Postdoctoral Research Scholar : Accelerating Asia's Decarbonization Through Trade and Investment Policies

Position overview

Position title :

Postdoctoral Scholar Employee

Salary range : $69,073 - $79,881

Application Window

Open date : October 15, 2025

Next review date : Wednesday, Dec 17, 2025 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date : Thursday, Oct 15, 2026 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Power Transformation Lab (https : / / pwrlab.org / ) at the University of California San Diego is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Scholar to contribute to a two-year project focused on helping Southeast and South Asian countries balance trade and investment with their decarbonization goals. The successful candidate will work with a team of researchers from the UCSD School of Global Policy and Strategy and Griffith University, and with numerous civil society organizations in the region.

The researchers will be fully integrated into the UCSD community, which includes a highly interdisciplinary school of public policy scholars, robust campus units researching power and energy systems, and a world-class think tank studying contemporary China.

Research Focus

The project aims to identify and promote effective trade and investment policies to accelerate decarbonization. The research will involve :

• Data collection and modeling of trade, Chinese and non-Chinese investments, and localization policies in target geographies, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
• Collecting and analyzing existing clean energy trade and localization policies in Southeast and South Asia.
• Exploring the evolution of Chinese investments and alternative investment flows in shifting global value chains (GVCs) and export opportunities.
• Evaluating and preparing case studies where localization policies have successfully advanced or hindered decarbonization efforts.
• Proposing policy and investment strategies that balance localization objectives with decarbonization goals.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

(required at time of application)

At the time of application candidates must either have a Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) or be ABD (all but dissertation) in economics, political science, public policy, or a related field.

Additional qualifications

(required at time of start)

Applicants are required to hold a Ph.D. or received a Ph.D. degree by the start of the appointment.

Preferred qualifications

Application Requirements

Document requirements

Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

Cover Letter

Statement of Research

Job Market Paper (Optional)

Reference requirements

Apply link :

https : / / apol-recruit.ucsd.edu / JPF04380

Help contact : gps-ap@ucsd.edu

About UC San Diego

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a university employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and / or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California prohibits smoking and tobacco use at all of its university-controlled properties.

The UC San Diego Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at : https : / / www.police.ucsd.edu / docs / annualclery.pdf . This report provides crime and fire statistics, as well as institutional policy statements & procedures. Contact the UC San Diego Police Department at (858) 534-4361 if you want to obtain paper copies of this report.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

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Job location

San Diego, CA