Postdoctoral Research Associate
The Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS) at Princeton University invites applications for the PIIRS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for the 2027–28 academic year. PIIRS is dedicated to advancing innovative, interdisciplinary scholarship addressing global challenges and will award up to four postdoctoral fellowships for the 2027–28 cohort.
Appointments will be made at the rank of Postdoctoral Research Associate for a one-year (12-month) duration, beginning September 1, 2027, with the possibility of renewal pending satisfactory performance and continued funding. Fellows are expected to be in residence at Princeton or in the local vicinity for the entire academic year, maintaining an on-campus presence at least four days per week (or demonstrating the ability to be on campus daily on short notice) to fulfill in-person participation duties.
Leveraging Princeton’s scholarly resources, fellows will focus on research, expanding their intellectual horizons, and preparing work for publication. Key program elements and opportunities include:
Biweekly meetings with the faculty director to share ongoing work.
Monthly interdisciplinary meetings with faculty fellows from various social science disciplines to present research and engage in collaborative learning.
Encouraged engagement with colleagues and participation in departmental seminars.
Financial support to host a small, pre-publication book workshop.
Provision of shared office space and a laptop computer.
Positions are subject to Princeton University’s background check policy. (Note: The position is not eligible for sponsorship of an H-1B visa requiring consular processing; other visa sponsorships not requiring consular processing may be available as appropriate).
Eligibility Criteria:
Recent PhD in the Social Sciences. Candidates must have completed all requirements for the PhD degree by the start date of the fellowship (September 1, 2027) or provide a letter signed by their dissertation advisor confirming completion by that date.
Applicants generally cannot have more than two years of postdoctoral experience prior to September 1, 2027.
Selection is based on the strength of the candidate’s scholarly record, the promise of proposed research, and the ability to contribute to the intellectual community across PIIRS and Princeton academic departments.
Required Expertise / Skills:
Exceptional scholarship in the Social Sciences congruent with PIIRS’s intellectual focus.
Demonstrated ability to advance theoretical debates within the applicant’s primary disciplinary field.
Proven capability to creatively engage and communicate with a multidisciplinary audience.
Deep substantive regional knowledge of specific places.
High potential for collaborative engagement with interdisciplinary research groups.
Salary Details: Competitive salary and benefits, plus a research fund of $4,000 per year, shared office space, a laptop computer, and funding for a pre-publication book workshop.
Application Deadline: September 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST (Advertised on August 4, 2026)