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Postdoctoral Associate
  • Job Number: 24285
  • Functional Area: Research - Social Science
  • Department: Sociotechnical Systems Research Center
  • School Area: Schwarzman College of Computing
  • Employment Type: Full-Time Temporary
  • Employment Category: Exempt
  • Visa Sponsorship Available: Yes
  • Schedule: M-F


Job Description

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE, Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC), to join the Local Innovation Group on an external evaluation of an agrifood systems capacity building intervention in Bihar, India funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Will join the project’s final year to conduct mixed methods evaluation research that will contribute to answering evaluation questions related to outcomes within farmer organizations and local agrifood systems. Research approaches will include case studies of specific districts in Bihar using mixed-methods data collection techniques (e.g., interviews, observation, document reviews) within the context of a systems-informed and realist evaluation-informed evaluation. Will contribute to the final evaluation through data collection, data analysis, and generation of relevant findings and contribute to writing the final report with other members of the team; and lead author at least one co-authored manuscript with other members of the team.  

Job Requirements

REQUIRED:  Ph.D. in the social sciences, specifically the evaluation sciences and/or a discipline involving site-based field research (e.g., interviews, observations, focus groups, document reviews, etc.) and doctoral-level training in qualitative research methods; academic and/or professional training conducting theory-driven case study research and mixed-methods causal research; rigor in research design and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data; ability to generate and clearly communicate findings from data; excellent writing skills in English, including for non-technical audiences; proven publication record, including scholarly papers and evaluation or policy reports; and ability to work independently and collaboratively.  PREFERRED: fluency in Hindi, experience conducting field research in India, subject area experience in capacity building interventions in agrifood systems and/or gender empowerment interventions with rural communities, and evaluation and/or research project management experience.  Job #24285

The position will require occasional international travel to Bihar, India.

Anticipated duration:  from November 2024 to November 2025

Application material should include a cover letter describing your research skills and current research focus, future career goals, and how they fit with this position; a CV; and the names and contact information for three references. This material should be uploaded as a single PDF on the MIT job site in the resume field and be emailed directly (with JSPVAT Postdoc Application in the subject line) to Elizabeth Hoffecker at: ehm@mit.edu.

Employment is contingent on work authorization and completion of a satisfactory background check.

8/2/24