University of Pennsylvania

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

The University of Pennsylvania’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (Penn LDI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is a two-year position for recent graduates of doctoral programs in economics or related fields; we will consider one-year positions for candidates who have a faculty position lined up. The program offers training in health economics and health services research, and is designed for fellows who are interested in working in cross-disciplinary environments that foster collaboration between social scientists and health scientists.

The goal of the program is to help postdoctoral fellows launch a successful academic career through mentored research and professional development, participation in seminars and workshops, training in research communications and policy engagement, and opportunities to pursue internal and external funding. Fellows will be paired with a primary mentor who is a Penn LDI-affiliated faculty member and has compatible research interests. Mentors have expertise in fields that include health economics, health services research, health policy, aging and long-term care, population health, and global health. Fellows will have opportunities to collaborate with their primary mentor and other LDI-affiliated Penn faculty on research projects, design and implement original studies, conduct analyses using large administrative data housed at LDI, and lead scientific publications.

LDI postdoctoral fellows typically complete 2-3 research projects during a two-year appointment (and 1-2 projects during a one-year appointment). Postdoctoral fellows are expected to spend 50% of their time doing independent research in collaboration with LDI-affiliated Penn faculty and 50% of their time working on projects led by their primary mentor. Through these collaborations, LDI postdoctoral fellows gain exposure to the team science of health economics and services research. They also are integrated into the larger community of LDI-affiliated postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and graduate students in the field of health economics and services research.

Program Details

To be eligible, individuals must have completed doctoral training in economics or related fields and must have experience doing research on health-related topics; and must be a US citizen or permanent resident.

Postdoctoral fellows will receive a competitive stipend, annual allowances for travel and research, and workspace at LDI on Penn’s campus. The University also provides a medical, vision, dental, and life insurance benefits package.

Start date will be arranged in consultation with their primary mentor but can be as early as July 1, 2025. Please note that this program is administered by LDI and funded by internal and project funds.

If you have any questions, please contact Traci Chupik at tchupik@wharton.upenn.edu.