Job ad submitted by: Claire Fisher, Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities
Job title: Postdoctoral Associate in Just and Equitable Cities (Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities)
Hiring institution: Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities
Location: Ithaca, New York | United States
Application deadline: Open until filled
The Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities (the Center) at The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate as part of the Center’s High Impact Initiative on Just and Equitable Cities.
We invite applications from candidates who will have completed their Ph.D. degree no earlier than September 1, 2020 in City Planning, Urban Studies, Urban Design, Architecture, Public Policy, Geography, or a related field. The expected start date for this full-time, 12-month position is July 1, 2026. As per university academic policy, the initial appointment will be for one year and maybe renewed for a second year, contingent on valid work authorization, available funds, and satisfactory performance. This position is located on site in Ithaca, NY and is a non-tenure track position.
The ideal candidate would have research, teaching, and practice interests related to informal settlements in sub-Saharan African cities. Topics of interest are informal settlement upgrading, housing, land tenure, and access to infrastructure and services. The scholar might approach topics from the perspective of city planning, urban governance, community and civil society engagement, urban design, or architecture to develop place-based, scalable approaches to housing security and/or universal access to safe, reliable, and affordable core urban infrastructure and services. The scholar would be interested in research and practice that contributes to more just, equitable, and livable cities. The ideal candidate would have strong experience in some or all of the following areas: quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, geospatial data analysis, urban design, data visualization, and community engagement.
The Postdoctoral Associate will work closely with the Center Director and staff, AAP faculty associated with the initiative, and the Center’s strategic partners. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to align with the most relevant academic department in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and teach one course per year, subject to department needs. The Postdoctoral Associate will be a member of the host department and will be invited to participate in department activities and events.
We seek applicants with a strong research capacity, the ability to assist with project management and administration tasks, and the ability to teach a course in the Department of City and Regional Planning or the Department of Architecture. The Postdoctoral Associate is expected to spend approximately 50% of their time working on their own research and teaching, and 50% of their time supporting the Center’s Just and Equitable Cities initiative, research, and projects.
The Postdoctoral Associate is required to work in person on the Ithaca, NY campus and should be available to travel nationally and internationally up to 30% of the time. The starting salary for this position is $65,000 per year, with a generous benefit package, and up to $3,000 per year in research allowance.
Eligibility: Applicants must have received their Ph.D. degree no earlier than September 1, 2020. Applicants who will complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree (including filing the dissertation) before the appointment start date (in all cases before July 1, 2026) are eligible to apply. The completion date for the Ph.D. degree cannot in any circumstances be waived or extended.
To Apply:
Submit your application on Academic Jobs Online (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31331), and include (1) a letter of application, including discussion of how your research relates to the advertised position; (2) a full curriculum vitae; (3) a writing sample (of less than 30 pages); (4) brief descriptions (200 word maximum for each) or three courses you are prepared to teach; and (5) the names and contact information of three references.
Applications will be reviewed beginning March 1, 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for virtual interviews, and final candidates will be invited to campus to give a talk and in-person interviews. Questions about the position or the application process should be addressed to the Director of the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities at [email protected].
