Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Project: Transitioning through Uncertainty – Sociopolitical Feedback from Clean Energy Manufacturing
Investments

University of
Pennsylvania, Department of
Political Science | Philadelphia, PA

Position Overview

The Penn Environmental Politics Lab seeks a
post-doctoral research fellow to support a two-year research project, beginning in July 2026. This one-year appointment, with possibility
for renewal for a second year contingent on performance and availability of funding, is designed for a social scientist who has recently
completed (by July 2026) a PhD in political science, economics, public policy, sociology, environmental studies, or a related
field.

The fellow will be based at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and will work closely with PI Parrish Bergquist.
They will have access to Penn’s research community including seminars, workshops, and symposia hosted by the political science department,
the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Perry World House, the Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies, the Annenberg Center for
Public Policy, the Wharton Climate Center, and many other centers and departments. While physically based in Philadelphia, the fellow will
also engage regularly with the full research team at Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and Northwestern
University.

About the Project

The US energy transition is unfolding against a backdrop of dramatic policy
reversals, investment uncertainty, and deep political division. Our study, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation, examines how firms, workers, and communities respond to clean energy industrial policy in the current moment of flux. The
research team – PI Parrish Bergquist (University of Pennsylvania), and Co-Investigators Sara Constantino (Stanford University), Michael
Shepherd (University of Michigan), and Elizabeth Thom (Northwestern University) – is conducting a multi-method study that will include a
process-tracing analysis of federal clean energy policymaking, analysis of how clean energy manufacturing firms mobilize politically in
response to policy uncertainty, an original longitudinal panel survey of clean energy manufacturing workers, and qualitative case studies of
six communities hosting clean energy manufacturing facilities.

This Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is supported by the Alfred P.
Sloan Foundation under Grant No. G-2026-79331.

Responsibilities

• Lead or co-lead data collection efforts for
  one or more work packages, including conducting elite interviews, designing and implementing surveys and interviews with clean energy
  manufacturing executives and workers, and conducting background research and fieldwork in communities hosting new manufacturing
  facilities.
• Collaborate with the research team to analyze data and produce academic manuscripts and policy-relevant outputs.
• Contribute to project management, including coordinating data collection timelines, managing research assistants, and supporting team
  communication across institutions.
• Pursue independent research questions emerging from the project in coordination with the
  PIs.
• Occasionally travel to study sites across the US to conduct fieldwork.

Compensation and Benefits

• Stipend: Commensurate with University of
  Pennsylvania guidelines, currently set at $67,000/year
• Benefits: Full health insurance package per University of Pennsylvania policyQualifications
  Desired
  Qualifications

  We are looking for a motivated, intellectually curious scholar with:

  A record of research on American
  politics, energy and climate policy, American political economy, or a closely related area

  
  

  Experience conducting original empirical
  research, preferably using both quantitative and qualitative methods

  Strong writing skills and a track record of producing scholarly
  work for publication

  
  

  Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including experience conducting interviews or other fieldwork

  Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks and timelines simultaneously

  
  

  Enthusiasm for working in a
  collaborative, multi-institutional team environment

  Application Instructions
  How to Apply

  
  
  

  To apply,
  please upload the following materials to: https://apply.interfolio.com/184237

  • cover letter describing interest in the project and your relevant
    experience
  • CV
  • three letters of recommendation
  • writing
    sample
  
  
  

  Please direct questions to PI Parrish Bergquist at pberg@sas.upenn.edu.

  
  
  

  To apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/184237

  Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

  
  

  The
  University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex,
  sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age,
  disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local
  law.

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