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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