Postdoctoral Researcher

Position Overview

The Kansas Data Science Consortium (KDSC) is a project housed at the Institute for Policy & Social Research (IPSR), a faculty-driven research center supporting social scientists who focus on social problems and policy-relevant research questions. The KDSC at the University of Kansas invites candidates to apply for a Postdoctoral Researcher position for a 9‑month appointment, expected to begin as early as September 1, 2026.

KDSC is particularly interested in candidates who aspire to become academic researchers in applied microeconomics (particularly labor and education), environmental economics, or international trade.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will work closely with Dr. William Duncan on multiple projects related to data housed in KDSC’s signature program, Community Data Labs. The position offers opportunities for co‑authorship on publications and for collaboration with IPSR‑affiliated faculty. This work is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation.

The advertised salary range of $60,000–$68,000 reflects a 12‑month appointment; however this position will only serve a 9‑month appointment. The adjusted compensation over 9 months will be $44,827–$50,804, commensurate with experience.

• Data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Prepare, test, and document complex datasets for sponsored research: combine data from multiple sources.
• Combine data from multiple years to create longitudinal datasets.
• Test created datasets for consistency, outliers, and missing values.
• Document code to make updating and revision easier.
• Perform work as part of a research team.

• Craft scholarly outputs such as conference proposals and peer‑reviewed manuscripts.
• Prepare and present updates on ongoing research, provide written reports on progress, and participate in group meetings.
• Prepare and present technical workshops to the Community Data Labs class and KDSC Research Lab.
• Collaborate with ARISE theme researchers and present research at ARISE events.

• Teach data science students and provide feedback and guidance on student data science projects.
• Provide support for Data Science majors and courses.
• Provide data‑science consulting services by request in collaboration with the KDSC Data Engineer.

• A PhD in economics, public policy, political science, geography, sociology, or demography, with an emphasis on quantitative methods.
• Experience with programming in STATA, SAS, or R and handling large‑scale population surveys and administrative records, as evidenced in application materials.
• Strong writing and communication skills, as demonstrated in application materials.
• A proven ability to work independently, as demonstrated in application materials.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position.

• Previous experience with quantitative research related to applied microeconomic disciplines.
• Strong microeconometric skills, as demonstrated by research using these methods.

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume
• List of three (3) professional references
• Writing sample

Only complete applications will be considered. Application review begins Monday, August 3, 2026. To ensure consideration, please apply prior to this date.

Emma Howard, e.howard

kdsc | Research Project Specialist