Postdoctoral Associate, Applied Economics and Policy Area

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Cornell University

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business invites applicants for a Postdoctoral Associate position for a one-year period (with the possibility of renewal for an additional year) in our Applied Economics and Policy Area, with a school affiliation in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. The intended start date of this position is January 15, 2025. The position will be based in Ithaca, NY.

 

The MIXTAPE (Monitoring Impacts for Technology Adoption and Program Engagement in Bangladesh) project is seeking a postdoctoral fellow who will be housed in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and Department of Public and Ecosystem Health at Cornell University.

 

Overview

We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow interested in research on dynamics of agriculture and aquaculture innovation in Bangladesh. The position will be supporting the MIXTAPE project, funded by the CGIAR Standing Panel on Impact Assessment to develop and implement a country level study on the adoption and outreach of CGIAR improved agriculture and aquaculture innovations in Bangladesh.

 

The position will be mentored by an interdisciplinary team of agricultural economists and planetary health specialists, belonging to the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Department of Global Development and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Specifically, the postdoctoral fellow will work with Prof. John Hoddinott (Food and Nutrition Economics and Policy), Prof. Miguel Gomez (Food & Agricultural Economics) and Prof. Kathryn Fiorella (Public & Ecosystem Health).

 

Project Summary

MIXTAPE is a country level study of the dynamics of agricultural innovation in Bangladesh. The postdoctoral fellow will work on the two main research questions of the project: what is the reach of CGIAR improved agricultural and aquaculture innovations in Bangladesh? How does the adoption of these innovations vary over time and what are the impacts on individuals, households, markets, the agri-food system at large, and the environment?

 

MIXTAPE will leverage existing national datasets (including remotely sensed data) and will conduct a mixed-methods data collection campaign that emphasizes mapping intervention-specific adoption, adoption outcomes and identifying interactions across interventions.  MIXTAPE engages a multidisciplinary team from five research institutions, led by Cornell University and Bangladesh Agricultural University. With the objective to map adoption, dis-adoption and related impacts, MIXTAPE informs the reach of the CGIAR system in high-priority countries around the world.  

 

Anticipated Division of Time

We are seeking a full-time researcher with a background in agricultural economics, economics, or related fields to support a holistic impact assessment and advanced measurements of CGIAR-related technologies adoption in Bangladesh, with a focus on rice and aquaculture. The postdoc will work with an interdisciplinary team, including agriculture economists and experts in the domain of rice and aquaculture. The successful candidate will contribute to the following activities:

 

·         Design and quantitative and qualitative survey instruments that support mapping intervention-specific adoption, adoption outcomes (paying specific attention to income-poverty and other dimensions of well-being beyond productivity) and identifying interactions across interventions.

·         Data analysis, with particular attention to the use of experimental and non-experimental approaches to causal inference

·         Manuscript writing

·         Work collaboratively with researchers based at Cornell and in Bangladesh

 

Required Qualifications

·         PhD in agricultural economics, economics or related field in hand or expected by December 2025.

·         Experience working with primary data such as household surveys, national agricultural datasets and/or census data.

·         Proficiency with Stata and/or R

·         Experience in quantitative econometric research design and data analysis, with a focus on causal inference and agricultural technology adoption.

·         Ability to travel internationally

·         Willingness to work with a multi-disciplinary team of researchers.

·         Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

 

Preferred Qualifications

·         Experience with primary data collection in rural areas of low-or middle income country settings

·         Experience with the design and implementation of program monitoring and impact evaluation

·         Experience working in Bangladesh and knowledge of the context.

·         Knowledge of aquaculture and aquatic food systems in low- or middle-income country settings

 

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (established on July 1, 2016) combines three Schools: the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management (Johnson), the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management (Dyson), and the Nolan School of Hotel Administration (Nolan).

 

Dyson houses a top-ranked undergraduate business program as well as graduate programs that award Ph.D., M.S. and M.P.S. degrees. Areas of faculty research include management; environmental, energy and resource economics; food and agricultural economics; and international and development economics. Faculty members in the Dyson School frequently collaborate with colleagues in Computer and Information Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Natural Resources, and other units on campus.

 

The following materials are required:

 

1. A cover letter that describes experience relevant to the position description

2. Curriculum vitae

3. One research paper

4. Names and contact information for three academic or professional references (finalists will be asked to provide letters).

 

J-1 visa sponsorship is available for this position.

 

In compliance with New York's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $62,232 - $67,824. Cornell University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.