Mellon Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position tied to UVA's Center for Cultural Landscapes and the Outsider Preservation Initiative (OPI). The appointee will advance qualitative research, data analysis, and public humanities in collaboration with descendants and external partners.

The position is based in Charlottesville with a hybrid schedule; start is flexible with preference for Fall 2026.

Qualifications

• Education: Doctoral degree in planning, historic preservation, history, geography, anthropology, African American studies, public humanities, cultural heritage studies, digital humanities, data science, or a related field
• Experience with undergraduate/graduate student research projects (preferred)
• Demonstrated qualitative research methodologies and scholarly potential
• Experience with database development, GIS, and digital humanities tools
• Strong writing, organization and collaboration skills
• Interest in community-engaged, descendant-centered research practices

Responsibilities

• Collect data from CCL communities of practice and co-publish with the Center Director
• Conduct qualitative and mixed-methods research on preservation, planning, cultural landscapes, and descendant communities
• Lead data analysis, visualization, GIS mapping, and digital research infrastructure development
• Assist with development of the OPI interactive web portal and related initiatives
• Produce scholarly publications, reports, and public-facing materials
• Assist with grant writing and integrate research into teaching

Skills

Qualitative research

Data analysis

GIS mapping

Web development

Public humanities

Collaboration

Education

Doctoral degree in planning/heritage studies

Tools

NVivo

ArcGIS/QGIS

Python/R

Web-based research platforms

Job description

The Center for Cultural Landscapes in the University of Virginia School of Architecture invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position associated with the Outsider Preservation Initiative (OPI), an interdisciplinary research, regranting, and public humanities project focused on descendant-centered preservation, historic Black settlements, and community-engaged research.

The successful candidate will contribute to a dynamic research environment examining the relationships among technology, public history, planning, and preservation in historically marginalized communities. We seek a scholar with strong expertise in qualitative research, visual communication, and data analysis, and an interest in an interdisciplinary and applied research environment.

The Postdoctoral Associate will work closely with the Director, faculty, students, descendant communities, and external partners to advance web development, the re-granting process, and research on planning and preservation practices, cultural landscapes, program impact, and narrative justice.

Postdoctoral employment is temporary and is normally limited to individuals who have been awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within the previous five years and who will be involved in full-time research or scholarship at the University. Employment as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is viewed as training and is preparatory for a full-time academic or research career, is supervised by a senior scholar, and allows the appointee to publish the results of his/her research or scholarship during the training period. Performing research and co-creating scholarship with the Center director is central to the training experience.

This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding. Start date is flexible, though preference may be given to candidates available to begin during the upcoming academic year beginning in September 2026.

Responsibilities

• Collecting and organizing data associated with CCL communities of practice
• Co-publishing research with Center Director, Andrea Roberts, PhD
• Conducting qualitative and mixed-methods research related to preservation, planning, cultural landscapes, measuring impact, and descendant communities
• Leading data analysis, visualization, GIS mapping, and digital research infrastructure development to support public engagement, website development, and publishing
• Assisting with the development of the OPI interactive web portal and related digital humanities initiatives
• Producing scholarly publications, reports, and public-facing materials
• Assisting with grant writing
• Supporting integration of research into teaching in urban and environmental planning classes
• Participating in Center programming, workshops, lectures, and public engagement activities

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Doctoral degree in planning, historic preservation, history, geography, anthropology, African American studies, public humanities, cultural heritage studies, digital humanities, data science, or a related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience involving undergraduate and graduate students in research projects
• Demonstrated expertise in qualitative research methodologies
• Experience with database development and management, digital humanities, GIS, spatial analysis, or computational/social data methods
• Strong writing, organizational, and collaborative skills
• Evidence of scholarly research and publication potential
• Interest in community-engaged and descendant-centered research practices
• Familiarity with ethnography, preservation policy, land use planning, housing, or cultural landscape studies
• Experience with database creation and analysis
• Experience with NVivo, ArcGIS/QGIS, Python/R, or web-based research platforms
• Web and graphic design experience
• Experience with tracking and studying program performance

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The anticipated hiring range is $55,000-$62,000. Salary will be commensurate with experience and institutional guidelines. The position includes access to university research resources and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

This is an Exempt-level, benefitted position. For more information on the benefits available to postdoctoral associates at UVA, visitpostdoc.virginia.eduandhr.virginia.edu/benefits.

This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and is eligible for a hybrid schedule, with additional on-site presence as needed, in accordance with UVA's remote work guidelines.

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

This position will remain open until filled.

Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.