SNF Agora Postdoctoral Fellow

Inside Higher Ed; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to original datasets

Professional development opportunities

Collaboration with leading researchers

Job summary

A prestigious academic institution is offering a Postdoctoral Fellowship focused on political behavior and democracy research. The position, based in Baltimore, will involve working with esteemed faculty and mentoring students. Candidates should have a PhD in Political Science or a related field, alongside a strong research background and quantitative analysis skills. This role presents opportunities for independent research and collaboration, aiming to strengthen democratic resilience through academic inquiry.

Qualifications

• Strong research record in relevant fields.
• Proficient in data analysis and visualization.
• Experience with mixed-methods research.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on political behavior and public opinion.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
• Contribute to collaborative research projects.

Skills

Research record in democracy, political behavior, or political psychology

Proficiency in quantitative research methods

Experience with experimental or qualitative approaches

Ability to mentor students

Education

PhD in Political Science or related field

Job description

General Description

Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University invites applications for a visiting Postdoctoral Fellowship for scholars conducting research on political behavior, public opinion, political identities, and democratic resilience. The Fellow will work under the supervision of Dr. Lilliana Mason and will have opportunities for collaboration with SNF Agora faculty, research staff, students, and other visiting Fellows.

The Fellow will contribute to research in the new Democracy and Division Lab, an interdisciplinary research group examining how identity, civic trust, and institutional design interact to strengthen or undermine democracy.

The position includes opportunities to lead independent research projects, co‑author publications, access original datasets regularly collected by the Lab, and participate in ongoing research initiatives. The Fellow will also help mentor undergraduate and graduate students involved in the Lab's work and participate actively in the intellectual life of the Institute.

This fellowship is a one‑year appointment, renewable for up to five years, contingent on performance and funding.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD in Political Science or a related field completed by the start of the appointment (summer/fall 2026). Competitive candidates will demonstrate:

• A strong research record in democracy, political behavior, or political psychology;
• Proficiency in quantitative, survey‑based research methods, data analysis, and data visualization;
• Experience with experimental, qualitative, or mixed‑methods approaches;
• Ability to contribute to collaborative projects and to mentor students.

Applicants should state their anticipated start date and availability in the application letter.

Application Instructions Applicants Should Submit

• Application Letter describing your interest in the fellowship, alignment with SNF Agora and the Democracy and Division Lab, planned research agenda, desired start date, and relevant experience;
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Official Graduate Transcript;
• Writing Sample (e.g., article, dissertation chapter, or working paper);
• Three Letters of Recommendation.
• Optional: Publications or additional writing samples may be included.

Applications will start being reviewed February 1, 2026.

To apply for this position, visit: apply.interfolio.com/178796

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [email protected]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification.

EEO Is The Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine. The COVID‑19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID‑19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid‑19‑vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health‑safety/covid‑vaccination‑information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information. The pre‑employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre‑employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.