Postdoctoral Scholar in Sentencing Research and Policy

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POSITION SPECIFICS The Criminal Justice Research Center (CJRC) and Department of Sociology and Criminology at The Pennsylvania State University invite applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar position to begin July 1, 2026, with flexibility. The successful applicant will collaborate with the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing (PCS) on research related to sentencing guidelines, risk and needs assessment (development and validation of tools), pre-trial release, parole, and related topics. A Ph.D. in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, economics, public policy, or a related field is required at time of appointment. Preference will be given to candidates with advanced training in statistics, experience working with large administrative datasets, and/or an exemplary interest in applied research, and to those with research interests in courts or sentencing and with a knowledge of, or practical experience with, program evaluation. Key responsibilities of the Postdoctoral Scholar will include collaborating with the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing (Commission) staff to address legislative mandates; empirically assessing sentencing policy and/or conducting program evaluations (e.g., examining the effectiveness of state and county sentencing programs); working closely with criminal justice stakeholders; assisting in data collection and data management; preparing grant proposals, manuscripts, and conference presentations; and participating in graduate student mentoring. In addition to Commission-specific projects, the scholar will have flexibility to conduct independent research related to sentencing, access to sentencing commission data and data from other criminal justice partners (e.g., Department of Corrections; Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts; local probation offices), and opportunities for research collaboration with Penn State faculty. The Postdoctoral Scholar position is fully funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing ( ). The Commission on Sentencing is a legislative agency responsible for advancing effective, humane, and rational policies that promote fairer and more uniform decisions at sentencing, resentencing, and parole. The Commission maintains a research and data analysis unit that undertakes research and evaluations of the effectiveness of various criminal justice programs and policies, conducts impact analyses, and serves as a clearinghouse and information center for the collection, preparation, and dissemination of information on Commonwealth sentencing, resentencing, and parole practices. The Commission is affiliated with the Department of Sociology and Criminology at The Pennsylvania State University (University Park Campus) and maintains an active research partnership with the CJRC. The CJRC ( ) has an outstanding portfolio of faculty affiliates, seed funding opportunities, and externally funded ongoing research projects. The Department of Sociology and Criminology is ranked among the top in the nation and provides graduate and undergraduate programs focused specifically on crime and the criminal justice system. Interested candidates must submit an online application and should include a letter of interest and CV. If selected as a finalist for the position, recommendation letters will be requested. BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. BENEFITS Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) 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