Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 60,300 - 73,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full health insurance package

Collaborative research environment

Job summary

A prestigious research institution in Philadelphia seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support a two-year project focused on clean energy investments. The fellow will lead data collection, collaborate on research analysis, and contribute to academic publications. Candidates should have a PhD in political science or a related field and a strong background in research on American politics and energy policy. This role provides an annual stipend of $67,000 and a full health benefits package.

Qualifications

• Record of research on American politics, energy and climate policy.
• Experience conducting original empirical research.
• Strong writing skills and ability to produce scholarly work.

Responsibilities

• Lead data collection efforts, including interviews and surveys.
• Analyze data and produce academic manuscripts and policy outputs.
• Coordinate data collection timelines and manage research assistants.

Skills

Research on American politics

Energy and climate policy

Strong writing skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

PhD in political science, economics, public policy, sociology, environmental studies

Job description

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Open Date: Apr 02, 2026

Project: Transitioning through Uncertainty - Sociopolitical Feedback from Clean Energy Manufacturing Investments

Position Overview

The Penn Environmental Politics Lab seeks a post‑doctoral research fellow to support a two‑year research project, beginning in July 2026. This one‑year appointment, with possibility for renewal for a second year contingent on performance and availability of funding, is designed for a social scientist who has recently completed (by July 2026) a PhD in political science, economics, public policy, sociology, environmental studies, or a related field.

The fellow will be based at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and will work closely with PI Parrish Bergquist. They will have access to Penn's research community including seminars, workshops, and symposia hosted by the political science department, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Perry World House, the Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies, the Annenberg Center for Public Policy, the Wharton Climate Center, and many other centers and departments. While physically based in Philadelphia, the fellow will also engage regularly with the full research team at Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and Northwestern University.

About the Project

The US energy transition is unfolding against a backdrop of dramatic policy reversals, investment uncertainty, and deep political division. Our study, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, examines how firms, workers, and communities respond to clean energy industrial policy in the current moment of flux. The research team—PI Parrish Bergquist (University of Pennsylvania), and Co‑Investigators Sara Constantino (Stanford University), Michael Shepherd (University of Michigan), and Elizabeth Thom (Northwestern University)—is conducting a multi-method study that will include a process‑tracing analysis of federal clean energy policymaking, analysis of how clean energy manufacturing firms mobilize politically in response to policy uncertainty, an original longitudinal panel survey of clean energy manufacturing workers, and qualitative case studies of six communities hosting clean energy manufacturing facilities.

This Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation under Grant No. G‑2026‑79331.

Responsibilities

• Lead or co‑lead data collection efforts for one or more work packages, including conducting elite interviews, designing and implementing surveys and interviews with clean energy manufacturing executives and workers, and conducting background research and fieldwork in communities hosting new manufacturing facilities.
• Collaborate with the research team to analyze data and produce academic manuscripts and policy‑relevant outputs.
• Contribute to project management, including coordinating data collection timelines, managing research assistants, and supporting team communication across institutions.
• Pursue independent research questions emerging from the project in coordination with the PIs.
• Occasionally travel to study sites across the US to conduct fieldwork.

Compensation and Benefits

• Stipend: Commensurate with University of Pennsylvania guidelines, currently set at $67,000 per year
• Benefits: Full health insurance package per University of Pennsylvania policy

Qualifications

Desired Qualifications:

• Record of research on American politics, energy and climate policy, American political economy, or a closely related area.
• Experience conducting original empirical research, preferably using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Strong writing skills and a track record of producing scholarly work for publication.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including experience conducting interviews or other fieldwork.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks and timelines simultaneously.
• Enthusiasm for working in a collaborative, multi‑institutional team environment.

Application Instructions

To apply, please upload the following materials to https://apply.interfolio.com/184237:

• Cover letter describing interest in the project and your relevant experience.
• CV.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Writing sample.

Please direct questions to PI Parrish Bergquist at [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.