Description

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Princeton University: Office of the Dean of the Faculty: Social Sciences: Sociology

Location: Wallace Hall

Open Date: Feb 12, 2026

Salary Range or Pay Grade: Salary begins at $65,000/year and will be commensurate with experience

Deadline: Jun 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Description: The Office of Population Research at Princeton University invites applications for multiple Postdoctoral Research Associate positions in demography and population studies, beginning on or about September 1, 2026, as part of a new cohort-based postdoctoral program in Demographic Sciences. Appointments will be made through the Department of Sociology

OPR is a leading interdisciplinary center for population research, with strengths spanning biodemography, family demography, fertility and reproduction, migration, health and mortality, inequality, aging, education, and population dynamics across the life course. Postdoctoral Research Associates will join a vibrant intellectual community of faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars and will have exceptional opportunities for collaboration across departments and research centers at Princeton.

Program Description: The OPR postdoctoral program is designed to support early-career scholars pursuing independent research in demography or closely related fields while also contributing to collaborative faculty research projects. Postdoctoral Research Associates will be matched with teams of two or more OPR faculty mentors and are expected to maintain an active independent research agenda alongside collaborative work.

Postdocs will be fully integrated into the intellectual life of OPR, including participation in seminar series, workshops, working groups, and professional development activities. The program emphasizes close mentorship, research collaboration, and community building among a cohort of postdoctoral scholars in residence.

Responsibilities and Expectations

Postdoctoral Research Associates are expected to:

Collaborate on faculty research projects, which may include data analysis, manuscript development, grant proposal preparation, and related research activities
Maintain an active program of independent research
Present research in OPR workshops or colloquia
Participate fully in OPR’s intellectual and professional community
Serve as a teaching assistant for one semester per year pending enrollments and the approval of the Office of the Dean of the Faculty
Be in residence at OPR at least four days per week during standard business hours to support collaboration and engagement
Each postdoc and their faculty mentors will develop a mutually agreed-upon work plan during the first month of the appointment outlining collaborative projects, research goals, and expectations.

Appointment Terms: Appointments are for one year, with the possibility of renewal for a second year contingent on satisfactory performance and funding availability. Postdoctoral Research Associates receive a competitive salary, full benefits, and research support.

This position is subject to the University's background check policy. The work location for this position is in-person on campus at Princeton University.

Applicants should submit:

A curriculum vitae
A research statement describing current and future projects, including how their work aligns with and could contribute to OPR faculty research
One or two representative publications or working papers
Confidential letters of recommendation

Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2026, and will continue until the positions are filled.

Application Process: This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.

Apply Now (use the following URL to access Princeton application portal):

https://account.interfolio.com/login?redirect=https:%2F%2Fdossier.interfolio.com%2Fapply%2F181246
 

Requirements

Qualifications: Applicants must expect to have completed a Ph.D. by the start date in demography or a closely related field (e.g., sociology, economics, public policy, epidemiology, environmental sciences, genomics and evolution). Scholars with any substantive or methodological focus within demography are encouraged to apply.
Application Instructions