Postdoctoral Researcher - Political Science and Systems Engineering

The Postdoctoral Research Associate position is an interdisciplinary fellowship at Montana State University, supported by the NSF-funded DigiCARES project, which advances AI-driven digital twins for climate-aware and community-centered energy resilience. The fellow will implement a research program established in the NSF DigiCARES project strategic plan, contributing to defined milestones and deliverables while working at the intersection of engineering, data science, and social science to develop innovative approaches for next-generation energy infrastructure that integrate technical performance with community governance and equity-focused perspectives.

The appointment is jointly supported by engineering and political science faculty, creating a collaborative research environment that connects technological innovation with policy and public engagement. The fellow will conduct applied research using real-world utility data and community partnerships, gaining hands-on experience in cyber-physical energy systems, resilience analytics, and interdisciplinary solutions to complex societal challenges.

NSF award number 2418359

Duties and Responsibilities
Research & Analysis
Conduct interdisciplinary research on energy justice, governance, and community resilience in cyber-physical energy systems.
Design and implement social science measures (procedural, recognition, and distributive justice) for digital twin applications.
Conduct quantitative and mixed methods research with rural cooperatives and community stakeholders to assess energy equity impacts.
Analyze socio-technical datasets and policy indicators to evaluate equity outcomes in energy planning and operations.
Execute defined research tasks and deliverables specified in the DigiCARES strategic plan, including milestones related to data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Community Engagement & Translation

Develop and execute community engagement strategies, integrating local knowledge into energy system decision-making and model validation.
Facilitate participatory workshops and present research findings to community energy committees and partner organizations.
Translate complex technical energy analytics into accessible insights for policymakers, utilities, and community stakeholders.

Publication & Mentorship

Prepare and publish peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, and policy briefs focused on justice-enhanced energy systems.
Mentor master's and doctoral students, offering training, seminars, collaborative research opportunities, and methodological guidance in interdisciplinary energy resilience research.
Present research findings at academic conferences and project meetings, and assist with proposal and grant-related activities.

Project Support
Support project coordination, grant reporting, and dissemination activities as part of the NSF DigiCARES research initiative, including implementing strategic-plan research tasks and associated reporting deliverables.

Required Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Ph.D. in political science, public policy, economics, engineering, or a closely related field with a preferred research focus on energy systems, resilience, or socio-technical infrastructure.
Strong research skills and demonstrated interest in topics such as:
Artificial intelligence & technology governance
Rural co-op governance and community resilience
Energy policy, energy justice, energy poverty, and energy security

Prior experience in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research.
Technical competence in data analytics, programming, or modeling using tools such as Python, R, GIS, or similar computational platforms.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and translate technical and social science insights into scholarly publications and policy-relevant outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Experience conducting field-based research with utilities, rural cooperatives, community organizations, or government agencies on energy or infrastructure issues.
Background in digital twin platforms, cyber-physical systems, or energy system modeling and optimization.
Familiarity with large-scale energy or socio-technical datasets, including AMI, SCADA, outage records, or public equity indicators.
Prior success in interdisciplinary research teams and in developing externally funded research proposals.

The Successful Candidate Will

Excellent communication and teamwork skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering and social science disciplines.
Strong organizational and project management abilities, including managing multiple tasks and research timelines.
Capacity to engage respectfully and productively with community stakeholders and partners from all backgrounds.
Clear written and oral communication skills for translating complex research findings to academic, policy, and public audiences.

Position

Special Requirements /Additional Information
This position is contingent upon continued…