Postdoctoral Scholar

Penn State University • University Park, IL

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Research Translation Platform invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar interested in a career at the research-policy nexus supporting the evaluation and analytic needs of strategies for translating scientific evidence to policymakers. This exciting opportunity would train a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the science of science impact by developing their research expertise in the scholarly study of how policymakers use research evidence. This includes evaluating dissemination and impact or research translation models, such as the Research-to-Policy Collaboration model. The Scholar would be responsible for conceptualization of appropriate advanced quantitative methodologies and analysis for a variety of projects, and may have opportunities to contribute to the implementation of an effective, replicable and non-partisan model for brokering researchers and policymakers. While the Scholar should have strong quantitative skills, prior policy experience is not required. The Scholar will receive training and mentorship in applying their skills to the analysis of boundary-spanning initiatives. This mentored position provides an opportunity to learn translational skills while working with policymaking audiences, as well as opportunities to contribute to scholarly work regarding best practices for research translation and dissemination. Our team is hybrid academic and policy practice; thus, we use data for action. Opportunities for professional development and scholarly contributions will be provided. Preference will be given to those within commuting distance to the Washington, D.C. area, though it is not required.

Requirements

• Excellent analytic abilities and advanced statistical modeling skills (e.g., longitudinal, multi-level, overdispersed) of large, messy datasets
• Proficient with statistical programming software and languages (e.g. SAS, STATA, or R)
• Excellent attention to detail
• Applied research experience, such as large administrative datasets or real-world data
• Enthusiasm and commitment to accelerating the translation of science to policy, including learning key theories in the area of study
• Curiosity and a generalist attitude with interest in diverse social policy issues
• Ability to work on multiple simultaneous projects and prioritize work based on project scope, organizational need, and timeline
• Strong diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong communication skills, such as seeking input early in design and escalating threats or problems to PIs
• Ensuring quality control of data collection, and alerting PIs as needed
• Substantial scholarly writing and presentation experience
• Bipartisan mindset and ability to interpret findings from multiple viewpoints
• Completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. at the time of appointment; applicants may have their degrees from any department, but degrees in psychology, public health, human development, public policy, social work, or prevention science will be particularly good fits for the program.
• While the RTP team primarily operates remotely, preference will be given to applicants in Virginia within commuting distance of Washington, D.C. to support in-person data collection from congressional staff
• Remote work requires high-quality, high speed internet connection in a home office

Nice To Haves

• Prior policy experience is not required.
• Preference will be given to those within commuting distance to the Washington, D.C. area, though it is not required.

Responsibilities

• Design the plan for and analyze observational and survey data regarding policymakers’ or researchers’ engagement in boundary-spanning initiatives, including longitudinal and multi-level analyses
• Extract, transform, clean, and maintain data from a variety of sources
• Development and proactive upkeep of data sources (e.g., surveys in Redcap, observational data via a CRM)
• Contribute to the development of analytic plans for grants and publications
• Support analytic needs for grant writing and reporting (e.g., power analyses; interim impact analyses)
• Meet with legislators or staff to collect survey data
• Mentor undergraduate- and graduate-level interns and fellows on developing and executing analytic plans
• Support research planning by setting milestone goals and incremental internal deadlines to achieve goals

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• Postdoctoral benefits

What This Job Offers

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