University of California - Santa Barbara

Position overview

Position title: Postdoctoral Scholar with Center for Spatial Studies

Salary range: $66,737- $80,000.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: 8/15/2025 or later

Position duration: 2 years, with potential to renew for a 3rd year depending on performance

Application Window

Open date: June 26, 2025

Next review date: Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Oct 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Geography, at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Center for Spatial Studies and Data Science seeks to hire a qualified candidate for a postdoctoral research position focused on the intersection of geography and public policy analysis. Successful candidates will have research experience in quantitative geography, geographic information science, and applied social science research. This position is well-suited for someone interested in research design and the application of geographic principles and methods to policy analysis and evaluation, including topics related to geographic metascience, spatial causal inference, and external validity.

The successful candidate will collaborate with Dr. Peter Kedron, members of the Center for Spatial Studies, and professionals at a leading policy research firm to design and implement empirical and computational studies examining policy variation, transfer, and scaling. With the spatial analysis of policy interventions as a central interest, research activities may span a broad range of topics, such as evidence generation and aggregation; external validity, generalizability, and transferability of evidence across geographic contexts; methods for assessing geographic replicability; spatial causal inference; and veridical spatial data science. The successful candidate will be expected to coordinate research activities, develop refereed publications, contribute to proposals for extramural funding, and present research findings at professional conferences. There will be opportunities for the candidate to contribute to specialist meetings, training events, and curriculum development activities led by the Center for Spatial Studies.

The Center for Spatial Studies and Data Science at UCSB focuses on promoting spatial thinking and spatial analytics across academia, industry, and government agencies. The center contributes to the advancement of knowledge in disciplines ranging from the humanities to the physical sciences. The center is recognized as the global leader in the development of Geographic Information Science dating back to its role as the flagship institution of the three university National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA).

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)Applicants must have completed all requirements for a PhD Degree in Geography or a related discipline except the dissertation at the time of application.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)A Ph.D conferred in Geography, GIScience, or a related field is

required by the time of appointment.

Preferred qualifications ● Familiarity with research design and statistical techniques for causal inference

• Interest and experience in the study and evaluation of policy and/or researcher practices
• Fluency in programming languages such as R and Python.
• Demonstrated ability to make reproducible code for cleaning, integrating, and modeling spatial/temporal data from multiple sources, spatial scales, and temporal frequencies.
• Proven record of independently leading research projects, conducting reproducible research, publishing journal articles and presenting at international and national conferences.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 2 required (contact information only)

References will be contacted for final candidate(s) by email and/or phone, requesting one (or more) of the following: discussion over email or phone, letter of recommendation.

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02931

Help contact: lucy.lopez@geog.ucsb.edu

About UC Santa Barbara

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, students and third parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Additionally, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Job location

Santa Barbara, CA

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