The Politics of Education Lab (PEdL) based at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on research examining education policy, the politics of education, and educational governance. PEdL is dedicated to understanding the political dimensions of education policymaking to help policymakers and practitioners strengthen school systems. Our focus is primarily, though not necessarily exclusively, on K-12 school systems in the U.S. 

Ongoing and upcoming research projects relate to topics such as school board governance, election timing, voter participation in educational races, public sector collective bargaining, school and district improvement, centralization/ decentralization of educational decision-making, state takeovers of school systems, public opinion on education, and accountability policy. There will also be opportunities to contribute to the development of new data resources for the field of educational politics and governance. 

The ideal candidate will not only bring substantive knowledge related to the politics of education but will also have strong skills in quantitative research, econometrics/causal inference, data management, coding (e.g., in Stata or R), and applied policy-relevant research. Skills in geospatial analysis and/or data visualization would be a plus. The candidate should have the capacity to conceptualize, motivate, design, and implement original research on consequential, policy-relevant topics, and be able to take a leadership role in the research process. The Fellow should have a demonstrated commitment to improving school systems or other youth/family-serving public institutions. 

The Postdoctoral Fellow will report to and work primarily with Dr. Beth Schueler but will also be connected to the broader Graduate School of Education and Stanford communities. The Fellow will contribute to projects leading to peer-reviewed publication and have opportunities to co-author papers and present at conferences with the goal of helping the Fellow continue to build out a robust program of research. 

Timeline

• Application review will begin January 30, 2025. Applicants advancing in the review process may be asked to submit additional materials, including letters of recommendation or references, and may be invited to interview and/or complete a task-based interview.
• Application deadline: Application will remain open until filled. 

This is a 1-year appointment starting summer 2026, with the potential for renewal.

Postdoc Appointment Term: July/August 1, 2026 to June/July, 2027 (renewable)
Appointment Start Date: August 1, 2026 (flexible)
Website: https://pedl.sites.stanford.edu/

Stanford is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.