Recruit

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at UCR

Position Description: The Post-Doctoral Research Fellow will join the School of Public Policy at the University of California Riverside Campus under the supervision of Principal Investigator Dr. Kurt Schwabe. The fellow will contribute advancing research on the economics of water and wastewater treatment under evolving water conservation conditions, water quality concerns, and water affordability challenges. This position offers strong opportunities for co-authorship on academic publications and collaboration on externally funded research projects.

The project integrates the economics of water/wastewater treatment, hydro-economic modeling, and policy evaluation. Core responsibilities include developing and applying mathematical programming / process models within a dynamic stochastic economic optimization framework to evaluate alternative scenarios that mimic water policy and/or changes in natural and economic conditions, including a range of water quality /influent characteristics and flow regimes associated with varying water conservation, water allocation, and climate scenarios. Additional exploration will consider relating the results of these models and outputs to the economics of water affordability, water pricing, and water conservation.

The postdoc will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations, and collaborate with faculty, graduate students, and external partners to support proposal development and broader project goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Conduct empirical and policy relevant research on the economics of water and wastewater treatment, water conservation, and water policy in California.
• Clean, manage, and analyze large datasets.
• Lead and contribute to the development of academic manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
• Assist with grant proposal development and related research activities.
• Collaborate with other researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students, and provide occasional guidance on data and methods.
Required Education, Skills, and Experience:
• Ph.D. in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Environmental/Natural Resource Economics, or a closely related field.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Research experience in water, environmental, or resource economics.
• Familiarity with water and wastewater treatment in the United States.
• Familiarity with hydro-economic modeling or integrated assessment approaches.
• Proficiency in GAMS, R, and/or Python.
• Experience working with large or spatial datasets.
• Interest in policy-relevant research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong training in dynamic, stochastic mathematical programming models/process models, optimization.
• Training in applied econometrics, including causal inference methods, as well as experience/knowledge in the areas of the economics of water affordability, water conservation, and/or water pricing, will strengthen applications.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and write for academic audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary research team

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a writing sample (e.g.,job market paper or a representative research paper), and contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin immediately. Applicants who apply by June 19, 2026 will receive full consideration; the position will remain open until filled.

For any questions about the position, please contact kurt.schwabe@ucr.edu

The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission (https://apro.ucr.edu/mission-statement) is a preferred qualification.

We seek to hire scholars who will both advance our research directions and effectively educate our undergraduate and graduate students, while also engaging with University and Professional service activities. Research and teaching statements that are included with application materials are opportunities for candidates to share knowledge, experience, and goals that support the mission of UCR. For more information on UC’s criteria for successful faculty, refer to the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210 - Criteria for Appointment, Promotion, and Appraisal (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-210.pdf).

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 categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, State, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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. A Misconduct Disclosure Survey will be completed through Truescreen, which is the vendor that administers this process for the campus.

For the University of California's Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy please visit:
https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students, and Third Parties, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination.

For the University of California’s Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy, please visit: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf.