Postdoctoral Scholar - Social Sciences

The Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE) at Tufts University seeks to host a Postdoctoral Fellow whose research and teaching explore an emerging or underexamined area of the social sciences that engages consequential and contentious political, cultural, or moral questions.

We invite applications from scholars whose work sheds light on difficult or contested issues in public life and advances understanding of how societies navigate disagreement about values, institutions, and public policy. Relevant research areas might include the political, social, or institutional dynamics that shape how controversial ideas and movements emerge and gain traction; the conditions under which certain perspectives become influential or marginalized in academic, political, or media environments; or the ways citizens, organizations, and institutions engage disagreement over contentious public questions. Applicants may come from disciplines such as political science, sociology, economics, psychology, communications, or related social science fields.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University also prides itself on creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skills in, and dispositions for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning May 4, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled. The hiring range for this position is $65,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will develop two courses in these areas. These courses may include seminars designed to introduce students to recent research, empirical approaches, and major debates surrounding contested political and social questions. The courses may be co-listed in other relevant departments. The position offers an opportunity to develop an independent research program while gaining teaching experience in a supportive academic environment. The Fellow will also be encouraged to participate in CEVIHE seminars, workshops, and related intellectual programming.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Social Sciences is supported by CEVIHE, which seeks to cultivate early-career scholars whose teaching and research broaden the range of ideas represented in their disciplines and strengthen Tufts' culture of open inquiry. The Center is committed to renewing the university's intellectual mission by fostering a culture of engagement across ideological, religious, and cultural differences.

The fellow will maintain their office at CEVIHE, where they will be part of a cohort of postdoctoral fellows representing various departments and programs. The fellow will be mentored by two faculty members affiliated with CEVIHE to support research, teaching, and professional development. Fellows are expected to work in person at least four days a week and contribute to the CEVIHE community through attendance at a weekly lunch series, informal mentorship of undergraduates, and participation in occasional Center events.

Application Instructions:

Please submit the following materials: an application letter, a curriculum vitae, a brief research statement, a brief statement of teaching philosophy with a proposed teaching contribution, at least one sample syllabus that reflects the candidate's approach to course design and pedagogy, and at least two confidential letters of reference submitted directly by their authors. Teaching evaluations may be submitted if available.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please direct any questions to Arik Burakovsky at Arik.Burakovsky@tufts.edu. Letters of reference should also be submitted to this email address.

Specific schedule to be determined with PI. This is a 35 hr/wk position. This is a one-year, term limited position commencing July 1, 2026. Possibility for extension pending performance and availability of funds.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start of the appointment, with demonstrated research and teaching interests in the social sciences. We are especially interested in scholars whose work examines how societies, institutions, or communities navigate disagreement over contested public questions, including the political, social, or institutional conditions under which certain perspectives emerge, gain influence, or are marginalized. Strong candidates will bring analytical rigor and methodological clarity, along with the capacity to teach courses that engage students in evaluating competing empirical and normative claims on consequential policy or social issues. Interdisciplinary approaches and a willingness to contribute to CEVIHE's broader programming on pluralism and open inquiry are especially welcome.

The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance, funding, and mutual agreement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the completion of a background check.