Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.  

The Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is seeking a two-year Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in health economics, epidemiology, education, public policy, or a related quantitative social science to join its team. The Research Associate will provide analytic leadership and support to the Gateway to Global Aging Data (https://g2aging.org/). Research projects will focus on education policies (e.g., compulsory schooling policy, reduction or elimination of tuition and fees, and early childhood education and care), late-life health, and aging-related outcomes. Projects may also cover topics related to the lifecourse consequences of social and economic policies and environmental exposures, particularly related to the Gateway’s ongoing research and using the international network of health and retirement studies.

The Research Associate will work in a multidisciplinary environment as part of the larger research community within the Global Aging team and the CESR, which offer substantial opportunities for professional development and growth. Strong candidates will be highly motivated and have a strong quantitative background, writing abilities, and organizational and logical reasoning skills. The position is ideal for candidates who recently completed PhD programs in economics, epidemiology, education, public policy, or other quantitative social science fields. During their two-year term, the Research Fellow will be expected to publish first-authored manuscripts on projects aligned with the group and engage in collaborative research. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

The successful Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate will:

• Conduct statistical analyses (regression, longitudinal data analysis, imputation).
• Develop complex statistical code to extract, clean, manage, and analyze data in support of research projects.
• Lead new and innovative research projects focused on the impact of early-life education and care on aging-related outcomes.
• Disseminate findings from analytic projects at departmental seminars, conferences, and in peer-reviewed journals.
• Be an active member of the Gateway’s Education Policy team and assist in coordinating staff to ensure study deliverables are completed in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with Gateway investigators and research staff on the development of data infrastructure, public resources, and dissemination material for the Gateway to Global Aging Data study.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Methodological expertise in topics such as longitudinal data analysis and causal analysis.
• The ability to produce careful and detail-oriented work.
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities and strong analytic skills.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Past research experience involving large datasets and complex computational tasks.
  

Education requirements: PhD in economics, epidemiology, education, public policy, or other quantitative social science field.

Minimum experience: 2+ years

Location: Los Angeles, CA (University Park Campus) or Washington, DC (Capital Campus)

Salary range: The annual salary range for this position is $80,000 - $100,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.

Education requirements: PhD in economics, epidemiology, education, public policy, or other quantitative social science field.