Toggle navigation Post Doctoral Associate -Rural Economic Resilience & Food Systems The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law. For information on safety and security at the University of Vermont, see the annual security report by clicking on the Clery Act button in the sidebar menu. Finalists for positions at UVM may be subject to a criminal background check. For classified staff positions, actual hiring pay dependent on current competitor market conditions, comparable campus peer(s) at time of hire, and candidate's experience level and length. Be sure to carefully review and update your application information before submitting an application! Position Details Position Details Advertising/Posting Title Post Doctoral Associate -Rural Economic Resilience & Food Systems Posting Summary The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct applied economic and community-engaged research jointly supporting two related research programs under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Van Leuven. Approximately 60% of the position's effort will support an NSF EPSCoR project focused on rural climate resilience, which examining how severe weather, extreme heat, and harmful algal blooms affect rural labor markets, downtown business activity, and recreation economies. The remaining 40% will support UVM Food Systems Research Institute-funded work examining climate effects on rural food business dynamics (e.g., restaurant and grocery entries and exits) and rural food systems infrastructure, building on ongoing FSRI-supported research. The postdoc will help with leading in-person and virtual interviews with New England business owners, municipal officials, and consumers; conducting causal-inference analysis of high-frequency foot-traffic, consumer-spending, and satellite-derived environmental data; and contributing to manuscript preparation, presentations, and public-facing outputs. When applying, please submit a CV, a cover letter describing your fit with the position and research interests, a writing sample, and contact information for two to three professional references. Applications will close October 31, 2026. Questions? Contact Dr. Andrew Van Leuven at andrew.vanleuven@uvm.edu. Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience) PhD completed by the January 1, 2027 start date in economics, applied/agricultural economics, regional science, public policy, or a closely related quantitative social science field Demonstrated quantitative/econometric skills, ideally including causal inference or panel-data methods Programming proficiency in R, Python, and/or Stata Strong written and verbal communication skills Ability to work both independently and collaboratively across institutions Desirable Qualifications Research experience or strong interest in rural economic development, climate resilience, and/or food systems Experience conducting qualitative or community-engaged interviews Data visualization and GIS skills Familiarity with high-frequency mobility/spending data (e.g., Advan, SafeGraph) or satellite-derived environmental data Anticipated Pay Range $63,480 - $63,900 Other Information Hybrid and remote candidates will be considered; the search will not be limited to candidates already based in Burlington. At minimum, the postdoc must be able to travel to Burlington, VT at least four times during the year for team meetings, plus additional periodic travel across New England for interview-based fieldwork. Candidates able to work in person at UVM on a more regular basis (i.e., within driving or transit distance) are preferred, all else equal. This position is expected to be able to begin work from an approved work location, within the United States, on January 1, 2027 Special Conditions Contingent on continued funding, Travel to and from worksites required, This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with an option to split time between campus and elsewhere, in accordance with the university telecommuting policy, Background Check required for this position FLSA Exempt Union Position No Posting Details Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice. Job Location Burlington, Vermont, United States Job Open Date 08/20/2026 Job Close Date (Jobs close at 11:59 PM EST.) Open Until Filled No Our Common Ground Statement The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of

Our Common Ground:

Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. Staff play a critical role in this effort and the successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM's mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through the execution of their job duties. Position Information Position Title Post Doctoral Associate Posting Number S6266PO Department Com Dev & Applied Economics/51040 Position Number 00027972 Percent of Full-Time 1.0 Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE 37.5 Term (months per year) 12 Supplemental Questions Please specify here where applicable. Enter "NA" if not applicable. (Open Ended Question) How did you hear about this employment opportunity? Chronicle of Higher Education HigherEdJobs Inside Higher Ed LinkedIn Seven Days UVM Employee (Please specify below) UVM Employment Web Site Vermont JobLink (Department of Labor) Other (Please specify below) Documents Needed to Apply Required Documents Curriculum Vitae Cover Letter/Letter of Application Other Document (1) Optional Documents