"Identity & Conflict Lab @ Yale: Postdoctoral Associate, AY 2026-2027"

Job Details

The Identity & Conflict Lab (ICL) at Yale University, led by Professor Nicholas Sambanis, invites applications from exceptional candidates for a Postdoctoral Associate position for the 2026-2027 academic year. This opportunity is for a one-year, full-time residential postdoctoral research fellowship, with the possibility of renewal conditional on successful performance. The appointment begins on July 1, 2026.

Housed in the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, the ICL addresses a broad range of critical questions focused on inter-group conflict and identity politics. The ICL analyzes how social identities shape individual behavior, how conflict affects identities, and how policy interventions can reduce inter-group conflict. Both violent and non-violent forms of conflict are of interest to the work of the lab – ranging from various forms of bias, discrimination, and protest to ethnic violence, secessionism and war.

Postdoctoral associates will work on one of ICL’s ongoing projects, with a focus either on immigration or foreign policy. Postdoctoral associates may also be asked to contribute to ongoing projects in the lab broadly related to the theme of “identity and conflict.” The ICL seeks to integrate substantive and methodological knowledge across the social and behavioral sciences to develop new analytical approaches and generate new insights that open up avenues for new research and can influence the design of policy.

Position Description

Postdoctoral associates will be expected to work three days/week on ICL projects under the direction of Professor Nicholas Sambanis and can pursue their own research for the remainder of their time. Job responsibilities include a broad range of data analysis tasks. Applicants must be highly proficient in both Stata and R statistical analysis packages and have prior experience programming surveys in Qualtrics. Applicants should have outstanding organizational, communication, and data analysis skills. They should be intellectually curious, ambitious, energetic, and self-motivated; able to work independently, but also as part of a team and sensitive to the demands of multiple simultaneously ongoing projects. A detailed list of job responsibilities will be shared with short-listed applicants. There is no formal teaching requirement. The salary for this position is commensurate with experience and complies with the Yale Office of Postdoctoral Affairs compensation policy and includes a benefits package.

Qualifications

Applications are welcome from scholars who have received their Ph.D. or equivalent degrees since June 2024, or who expect to complete their degree by June 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on November 1, 2025. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by December 15, 2025 to set up interviews.

Application Instructions

All application materials must be submitted online through Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/174091

Applicants will be asked to upload a cover letter, CV/resume, one-page research statement, writing sample, and unofficial PhD transcript (only required for current graduate students). We will also ask for the name and email address of two letter writers who may be asked to submit a letter of recommendation later (only references for short-listed candidates will be requested).

If you have questions, please email the ICL Director at nicholas.sambanis@yale.edu.