PLAS Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2027–2028

Viamu; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Princeton University is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the Program in Latin American Studies. The appointment is for 12 months during the 2027-2028 academic year, with possible renewal based on performance and funding.

Start is around September 1, 2027, with in-person work on campus in Princeton, NJ. Applicants come from any discipline and must conduct research related to Latin America, the Caribbean, or Brazil.

Qualifications

• Postdoctoral researchers in any discipline related to Latin America.
• Appointment is for 12 months with potential renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and continued funding.
• Start around September 1, 2027.

Responsibilities

• Research and writing; may teach no more than one undergraduate course per semester.
• Associates are expected to participate regularly in PLAS scholarly activities.

Job description

Duration Postdoctoral Research Associate appointment: 12 months during the 2027-2028 academic year, with possible renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and continued funding. Expected start around September 1, 2027. More senior ranks may have multi-year appointments.

Academic Year 2027-2028

Application Materials Language All materials must be in English.

Background Check Appointments are subject to University background-check policy. No particular check content or extra applicant files are specified in this current posting.

Page Level Application Fields Public pages specify application materials but do not expose questions, upload controls, or file format/size limits.

Position Reference Interfolio 185435

Position Title Postdoctoral Research Associate – Program in Latin American Studies

Research Scope Research topics related to Latin America, including the Caribbean and Brazil; any discipline.

Visa Terms The position is not eligible for H-1B sponsorship requiring consular processing. Other sponsorship may be available as appropriate.

Work Location In-person on Princeton University campus, Princeton, New Jersey.

Pay and benefits

• Postdoctoral Research Associate salary: $65,000 per year.
• Eligible employees may receive Princeton’s comprehensive benefits program; this posting does not itemize benefits.
• The 12-month appointment may be renewed contingent on satisfactory performance and continued funding; renewal is not guaranteed.

Costs to consider

The public current call does not state an application fee.

The Program in Latin American Studies (PLAS) at Princeton University seeks candidates from any discipline engaged in scholarly research related to Latin America, including the Caribbean and Brazil, for Postdoctoral Research Associate or more senior research positions.

At the postdoctoral rank, the appointment is for 12 months during the 2027-2028 academic year, with possible renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and continued funding. The expected start date is around September 1, 2027. The work is in person on Princeton’s campus.

Postdoctoral associates devote themselves to research and writing and may teach no more than one undergraduate course per semester. Any teaching opportunity depends on sufficient enrollment and approval by the Dean of the Faculty. Associates are expected to participate regularly in PLAS scholarly activities.

The Interfolio posting lists $65,000 per year for the postdoctoral research associate rank and $72,000-$75,000 per year for the more senior Associate Research Scholar rank. It refers eligible employees to Princeton’s comprehensive benefits program but does not itemize its components.

Who can apply

The call is for doctoral-level scholars whose research concerns Latin America, the Caribbean, or Brazil. The official call does not state a nationality or country-of-residence restriction. Princeton notes that this position is not eligible for H-1B sponsorship requiring consular processing; other sponsorship may be available as appropriate.

The specific posting lists a doctoral degree. PLAS’s general fellowship FAQ says postdoctoral applicants may apply during their final year if they anticipate defending in spring or early summer, allowing time to obtain proof for appointment processing.

• Final-year postdoctoral applicants may apply if they anticipate defending in spring or early summer and can provide proof for appointment processing.

Applicants from any discipline are considered if their scholarly research relates to Latin American Studies, including the Caribbean and Brazil.

• Research related to Latin American Studies, including the Caribbean and Brazil; any discipline.

The call particularly encourages scholars working on policy and public health, the history of disease, international relations, or economic development in the region.

The postdoctoral posting states the qualifications and particular research areas encouraged but does not publish a selection-stage sequence or scoring weights. The general PLAS FAQ says applications and supporting materials must be received by the published deadline and that incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Academic excellence Qualification listed in the current 2027-2028 postdoctoral call.

Potential to bring new ideas and approaches to Princeton University Qualification listed in the current 2027-2028 postdoctoral call.

Ability to interact successfully with a broad range of faculty and students Qualification listed in the current 2027-2028 postdoctoral call.

Research relevance and encouraged areas The call is open across disciplines for research related to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Brazil; it particularly encourages policy/public health, disease history, international relations, and regional economic development. No weighting is stated.

How to apply

• 1 Submit the application through the official Interfolio posting.
• 2 All listed application materials must be submitted in English.
• 3 Submit by November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
• 4 Address the cover letter to The PLAS Fellowship Committee. Prepare a 1,000-1,500-word research statement, a representative work sample under 30 written pages or equivalent, two potential undergraduate-course syllabi and three recommendations. All materials must arrive by the same published deadline; no late-reference extension is published.
• Appointment start: around September 1, 2027; this is approximate, not an exact start time.
• November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST), equivalent to November 16, 2026 at 04:59 UTC.: November 16, 2026

Important dates

• Interfolio open date: May 1, 2026.
• Application deadline: November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (November 16 at 04:59 UTC).
• Appointment start: around September 1, 2027; this is approximate, not an exact start time.
• November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST), equivalent to November 16, 2026 at 04:59 UTC.: November 16, 2026

Submit the Interfolio application

Submit through the official Interfolio posting by the stated deadline. The public posting does not state file formats or size limits.

• Doctoral degree; PLAS’s general fellowship FAQ says postdoctoral applicants may apply during their final year if they anticipate defending in spring or early summer, allowing time to obtain degree proof for appointment processing.
• Scholarly research related to Latin American Studies, including the Caribbean and Brazil; applicants may come from any discipline.
• The Interfolio posting also cites academic excellence, potential to bring new ideas and approaches to Princeton, and ability to interact successfully with a broad range of faculty and students.
• Current call lists University background checks as an appointment condition. The specific current materials instruction is English; a broader FAQ language exception for references is preserved as an unresolved source difference.

Documents to prepare

Required by the current posting. No format or file-size limit is stated. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified.

Required · Sensitive document

Required by the current posting. No format or file-size limit is stated. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified.

Required; 1,000-1,500 words. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified. Published research statement length 1,000-1,500 words; reference-counting rules are not stated.

Required · Sensitive document

Representative sample of recent work

Required; under 30 written pages or equivalent. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified. Exact published limit is under 30 written pages or equivalent; do not interpret as 30 inclusive. Reference inclusion/exclusion is unknown.

Required · Sensitive document

Syllabi for two potential undergraduate courses

Required: syllabi for two potential undergraduate courses. No format or file-size limit is stated. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified. Two potential undergraduate courses; general FAQ permits relevant Spanish/Portuguese/French readings and describes advanced undergraduate audience.

Required · Sensitive document

Letters of recommendation (three)

Three letters are listed as required application materials. The public posting does not specify the letter-submission workflow, format, or file-size limit. Current specific posting asks for materials in English. File format, size and sign-in upload controls are not publicly specified. GeneralFAQ allows English/Spanish/Portuguese/French references and authors familiar with applicant qualifications, but current call says all materials in English; no acceptance of another language in this exact call is assured. No later referee deadline is published.

Open the provider’s form to confirm the latest availability and required fields.

Apply through Interfolio. The posting requires all listed application materials in English by November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The public posting does not state file formats or size limits.