Postdoctoral Research Associate

Florida Gulf Coast University • Lexington, MA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Regional Economic Research Institute (RERI) at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PRA) to join their team. This position reports directly to the Director of RERI, Dr. Amir B. Ferreira Neto, and is based in Fort Myers, FL. The PRA will be involved in nationally visible academic research, sponsored projects, and the development of economic projects for RERI stakeholders, including local government, businesses, and university units. Responsibilities include assisting in the development and implementation of customized empirical analyses, producing client-focused documents, and generating knowledge relevant to the Southwest Florida community. The role involves data acquisition, management, and analysis, writing reports and papers, preparing presentations for clients and stakeholders, and seeking external funding through grants and consultancy contracts. Strong empirical research skills in econometrics, statistics, input-output analysis, and other quantitative methods are essential. The position allows for dedicated time to work on independent research, fostering the development of an independent research portfolio, and offers opportunities to build a teaching portfolio. This is a 12-month position with potential for renewal based on performance and pending external funding. The starting date is no later than August 2026, with salary determined by skills, qualifications, and experience.

Requirements

• PhD or ABD with expected completion by June 1, 2027, in relevant field.
• Strong empirical research skills (econometrics, statistics, input-output analysis, and/or other quantitative methods).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to publish research in high ranked economics journals and to present research findings to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to respond to supervision, guidance, and direction in a positive, receptive manner and in accordance with stated policies.
• Ability to interact in a professional manner with staff, faculty, students, and the community in a service-oriented environment.
• Apply effective techniques to create working relationships with others to achieve common goals; successfully communicate and collaborates with others to achieve goals.
• Demonstrate skills necessary to look at situations and processes critically to make recommendations for improvement.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. in Economics, Applied Economics, Geography, Demography, Sociology, or a related field by start date.
• Experience in economic and econometric research, fiscal and economic impact analysis, regional economics, report writing, and business development.
• Expertise in Input-Output Models such as IMPLAN and REMI, and econometric and statistical packages such as R, Python and/or Stata.
• Experience with survey analysis and programming in Qualtrics.
• Experience in working on externally funded research, and writing grant proposals for research funding.
• Experience in working with spatial data and GIS software/packages.

Responsibilities

• Conducts economic research, write briefs and economic impact studies, and produce other reports using results from statistical analysis using software/tools such as IMPLAN, R, Excel, and others.
• Collaborates with RERI faculty and staff to write reports and make presentations of findings to clients and potentially media outlets.
• Creates and manages databases.
• Analyzes the Southwest Florida economy, draws comparisons to the nation and with other areas in the states, and makes presentations of findings.
• Assists in planning, design, and execution of research projects and preparation of research & grant proposals.
• May serve as co-Principal Investigator with leadership expectations and primary responsibility for end-to-end execution.
• Conducts literature searches.
• Assists in the dissemination of RERI work via social media, print, or other media outlets.
• Teaches one 3h credit course per semester as determined by the Department of Economics and Finance chair.
• Supervises undergraduate research assistants.

Benefits

• Salary based on skills & qualifications/experience.
• Possibility of renewal, based on performance and pending external funding.
• Opportunity for further developing an independent research portfolio.
• Opportunities to develop a teaching portfolio.

What This Job Offers

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