Postdoctoral Research Associate

Texas A&M University System • College Station, TX

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work with Dr. Andrew Fieldhouse and Dr. Adam Kolasinski in the Adam C. Sinn '00 Department of Finance at Texas A&M University. The position is a 15-month appointment on a funded research project measuring firm-level effects of federal contract R&D. The associate will use restricted-use U.S. Census Bureau firm microdata under approved Census Project TX03195 and conduct empirical research on how federal investments in research and development affect firm innovation, performance, and economic outcomes.

The role offers an opportunity to collaborate with faculty, build a publication pipeline, coauthor papers targeting leading finance and economics journals, and strengthen preparation for future faculty or research appointments. Work includes constructing firm-level panels, implementing econometric designs, maintaining replicable code and detailed data records, preparing Census disclosure avoidance requests, evaluating results, presenting research, and contributing to project reporting. The associate may also support faculty with research tasks such as data retrieval, literature reviews, paper editing, and mentoring junior research staff.

Work in the Texas Federal Statistical Research Data Center (TXRDC) on the Texas A&M campus requires Special Sworn Status (SSS) with the U.S. Census Bureau. Candidates who already hold SSS are strongly preferred. Applicants without SSS may begin the clearance process before their start date; during clearance, certain work such as code development, literature review, and drafting papers may be performed remotely, subject to university approval. SSS applicants must have lived in the United States or its territories for 36 of the past 60 months and pass a federal background investigation. SSS holders must protect Census Bureau data confidentiality, including commingled Federal Tax Information.

Requirements

• PhD in economics or finance, completed or expected to be completed by the start date.
• Strong applied microeconometrics, particularly panel instrumental variables and two-stage least squares designs.
• Comfort building and working with large administrative and firm-level datasets.
• Advanced coding skills in Stata or a comparable statistical package such as SAS, R, or Python.
• Strong writing skills and ability to draft publication-quality text.
• Understanding of, or willingness to learn, Census disclosure avoidance rules and data stewardship requirements for Title 13 and Title 26 data.
• Strong attention to detail and high ethical standards.
• Ability to work independently and think critically.
• Consistency maintaining integrity and trust in professional interactions.
• Discretion and sound judgment when handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Ability to work cooperatively with others.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• For SSS applicants: lived in the United States or its territories for 36 of the past 60 months and pass a federal background investigation.

Nice To Haves

• Special Sworn Status with the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Prior experience with restricted-use Census Bureau or Internal Revenue Service data.
• Prior experience with firm-level microdata such as BRDIS, SIRD, RADS, or Compustat.
• Research interests in innovation, corporate finance, public economics, or macroeconomics.
• A record of research output, or clear evidence of potential, at the level expected for placement in a research-active department.

Responsibilities

• Conduct empirical analysis in the TXRDC under approved Census Project TX03195.
• Construct or revise firm-level panels linking federal contract R&D to self-funded R&D, patenting, profitability, market share, and stock returns.
• Implement econometric designs, including panel instrumental variables and two-stage least squares estimation, and separate direct effects from spillovers.
• Prepare and submit Census disclosure avoidance requests and respond to Disclosure Review Board feedback.
• Retrieve and maintain detailed records of data used in research and maintain replicable code.
• Evaluate and summarize estimation results.
• Coauthor papers targeting top finance and economics journals.
• Present results at academic conferences and seminars.
• Contribute to project reporting for the funding agency.
• Support faculty with short-term research-related tasks, including data retrieval, literature reviews, paper editing, and mentoring junior research staff.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance; Texas A&M contributes to employee health and basic life premiums.
• 12–15 days of annual paid holidays.
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Free exercise programs and release time.
• Free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more.
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while employed at Texas A&M.
• Living Well employee wellness program.
• Funded conference travel is budgeted for presenting the project's papers.

What This Job Offers

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