Postdoctoral Research Fellow- Law School

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

The University of Michigan Law School seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support the empirical research initiatives of the Dean. The fellow will work closely with the Dean and
affiliated faculty to design and conduct quantitative research on topics at the intersection of law, public policy, and social science.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will play a central role in developing and executing empirical research projects, including designing studies, analyzing complex datasets, preparing academic manuscripts, and contributing to collaborative research initiatives. The fellow will also help develop research infrastructure for ongoing projects and assist in mentoring graduate and undergraduate research assistants.

The fellow may also assist with occasional projects working with administrative data to inform operational decision-making and strategic planning within the law school.

The ideal candidate will have strong quantitative skills, experience working with large datasets, and a demonstrated interest in empirical legal or policy research. The fellow should be able to work independently while contributing effectively to collaborative research projects.

This position is fully remote with occasional travel to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Responsibilities*

• Design and conduct empirical research projects related to law, public policy, and social science.
• Clean, manage, and analyze large administrative and research datasets.
• Develop quantitative data analysis pipelines using tools such as Python, Stata, R, or similar statistical programming languages.
• Assist with occasional projects working with administrative data to inform operational decision-making and strategic planning within the law school.
• Contribute to the preparation of academic manuscripts, policy reports, and conference presentations.
• Conduct literature reviews and assist in the development of new research proposals.
• Collaborate with faculty researchers and support the supervision of research assistants.
• Help develop research infrastructure, including reproducible data workflows, documentation, and collaborative research systems.

Required Qualifications*

• Ph.D. in Economics, Statistics, Political Science, Public Policy, Sociology, or a closely related quantitative social science field.
• Strong background in quantitative research methods and causal inference.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Python, Stata, R, or similar statistical programming languages
• Experience working with large administrative or observational datasets.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to contribute to academic publications.
• Demonstrated comfort using emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to enhance research.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple research tasks and deadlines.

Desired Qualifications*

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in empirical legal studies, criminal justice, labor markets, education policy, or related fields.
• Experience working with administrative or government data.
• Prior experience collaborating on multi-author academic research projects.
• Interest in contributing to interdisciplinary research initiatives within the law school.
  

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

278390

Postdoctoral Research Fellow- Law School

RESEARCH FELLOW

Ann Arbor Campus

Mobile/Remote

Full-Time

Regular

Exempt

Law School

Law School

6/02/2026 - 6/12/2026

Research Fellows