing field experiments and/or household surveys in developing countries is preferred. Knowledge of immigration/refugee policy will also be valued, with the ability to operate professionally in French highly preferred.

Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer. It welcomes nominations of, and applications from, women and members of minority groups, as well as others who would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research missions.

Application Requirements
Applications should include a cover letter, CV, graduate school transcripts, a writing sample, contributions to diversity statement, and at least two letters of recommendation. The “Contributions to Diversity Statement” should describe any past efforts, as well as future plans, to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion as a postdoc at Stanford and IPL community member. Additional papers may be requested at a later date. Applicants should be prepared to complete a research design and data analysis exercise as part of the interview process.

Applications will only be accepted through AcademicJobsOnline.com (ID16649). We will begin reviewing applications on 15 September 2020.

Applicants who have questions about the position may contact the executive director of the Immigration Policy Lab at Stanford University, Duncan Lawrence, directly (dlawrenc@stanford.edu, Subject: Immigration Lab Postdoc – Migration and Development).