Stanford University

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

The Initiative for Financial Decision-Making (IFDM, ifdm.stanford.edu) at the Stanford Graduate School of Business invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships under the supervision of Professor Annamaria Lusardi, the Initiative’s faculty director. The in-person fellowship begins in summer 2026 (no later than September 1, 2026), runs for one year, and may be renewed assuming performance at or above expectations; a two-year term is strongly preferred.

The fellowship centers on empirical research related to financial literacy and financial decision-making. IFDM builds on more than a decade of research by the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC), founded by Professor Lusardi, which has developed widely used tools to measure financial literacy, advanced the field’s research agenda, and shaped financial education programs in the U.S. and globally. More information about that work is at www.gflec.org.

IFDM’s cutting-edge research program applies data, economic theory, and analytics to understand what drives household financial literacy and money management. Planned projects include analyses of: (i) financial fragility trends among U.S. adults over the past twelve years; (ii) risk comprehension and its effects on investor behavior; (iii) how financial literacy influences household financial outcomes; and (iv) the impact of educational interventions on financial knowledge and behavior.

The postdoctoral fellow is expected to produce academic research from the Initiative’s agenda and will work closely and directly with all members of the Initiative, including the director, co-authors of academic papers, PhD students, and other postdoctoral fellows. This is a dedicated research community with plenty of interaction and the expectation of both working collaboratively in smaller groups, but also independently on projects. Progress on the research is required to be presented regularly to a broader group of stakeholders of the IFDM. The fellow is expected to be actively involved in the Initiative’s intellectual community by participating in meetings, research lunches/colloquia, and potentially joint projects. The fellow is also encouraged to integrate with the broader research community at Stanford by attending seminars and other events.

The primary criterion for acceptance is research excellence in household/personal finance or applied economics, and a clear interest in contributing to the Initiative’s research. The position requires someone with a strong background in the field, i.e. a PhD in Economics or Finance. A focus on household finance or program evaluation is preferred. Doctoral degree must be conferred before the appointment start date.

Direct further inquiries to the IFDM: stanfordifdm@stanford.edu.