Postdoctoral Research Assocate

Job Title Postdoctoral Research Assocate Agency Texas A&M Agrilife Research Department Agricultural Economics Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location College Station, Texas Job Type Staff Job Description

About Texas A&M Agri Life Texas A&M Agri Life is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:
Texas A&M Agri Life Extension Service Texas A&M Agri Life Research College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University Texas A&M Forest Service Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M Agri Life brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System.

With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M Agri Life is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.  to learn more about joining Agri Life!

To work with Dr. Pourya Valizadeh on U.S. domestic food policy research under general supervision. Projects include, but are not limited to, evaluating SNAP purchase restrictions and studying how various food policies affect household purchases of ultra-processed foods. The work uses large transaction-level food purchase data and state-of-the-art machine learning and causal inference methods.

• Evaluate SNAP purchase restrictions and other food and nutrition assistance policies.
• Study how various food policies affect household purchases of ultra-processed foods.
• Clean and analyze transaction-level purchase data (e.g., Circana, NielsenIQ) using econometric and machine learning methods.
• Work with restricted data in Administrative Data Research Facilities (ADRFs).
• Write journal articles; present findings at conferences and meetings.
• Collaborate with the research team and support grant reports and proposals.
• Other research duties as assigned.

• Working knowledge of Stata.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work well in a team and independently.

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics, completed by the start date. In order to be considered for this position prior to your doctoral degree being conferred, please attach a letter from your school's official Graduate Office, Registrar's Office or PhD Committee Chair certifying that all requirements for the doctoral degree have been met and stating the degree conferral date.

• Research experience on SNAP or other food and nutrition programs.
• Experience with program evaluation methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, event studies).
• Experience analyzing transaction-level or scanner purchase data (e.g., Circana, NielsenIQ).
• Experience working with restricted data in an ADRF or similar secure data environment.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience applying machine learning methods.

Salary: $63,000-$66,000, commensurate with experience.

Position Funding:
This is a 1-year position funded through grants or contracts. Employment is contingent upon the continued availability of funding and satisfactory job performance.

Flexible Work Arrangements:
This position requires on-site presence and is not eligible for remote work. Flexible work schedules may be available depending on the nature of the role.

Sponsorship:
This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and must not require sponsorship now or in the future.

Your employment at Texas A&M Agri Life may require nonimmigrant sponsorship. A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Texas A&M Agri Life will NOT pay this fee. If the fee is imposed on your petition, this offer of employment will be revoked. If actions taken during your employment result in the imposition of this fee, your employment will be terminated.

To the extent that this statement conflicts with any applicable System or member Policy, Regulation, or Rule, this statement will control. We recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense regarding potential implications. In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbott issued a…