Postdoctoral Scholar in Social Sciences

Recruitment Period

The UCSB Blum Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy invites applications for the Equity Research Postdoctoral Scholar. This is a one-year position starting February 2021, with the possibility of extension, dependent upon funding availability.

The Postdoctoral Scholar appointment is a full-time position of advanced academic preparation and research training under the mentorship of Director of the UCSB Blum Center Professor Alice O’Connor for the California Central Coast Regional Equity Study, a collaborative, community-engaged project designed to inform regional efforts to advance social, political, economic, and environmental justice. The Study is rooted in a framework that defines a just and equitable region as one in which all residents experience: a standard of living adequate for health, well-being, and human development; opportunities to contribute to and share in regional prosperity; access to a fair and nondiscriminatory system of justice; and equal voice in governance. It builds from a comprehensive database documenting structural inequities within and across the Central Coast region, including a range of survey-based, administrative, and qualitative indicators related to employment, wages, and work conditions; health, education, and services; housing and homelessness; environmental protection; and policing, among others.

Working under the direction of an interdisciplinary team of UCSB faculty, and in consultation with a Project Steering Committee that reflects the broad, community-based nature of the collaboration, the Scholar will assist with:

• Writing the Central Coast Regional Equity Report, communicating the Study’s central findings, implications, and recommendations for policy and action
• Developing and implementing a dissemination strategy that includes targeted briefings as well as broad public release
• Creating a project website
• Creating and managing a platform for maintaining and periodically updating the database of regional equity indicators
• Conducting workshops to facilitate use of the Central Coast Regional Equity Database among community and campus constituents.

Basic Qualifications:

• To apply for this position applicants must have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Social Sciences or the allied fields, except the dissertation, by the time of application.

Additional Qualifications:

• Ph.D. conferred by the anticipated appointment start date of February 1, 2021
• Ph.D. conferred within the past five years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong writing and communication skills
• Data management
• Website construction/management
• Basic knowledge of a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods and associated data requirements
• Experience with community-engaged research

For primary consideration, interested candidates should use the following link to submit a completed application including an up-to-date curriculum vitae, cover letter, statement of research, a copy of the dissertation and/or other representative publication, and two letters of reference by December 17, 2020. https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF01911

We strongly encourage applicants to submit an optional Statement of Contributions to Diversity. These statements, if submitted, will be reviewed for evidence of teaching, research, professional, and/or public service contributions that promote diversity and equal opportunity, such as effective strategies used for the educational advancement, retention, and mentoring of students in various under-represented groups.

The postdoctoral scholar is a one-year appointment with an anticipated start date of February 1, 2021.

The Blum Center is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity & excellence of the academic community through teaching, research, and service.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research
• Dissertation and/or other representative publication
• Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service.
• (Optional)

• 2-3 letters of reference required