Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellow position under the supervision of Professor Jia Miao at NYU Shanghai starting in Fall 2026. The fellow will work closely with the faculty mentor and will have access to unique and valuable datasets provided by the Center for Applied Social and Economic Research (CASER) at NYU Shanghai through the Joint Urban Survey and Intervention Lab (JUST Lab).

The fellow’s responsibilities include 1) conducting independent research projects with the goal of publishing in high-quality academic journals, 2) collaborating with the faculty mentor on ongoing research, including literature reviews, data processing, and data analysis, 3) contributing to CASER research projects, including data harmonization, statistical analysis, and report writing, and 4) assisting in organizing CASER’s workshops, conferences, and summer training programs.

Terms of employment at NYU Shanghai are comparable to NYU New York and other U.S. institutions.  

Candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Must have recently received their Ph.D. in sociology, human geography, or a related discipline; 

• Demonstrated expertise in spatial analysis, machine learning, or other advanced quantitative methods for analyzing large-scale data;

• Excellent academic writing skills in English, with the ability to produce publishable papers and professional reports.

Candidates are expected to have a strong background in quantitative research and particular interests in:

• Socio-spatial inequality and neighborhood dynamics, including neighborhood effects on social well-being and inequality, and neighborhood change (e.g., gentrification, displacement)

• Comparative and cross-national urban studies, with a focus on inequality across different social and spatial contexts

• Environmental change and urban neighborhoods, with attention to how environmental stressors interact with neighborhood conditions to influence human welfare and social inequality

• Big data and spatial data applications in the analysis of urban processes and social inequality

The position is available from September 1, 2026 for up to two years. The appointment start date for non-Chinese applicants is subject to immigration regulations. The postdoctoral fellowship will take place in Shanghai, China.

To be considered, applicants should submit the following: cover letter describing relevant training and career goals; C.V.; research statement; two representative publications or writing samples; names and contact details for two references. Letters of recommendations will be requested from the provided referees via Interfolio.  

Applications will remain open until a suitable candidate is appointed.

Please email the NYU Shanghai NY Office of Faculty Recruitment shanghai.faculty.recruitment@nyu.edu with any questions regarding the application process. Further information on the advertised position may be obtained by contacting Professor Jiao Miao (jm9040@nyu.edu) directly.

About NYU Shanghai

NYU Shanghai is the third degree-granting campus within New York University?s Global Network. It is the first higher education joint venture in China authorized to grant degrees that are accredited in the U.S. as well as in China. All teaching is conducted in English. A research university with liberal arts and science at its core, NYU Shanghai resides in one of the world's great cities with a vibrant intellectual community. NYU Shanghai recruits scholars of the highest caliber who are committed to NYU's global vision of transformative teaching and innovative research and who embody the global society in which we live.

NYU?s Global Network includes degree-granting campuses in New York, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi, complemented by thirteen additional academic centers across the world. Faculty and students may circulate within the Network in pursuit of common research interests and cross-cultural, interdisciplinary endeavors, both local and global.

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NYU Shanghai is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all interested persons. NYU Shanghai affirms the value of differing perspectives on the world as we strive to build the strongest possible university with the widest reach.

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