Postdoctoral Scholar

Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

Michigan State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position associated with the National Science Foundation-funded project, "Improving Disability Inclusion in the Workforce Through Assessment and Augmentation of Individual Abilities and Workflow Redesign in Real-World Contexts." This is a full-time, fixed-term, one-year appointment based in the Department of Supply Chain Management.

The successful candidate will contribute to research at the intersection of people-centric operations, social sustainability, analytical modeling, and socially responsible operations, with a particular emphasis on abilities-first inclusion and the design of inclusive workflows in real-world settings. The position is intended for a candidate who has completed the PhD and is prepared to contribute immediately to assigned research projects associated with the NSF award.

The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to work on analytical and implementation-oriented problems involving optimization, artificial intelligence, workflow redesign, and stochastic assembly line balancing. The position will involve close collaboration with industry partners participating in the project, as well as interdisciplinary engagement with faculty in engineering, kinesiology, and vocational rehabilitation. Supply Chain Management will serve as the home department for the position.

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to work as part of a highly motivated, interdisciplinary research team that includes doctoral students from multiple colleges across Michigan State University.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Conduct research aligned with the NSF project on disability inclusion, abilities-first workflow redesign, and inclusive operational systems
• Develop analytical and computational models related to optimization, AI-enabled workflow design, and stochastic assembly line balancing
• Collaborate with faculty, doctoral students, and industry partners in interdisciplinary research settings
• Contribute to project deliverables, including manuscripts, presentations, reports, and related research outputs

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree:
Terminal
-Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Management, or a closely related field

Minimum Requirements:

Applicants must have completed a PhD by the start date in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Management, or a closely related field. Applicants must also demonstrate:

• Strong analytical preparation in optimization, operations research, analytical modeling, or related quantitative methods
• Interest in artificial intelligence and its implementation in workflow or operational settings
• Ability to work independently on assigned research tasks while contributing effectively to a collaborative research team
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Desired

Qualifications:

Preference will be given to candidates with one or more of the following:

• PhD training in Industrial Engineering/Systems or Operations Management with a strong analytical focus

Required Application Materials:
Cover Letter, CV, Example Papers, Evidence of Interest in the Domain of Work

Special Instructions:
If you have any questions regarding this posting please send an email to Dr. Sriram Narayanan at sriram.

Review of Applications Begins On: 04/24/2026