Postdoctoral researcher in social identity, politics, and computational methods

The Politics, Identities, and Communication Lab (PICL) at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication is hiring a postdoctoral researcher specializing in politics, social identity, and computational methods. The successful candidate for this position will work under the supervision and mentorship of Dr. Deen Freelon, PICL's director. The lab was founded in 2024 and focuses on the computational and quantitative study of communication and social identities including race, gender, political ideology, religion, sexual/cultural/national identity, and others. Our research incorporates data from a wide range of digital sources, including social media, video-sharing platforms, podcasts, music streaming, and LLMs. Applicants with strong interests in these and related issues are encouraged to apply, as are those with experience analyzing under-studied media types including audio, images, and video. More information about PICL is available here: https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/picl

Roughly half this individual's time will be spent working on PICL projects at Dr. Freelon's direction, while the other half will be devoted to projects initiated independently and with other research groups. The position is designed to allow a highly motivated researcher to build a strong CV under the mentorship of a longtime innovator in political communication and computational social science. Extension of the position to a second year will depend on effective performance in the first.

Desired qualifications:

• PhD in communication or a related field demonstrating expertise in the following areas:
  
  • Communication across or relating to lines of social identity (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ideology, religion, nationality, culture etc.)
  • Computational social science methods
  • AI as a social science method
  • Development of open-source software tools for research
  • Experience analyzing non-textual media types quantitatively, including video, images, and audio
  • Political communication
• Experience with Python, R, and/or other relevant programming languages for social science research
• Advanced data visualization skills
• A strong publication record
• Experience leading self-directed research and collaborating with teams under the supervision of a PI
• Interest in establishing professional connections with theoretically and methodologically diverse collaborators

First-year postdoctoral researchers will receive a minimum stipend of $67,000 and serve in a 12-month appointment to start in early 2027 (the specific start date is negotiable). Postdoctoral fellows will receive a taxable relocation allowance of up to $1,000 for domestic relocations and up to $2,000 for international relocations as well as $3,000 in travel/research expenses. Postdocs and their dependents are eligible for health insurance under the University of Pennsylvania's plans outlined here: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-compensation/postdoctoral-researchers-and-fellows

All postdoctoral fellows must submit documentation to demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States. Non-US citizens selected for this position will be required to apply for an appropriate US visa. It is expected that the researcher will be present on campus in Philadelphia, where they will receive a workspace in the Annenberg School.

You must have a PhD or receive your PhD by December 31, 2026 to be considered for this position.

Submitting Your Application

Cover Page
Include:

1. Your name and contact information

2. Dissertation supervisor name and contact information

3. Defense date (can be in the future)

4. A brief statement of interest (600 words or fewer) explaining:

a. your qualifications and interest in the position, and

b. details about specific self-directed research projects you would pursue if selected.

CV
List degrees, peer-reviewed publications, academic non-peer-reviewed publications, public scholarship, invited talks, conference papers, specific research, language, and technical skills, and other relevant qualifications.

Publications
Up to two publications (not to exceed 50 pages in total)

Timeline
All materials should be emailed as a single PDF document in the order listed above to dfreelon@upenn.edu. Please use the subject line “PICL postdoc.” Submit by September 30, 2026 to receive full consideration. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Additional Information
If you have additional questions, please email dfreelon@upenn.edu.

The University of Pennsylvania is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, go to https://oeop.upenn.edu/recruitment/posters

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