Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

The 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 fellows launch a successful academic career through mentored research, didactic coursework, and professional development opportunities. Postdoctoral fellows will collaborate with University of Pennsylvania faculty on research projects, design and implement original studies, conduct data analyses, and lead scientific publications.

My two years as a postdoc at LDI were a crash course on how to leverage my economics training to do applied work with clear and actionable policy implications. The LDI community is vast and vibrant, and I’m grateful that I was able to build relationships that will last a lifetime.

Molly Candon, PhD

Director, Associate Fellows Program, Penn LDI

With engaging mentors, a one-of-a-kind community of leading health economists and health policy researchers, and an active seminar series that draws experts from around the country, LDI was a terrific place for me to develop my research pipeline, explore new ideas, and make lifelong connections.

David Rosenkranz, PhD

Assistant Professor, Economics, Fordham University

My experience as an LDI postdoc was pivotal in kickstarting my career. The resources LDI provides, which range from top-notch seminars and workshops to hands-on support with research translation and dissemination, are unparalleled. I was particularly grateful for the protected time I was afforded to develop skills as an independent researcher, and I made invaluable connections with fellow scholars in health economics and policy along the way.

Amanda Kreider, PhD

Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management, Pittsburgh University

Current Call for Applications

Applications are now open for our Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Start date will be arranged in consultation with a faculty 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.

We will start reviewing applications immediately and will begin scheduling interviews in January/February 2025.

Application requirements are as follows:
- One-page statement describing career goals and research interests
- Letters of Reference
- Job Market Paper
- Cover Letter
- CV

Apply online here.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2025

Program Details

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.

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.

For LDI Senior Fellows: Mentorship Opportunities

Faculty involvement is a crucial element of the LDI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.

Fellows are recruited through a highly organized national process and each cohort is selected from a competitive pool of approximately 100 applicants. LDI postdocs are uniquely qualified to complete projects that require econometrics, cost effectiveness, or other types of analytical support and partnering with the program allows Penn faculty to add health economists to their study teams.

If you are interested in mentoring and collaborating with an LDI postdoc on a specific project, please send a brief summary of the project, how much effort it would require, and whether you have funding available to Molly Candon, PhD.