Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the School of Politics and Global Studies

Description

The School of Politics and Global Studies (SPGS) at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral research scholar as part of an NSF-funded grant project to code new data on economic restrictions. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) one-year position. The salary is $61,008.

The Government-imposed Restrictions on International Economic Relations (GRIER) project is an NSF funded research endeavor designed to complement and add to existing sanctions data while pushing forward the scholarly study of sanctions. Using each “restriction” (the specific prohibited interaction) as the unit of analysis, the project will code all government-mandated restrictions by the US, EU, and UN on the international flow of goods, services, money, finance, and investment, as well as restrictions on travel, media, and diplomacy for the years spanning 1992 to 2023. The project will also construct time-varying, comparable indicators of the comprehensiveness and severity of each economic restriction for the target. The GRIER dataset will be used to test systematically two broad research questions. First, what affects the composition and severity of government-imposed economic restrictions against target states—whether specifically against governments, individuals, or other entities? Second, how does the composition of economic restrictions affect not only the likelihood of target concession, but the broader reshaping of economic and political networks?

About Arizona State University:

ASU is a large, comprehensive, research university and for nearly two decades, has transformed into the “New American University,” one dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of excellence, broad access to quality education, and meaningful societal impact. By our Charter and Design Aspirations, we center inclusive excellence on and success as values that drive the enterprise; adopt inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning as ways to address society’s greatest challenges; and develop innovative partnerships to produce master learners across the lifespan. To learn more about ASU, visit http://www.asu.edu.

Job description:

The postdoctoral research scholar will work under the supervision of Principal Investigator Timothy M. Peterson and with Co-PI Dursun Peksen (U. Memphis) to collect and manage data spanning 1992-2024. The position will also offer opportunities to conduct and publish research in peer-reviewed outlets. Primary activities will include data collection, evaluation, and analysis related to the determinants of (kinds and combinations of) economic restrictions, as well as the consequence of economic restrictions for economic and political relationships.

This is an in-person, academic year, benefits-eligible appointment. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2025.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• A PhD in Political Science, International Relations, Computer Science, Economics, or a related field conferred by the time of appointment, but no earlier than Spring of 2023.
• Demonstrated experience in data collection and management.
• Evidence of programming understanding and experience with R (preferred), Python, or Stata.
• Demonstrated advanced methods skills in one or more of the following:
  • Quantitative text analysis and machine learning
  • Web scraping
  • Network modeling
  • Spatial econometrics
  • Item response modeling
• Excellent organizational and communication skills

Desired qualifications:

• Substantive research experience in one or more of the following topics:
  • Economic sanctions
  • Export controls
  • Commodity trade and supply chains
  • Armed conflict
  • Deterrence (broadly defined)
• Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students and communities to advance the principles of the ASU Charter.

Application Instructions

Applications and Inquiries:

This is a paperless search, and only materials submitted electronically will be considered.

Application materials should include:

1.  A curriculum vitae
2.  A letter of interest describing how you meet the qualifications noted above
3.  A writing sample or research statement
4.  Contact information for 3 references including email addresses

The application deadline is March 28, 2025; if not filled, then every two weeks thereafter until the search is closed.

Interested applicants may contact Timothy M. Peterson at tmpete15@asu.edu with questions, or for a copy of the NSF project description.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources.  ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf  You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.