"Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Brown University PPE Center"

Position Description

The Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Brown University (PPE Center) invites applications for up to three Postdoctoral Research Associates. Candidates must have received their PhD within the past three years.

Postdoctoral Research Associates will pursue their own research, contribute actively to the intellectual life of the Center by participating in the PPE Workshop and other events, and teach one PPE course per year. They will also join the PPE Society’s student fellows reading group, fostering connections with some of Brown’s most engaged undergraduates. This is a residential position: successful applicants are expected to be regularly present in the office (at least four days per week during the academic term) in order to collaborate with faculty, interact with the other postdocs, and build a vibrant PPE community.

Appointments are for one year, with the possibility of renewal for a second year based on satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. Salary is competitive, and successful applicants will have access to the full resources of Brown University.

Applications should include: CV, cover letter, writing sample, teaching statement (student evaluations if available), and three confidential letters of reference. The cover letter should describe how the candidate’s research connects with the mission of the PPE Center.

The PPE Center fosters an integrative approach to understanding the values, institutions, and incentives that shape society. Applicants should highlight how their work combines insights from at least two of the constituent disciplines. Many of today’s most pressing questions demand both normative and empirical insight, and the Center supports work that unites philosophical reasoning, political analysis, and economic approaches in a coherent framework. Rather than treating these disciplines in parallel, Brown PPE emphasizes methodological integration — reconnecting traditions that once addressed questions of justice, cooperation, freedom, and institutional design together. In advancing critical thinking and civil discourse, the Center supports rigorous scholarship and innovative teaching that equip students and faculty to understand and engage with a complex and contested world.

Details about the PPE Center’s research and pedagogical missions can be found at https://ppe.brown.edu/. Applications received by December 1, 2025 will be assured of full consideration.

Qualifications

PhD must have been received by July 2026 or within the previous three years.

Application Instructions

In addition to a CV, applications should include a cover letter describing how their research fits within the mission of the PPE Center, provide three confidential letters of reference, a teaching statement (student evaluations if available), and a writing sample.

For this position, Brown offers only the J-1 visa classification to scholars who need immigration sponsorship in order to enter the U.S. and commence lawful employment under the terms of their appointment.