Post Doctoral Fellow

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Retirement plans

Educational fee discounts

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is seeking two Post-Doctoral Fellows at the University of Missouri's RaFF center. Candidates will engage in economic modeling and policy analysis, contributing to research on agricultural financial outcomes.

The role requires a doctorate in relevant fields, proficiency in R and Excel, and offers mentorship and opportunities for scholarly growth. Successful applicants will be involved in collaborative research and dissemination of findings.

Qualifications

• Doctorate must be obtained by the time of appointment.
• Strong presentation and writing skills for academic and applied contexts.
• Experience estimating production costs and supply-demand equations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance models for farm income and regional agricultural lending.
• Design analytical tools for subnational agricultural decisions.
• Disseminate findings through publications and presentations.

Skills

Familiarity with U.S. agricultural practices, markets and policies

Experience in applied economic analysis

Proficiency in R and Excel

Strong communication skills in English

Experience with U.S. commodity price analysis

Education

Doctorate in agricultural economics, economics, statistics, or related fields

Job description

Job Description

The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) seeks applications for two (2) Post-Doctoral Fellows within the Rural and Farm FinancePolicy Analysis Center (RaFF) at the University of Missouri. RaFF provides U.S. Congress and stakeholders with data and policy analyses focused on regional agricultural financial outcomes. Through a coordinated multistate effort, RaFF evaluates how policy decisions and innovations affect farmers' and ranchers' profitability and financial resilience. We invite candidates passionate about economic modeling, policy analysis in U.S. agriculture, and rural financial resilience. This position offers mentorship under Dr. Alejandro Plastina and collaboration within a multidisciplinary, mission-driven team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance models for state-level farm income and regional agricultural lending portfolios.
• Design tools for policy and market analysis supporting subnational agricultural decisions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and peers to monitor evolving policy and market landscapes.
• Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications, policy reports, presentations, and decision tools.
• Engage in regular team meetings, mentorship activities, and contribute to grant and proposal writing.

Location and Work Arrangement

The position is based in Columbia, Missouri, on the campus of the University of Missouri (Mizzou).

Appointment Terms

The initial appointment is for 12 months with strong potential for renewal based on performance and funding. The start date is negotiable, with preference for a Fall 2026 start.

Professional Development

RaFF supports postdocs’ scholarly growth, including opportunities for publishing, presenting at conferences, and mentoring students. Fellows are encouraged to lead research projects aligned with RaFF’s mission.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications: Doctorate in agricultural economics, economics, statistics, or related fields (with emphasis in applied econometrics) by the time of appointment.

• Familiarity with U.S. agricultural practices, markets and policies.
• Experience in applied economic analysis, with preference given to those with experience developing and implementing structural economic models and partial equilibrium models.
• Proficiency in R and Excel.
• Strong communication skills in English. Candidates should have a record of presenting to various audiences and writing reports for both academic and applied outlets, with preference given to those with experience presenting quantitative assessment to agricultural producers, agribusiness representatives, or policymakers.
• Experience with U.S. commodity price analysis, farm policy, data management, and econometrics is preferred. Responsibility for estimating production costs and profit margins, supply and demand equations, equilibrium quantities and prices of agricultural commodity markets for outlook and policy analysis is highly preferred.

Contact

Questions can be directed to Dr. Alejandro Plastina ([e-mail]).

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.