Post Doctoral Associate -Rural Economic Resilience & Food Systems

About the Role

The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct applied economic and community-engaged research jointly supporting two related research programs under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Van Leuven.

Research Focus

• 60% effort on an NSF EPSCoR project examining how severe weather, extreme heat, and harmful algal blooms affect rural labor markets, downtown business activity, and recreation economies
• 40% effort on UVM Food Systems Research Institute-funded work examining climate effects on rural food business dynamics (e.g., restaurant and grocery entries and exits) and rural food systems infrastructure, building on ongoing FSRI-supported research

Responsibilities

• Lead in-person and virtual interviews with New England business owners, municipal officials, and consumers
• Conduct causal-inference analysis of high-frequency foot-traffic, consumer-spending, and satellite-derived environmental data
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, presentations, and public-facing outputs

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD completed by January 1, 2027 start date in economics, applied/agricultural economics, regional science, public policy, or a closely related quantitative social science field
• Demonstrated quantitative/econometric skills, ideally including causal inference or panel-data methods
• Programming proficiency in R, Python, and/or Stata
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively across institutions

Desirable Qualifications

• Research experience or strong interest in rural economic development, climate resilience, and/or food systems
• Experience conducting qualitative or community-engaged interviews
• Data visualization and GIS skills
• Familiarity with high-frequency mobility/spending data (e.g., Advan, SafeGraph) or satellite-derived environmental data

Pay

$63,480 - $63,900

Schedule & Location

This position is expected to begin January 1, 2027. Hybrid and remote candidates will be considered; the search will not be limited to candidates already based in Burlington. At minimum, the postdoc must be able to travel to Burlington, VT at least four times during the year for team meetings, plus additional periodic travel across New England for interview-based fieldwork. Candidates able to work in person at UVM on a more regular basis (i.e., within driving or transit distance) are preferred, all else equal. This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with an option to split time between campus and elsewhere, in accordance with the university telecommuting policy.

Application Instructions

When applying, please submit a CV, a cover letter describing your fit with the position and research interests, a writing sample, and contact information for two to three professional references. Applications will close October 31, 2026. Questions? Contact Dr. Andrew Van Leuven at andrew.vanleuven@uvm.edu.