Description

The Social Policies for Health Equity Research (SPHERE) Center at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) seeks a postdoctoral fellow to conduct NIH-funded research on the effects of pandemic-era social and economic policies on health inequities. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted rapid and innovative policymaking around the world at the national, regional, and local levels. The postdoctoral fellow will link pandemic-era social and public health policies with national health data sets that provide individual-level information on mental health and healthcare utilization to assess how these pandemic-era policies affected these outcomes, particularly health inequities.

The fellow will be expected to conduct statistical analysis using state-of-the-art quasi-experimental techniques, publish first-authored manuscripts on projects aligned with the primary research topic, present findings at national conferences, and prepare grant applications to establish research independence. They will benefit from a strong mentorship team led by principal investigator Dr. Rita Hamad, Professor of Social Epidemiology and Public Policy at HSPH and Director of the SPHERE Center and the Harvard Population Center for Population and Development Studies. 

Requirements

Postdoctoral candidates must possess a doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, or equivalent) in epidemiology, health policy, economics, political science, or a related field. Strong quantitative analytical and writing skills are required, including experience in Stata or R. Research experience in social determinants of health, policy evaluation, and racial/socioeconomic disparities is desirable. Methodological expertise in longitudinal analysis and econometric methods (e.g., instrumental variables and difference-in-differences analysis) is also highly desirable. Ideally, the candidate will have experience working with population-level data sets. This fellowship is suitable for graduating doctoral students seeking research experience and further career development. 

The position will be based at HSPH, and specifically in the Harvard Population Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS). Office space will be provided. Candidates are expected to work on-site at least 3 days a week. This position also requires the candidate to analyze data at the Federal Statistical Research Data Center in Boston.

To indicate interest in the position, submit a cover letter, CV, one manuscript (published or unpublished), one sample of statistical code, and a list of three references to HCPDS Deputy Director Laura Price at lprice@hsph.harvard.edu. Please put “SPHERE Postdoc Application” in the subject line. Questions can also be directed to Ms. Price. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue as needed throughout the recruitment period. The earliest start date is July 2026, but we will consider later start dates for competitive candidates. Finalists will be asked to provide three reference letters.