University of California San Diego

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

UC San Diego is seeking applications for a postdoctoral fellow (2-year appointment) who aspires to become an independent academic researcher in the field of health economics and health policy, with a focus on drug use and abuse.

Position Description:
The fellow will work closely with Dr. Yuyan Shi on multiple projects that (1) evaluate the impacts of drug policies, (2) examine neighborhood retail environments, and (3) assess market trends and product mix. Drugs of interest include cannabis, tobacco, and other licit and illicit drugs.

Qualifications:
Applicants should hold a doctoral degree by Oct 2026 in public health or a social science discipline such as health economics, health policy, behavioral economics, health services, communication, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have strong quantitative skills, including experience analyzing large-scale population surveys and administrative data. Strong writing and communication skills are required. Experience in drug use and policy research is preferred. Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following areas is an advantage: (1) analyzing sales or market data using advanced econometric methods, (2) structural modeling, or (3) machine learning.