Postdoctoral Research Associate in Community College Leadership & Policy

Iowa State University • Ames, IA

25d

About The Position

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities: The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work collaboratively with faculty in the School of Education at Iowa State University to support research and programmatic initiatives related to community colleges, higher education policy, and leadership development. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will contribute to research projects examining community college finance, state policy and politics, and institutional governance. The position will also support scholarly and practitioner‑focused dissemination related to community college leadership, policy, and institutional effectiveness. Research responsibilities include conducting literature reviews; assisting with the collection, management, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; contributing to scholarly publications, policy briefs, and practitioner‑focused resources; and supporting project coordination and grant‑related activities. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will also support initiatives associated with the Community College Leadership Development Consortium, housed at Iowa State University, which provides professional development and leadership programming for current and aspiring community college leaders across Iowa. Responsibilities include assisting the Consortium leadership team with the planning, coordination, and evaluation of programs and events; coordinating logistics such as travel, event arrangements, and materials for programs and summer academies; supporting administrative and financial coordination including expense tracking, payment processing, and budget reconciliation; and assisting with communications and outreach activities such as maintaining website and social media content, contributing to the quarterly newsletter, supporting alumni communications, and helping prepare research briefs and program materials. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong written, oral, and electronic communication skills; the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team; and effective organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Higher Education, Community College Leadership, Education Policy, Public Policy, Sociology, or a closely related field by the start date
• Demonstrated research experience using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches.
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Professional or academic experience with community colleges
• Knowledge of or interest in higher education policy, leadership development, or community college research
• Experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research
• Experience with program evaluation or assessment
• Experience with statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SPSS, or similar programs)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and professionally with stakeholders, including college leaders, policymakers, faculty, and others
• Experience with qualitative data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, ATLAS.ti, Dedoose, or similar programs).

Responsibilities

• Conducting literature reviews
• Assisting with the collection, management, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
• Contributing to scholarly publications, policy briefs, and practitioner‑focused resources
• Supporting project coordination and grant‑related activities
• Assisting the Consortium leadership team with the planning, coordination, and evaluation of programs and events
• Coordinating logistics such as travel, event arrangements, and materials for programs and summer academies
• Supporting administrative and financial coordination including expense tracking, payment processing, and budget reconciliation
• Assisting with communications and outreach activities such as maintaining website and social media content, contributing to the quarterly newsletter, supporting alumni communications, and helping prepare research briefs and program materials

Benefits

• comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree