Postdoctoral Research Associate

We are accepting applications for a postdoctoral research fellow with a background in social sciences (e.g. psychology, economics, sociology, political science, communications) to join an interdisciplinary and inter-institution NSF-funded project and to develop new research projects on social, cultural and political dimensions of sustainability challenges.

This postdoc will be based at Northeastern University, where they will work closely with Prof. Sara Constantino, and be co-mentored by Profs. Nathan Geiger (Indiana U.) & Gregg Sparkman (Boston College).

Half of this position will focus on an NSF-funded project on misperceptions of public opinion, and their impacts for collective climate action. Research has found that Americans, including political and intellectual elites, underestimate support for major climate policy. This false social reality may limit climate change mitigation by demoralizing those taking action, leading them to be regarded as a noisy minority, and distorting the democratic process. This project aims to identify sources (psychological, political, media, social) of social misperceptions on climate and social policy attitudes, understanding why misperceptions persist and how to ameliorate them.

The other half will offer the opportunity to develop and lead new research projects and collaborate on existing projects with Dr. Constantino. Existing projects cover a range of topics: cooperation and collective action in the context of environment, climate and social inequity; the dynamics by which social movements / norms / narratives emerge and existing ones become entrenched (e.g. social tipping, social norms, cultural evolution, polarization); and the impacts of acute shocks/crises on communities, political behaviors and adaptation decisions. The postdoc will lead projects, but also have the opportunity to collaborate with people in other departments and institutions. The lab has funding and resources to support research and conference travel.

This position is fully funded for one year and renewable for up to two additional years, contingent on performance. The start date is flexible, ranging from mid-summer to early fall. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Salary is competitive and follows NIH stipend guidelines.

Qualifications:

• A PhD in a relevant social or behavioral science conferred by the position's start date
• Comfort with quantitative methods and data analysis (e.g. causal inference methods)
• Comfort with R (or equivalent) statistical programming languages
• Familiarity with empirical/experimental data and/or admin or large-scale data and/or text analysis

To apply, please send a one-page cover letter describing your interest and research fit and a CV.

Applicants from under-represented minority groups in academia are encouraged to apply, including but not limited to: Black, Indigenous, Latina/o, first generation to college, and LGBTQ scholars.

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Application instructions
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