Postdoctoral Scholar - Community Health

Overview

The Department of Community Health at Tufts University, in partnership with the Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE), seeks to host a Postdoctoral Fellow whose research and teaching focus on topics at the intersection of public health policy, politics, and aging. The successful candidate will pursue an active research agenda and contribute to the department's teaching mission in health policy and health services research with applications within aging populations. Research interests may include, but are not limited to, public health policy and governance; politics of aging and population health; health policy and resource management; comparative health policy; religion, ethics, and moral pluralism in public health; and end-of-life policy. The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on performance, funding, and mutual agreement.

What You'll Do

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning March 23, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will teach two courses in the politics of public health. These courses may include seminars designed to introduce students to recent research and central debates in public health policy, with an emphasis on critical discussion, empirical evidence, and policy analysis. Applied research on issues affecting aging populations (e.g., resource allocation, comparative health policy, or end-of-life decision-making) is preferred but not required. The position offers an opportunity to develop an independent research program while gaining teaching experience in a supportive academic environment. The fellow will be encouraged to participate in Community Health Department seminars, workshops, and collaborative research activities.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Expanding Viewpoints 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 supported by a dual-mentor structure, including a faculty mentor in the Department of Community Health and a CEVIHE faculty mentor, 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.

What We're Looking For

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. by the start of the appointment, with demonstrated research and teaching interests in the decision sciences, political analysis, or health services research. Preferred Ph.D. backgrounds include public health, health policy, political science, sociology, anthropology, bioethics, religious studies, philosophy, law, or related interdisciplinary fields, with openness to a range of methodological approaches and ideological perspectives addressing community health, aging, and society.

Application Instructions:

Please include an application letter, a curriculum vitae, a brief research statement, a brief a 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. Letters of reference can be sent to Elizabeth Marfeo at Elizabeth.Marfeo@tufts.edu. Teaching evaluations may be submitted if available. Please direct any questions to Laura Pinkham at Laura.Pinkham@tufts.edu.

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

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.

Pay Range

Minimum $65,000.00, Midpoint $65,000.00, Maximum $65,000.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.