Position Description

Research Associate in Public Policy: Child Health and Education Policy

The Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University is seeking to welcome welcome one or more Research Associates to work on empirical microeconomic research on child health and education policy. 

Responsibilities in Child Health and Education Policy
The primary role of the Research Associate will be to anchor research projects in the economics of child health policies, including school based health care and other school health policies, and to launch new research in connected areas of child health.  This research will be conducted with Maria Fitzpatrick, who is Professor of Economics and Public Policy, and a team of faculty and students from the Brooks School and the Department of Economics. The responsibilities of this position involve designing and conducting research studies that meet the aims of our project, leading in data preparation, management and analysis, supporting graduate students and other personnel, and writing research manuscripts. The candidate will pursue established questions and will also have latitude to develop their own questions within the context of the project

The successful candidate(s) will have access to a rich economics and public policy community that spans multiple departments and colleges. The Brooks School, and Cornell more generally, have strong community norms of inclusivity and well-being.

Title Overview
Research Associates contribute, in collaboration with a principal investigator or faculty sponsor, to the design and implementation of research projects or programs. Research associates can be principal investigators on grants or contracts only on an exception basis. Their specific duties may include, but are not limited to, planning, conducting, and reporting original research; designing, constructing, or operating highly complex research apparatus; and supervising the research operations of a laboratory or facility. Research associates informally participate in graduate research training, but they may not be members of graduate committees, except as ad hoc additional, supplementary members. Research associates normally have no responsibilities for formal teaching but may participate in seminars or specialized portions of courses to an extent consistent with the terms of the funding of the position. 

Required Qualifications:
- A PhD in Economics, Public Policy, Health Policy, or closely related discipline.
- Expertise in data management, spatial analysis, GIS, and R/Stata programming methods.
- Experience working in a team and under a deadline.
- Strong written and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with quasi-experimental econometric methods for causal inference.
- Experience with health care claims data, e.g., Medicaid, private insurance, EHR records.
- Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.  

Pay Range:
Research Associate: $50,900 - $95,900
The hiring salary for this position is between $75,000 - $95,000. Actual salary offer will be based on education, experience, discipline, and relevant skills.

How To Apply:
Materials should be submitted to Academic Jobs Online at the following link: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31565
For initial screening, please include the following materials in PDF format with your application by the deadline.
(1) Cover letter specifically describing your interest, and qualifications for the position.
(2) Current curriculum vitae CV/resume, including links to writing samples and publications.
(3) Research statement describing doctoral work (and postdoctoral work, if applicable).
(4) Three reference letters or writer's contact information.

Application Deadline:
Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2026 and continue until a candidate is selected. Applications will be accepted through April 15, 2026, if the position is not filled sooner. 

For questions regarding this position, please contact Search Committee Chair Professor Maria Fitzpatrick at maria.d.fitzpatrick@cornell.edu.

Position Details:
The position is full-time at 100% FTE with a 40-hour work week. The appointment is one-year/12 months and benefits eligible. Continued employment is contingent on successful performance, available work, and available funding with the possibility of renewal. The position is based on-site in Ithaca, New York with the potential for a hybrid work arrangement. 
- No visa sponsorship is available for this position.
- No relocation assistance is provided for this position.

About The Brooks School:
The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University was established in 2021 to tackle the most pressing policy challenges we face in the U.S. and globally. To advance this goal, we are hiring world-class research scholars and educators across a variety of disciplines who are oriented toward policy engagement and impact.

Cornell is an equal opportunity employer and educator.