Postdoctoral Researcher - Political Science and Systems Engineering

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 26364 For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Dr. Xin Han

Assistant Professor

xin.han1@montana.edu

Classification Title Postdoctoral Researcher Working Title Postdoctoral Researcher - Political Science and Systems Engineering Brief Position Overview

Join an interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowship at Montana State University, in collaboration with engineering and political science faculty, to implement an existing research program defined in the DigiCARES strategic plan that advances justice-enhanced resilience in next-generation energy system digital twins. The position offers hands-on research using real-world utility data and community partners to support an equitable, data-driven energy transformation.

Position Number 4C0585 Department Political Science Division College of Letters & Science Appointment Type Research Professional Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Exempt Union Affiliation FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary $65,000 - $68,000 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

The Postdoctoral Research Associate position is an interdisciplinary fellowship at Montana State University, supported by the NSF-funded DigiCARES project, which advances AI-driven digital twins for climate-aware and community-centered energy resilience. The fellow will implement a research program established in the NSF DigiCARES project strategic plan, contributing to defined milestones and deliverables while working at the intersection of engineering, data science, and social science to develop innovative approaches for next-generation energy infrastructure that integrate technical performance with community governance and equity-focused perspectives.

The appointment is jointly supported by engineering and political science faculty, creating a collaborative research environment that connects technological innovation with policy and public engagement. The fellow will conduct applied research using real-world utility data and community partnerships, gaining hands-on experience in cyber-physical energy systems, resilience analytics, and interdisciplinary solutions to complex societal challenges.

NSF award number 2418359

Duties and Responsibilities

Research & Analysis

• Conduct interdisciplinary research on energy justice, governance, and community resilience in cyber-physical energy systems.
• Design and implement social science measures (procedural, recognition, and distributive justice) for digital twin applications.
• Conduct quantitative and mixed methods research with rural cooperatives and community stakeholders to assess energy equity impacts.
• Analyze socio-technical datasets and policy indicators to evaluate equity outcomes in energy planning and operations.
• Execute defined research tasks and deliverables specified in the DigiCARES strategic plan, including milestones related to data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Community Engagement & Translation

• Develop and execute community engagement strategies, integrating local knowledge into energy system decision-making and model validation.
• Facilitate participatory workshops and present research findings to community energy committees and partner organizations.
• Translate complex technical energy analytics into accessible insights for policymakers, utilities, and community stakeholders.

Publication & Mentorship

• Prepare and publish peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, and policy briefs focused on justice-enhanced energy systems.
• Mentor master's and doctoral students, offering training, seminars, collaborative research opportunities, and methodological guidance in interdisciplinary energy resilience research.
• Present research findings at academic conferences and project meetings, and assist with proposal and grant-related activities.

Project Support

• Support project coordination, grant reporting, and dissemination activities as part of the NSF DigiCARES research initiative, including implementing strategic-plan research tasks and associated reporting deliverables.

Required Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Ph.D. in political science, public policy, economics, engineering, or a closely related field with a preferred research focus on energy systems, resilience, or socio-technical infrastructure.

• Strong research skills and demonstrated interest in topics such as:

• Artificial intelligence & technology governance

• Rural co-op governance and community resilience

• Energy policy, energy justice, energy poverty, and energy security

• Prior experience in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research.

• Technical competence in data analytics, programming, or modeling using tools such as Python, R, GIS, or similar computational platforms.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and translate technical and social science insights into scholarly publications and policy-relevant outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Experience conducting field-based research with utilities, rural cooperatives, community organizations, or government agencies on energy or infrastructure issues.
• Background in digital twin platforms, cyber-physical systems, or energy system modeling and optimization.
• Familiarity with large-scale energy or socio-technical datasets, including AMI, SCADA, outage records, or public equity indicators.
• Prior success in interdisciplinary research teams and in developing externally funded research proposals.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering and social science disciplines.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities, including managing multiple tasks and research timelines.
• Capacity to engage respectfully and productively with community stakeholders and partners from all backgrounds.
• Clear written and oral communication skills for translating complex research findings to academic, policy, and public audiences.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This position is contingent upon continued grant funding.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

Required Application Documents:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter (max 3 pages)
• Research Statement (max 3 pages)
• Sample Publication

Applicants will be required to list three references during the application process.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon completion of a successful search. Position End Date (if temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications will be:

Review of applications will be on a continual basis and will continue until the position is filled.

Special Instructions EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran's Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran's preference, please complete the veteran's preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Research Statement
• Publication

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).