Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term East Lansing, Michigan, United States Media And Information 10010830 Area of Interest: Information Technology Full Time/Part Time: Full Time (90-100%) Group: Fixed Term Academic Staff Union/Non-Union: Non-Union Faculty/Academic Staff Opening on: Jul 29 2026 Closing at: Jul 29 2028 - 23:55 EDT Salary Commensurate with Experience College Of Communication Arts Sciences 1149615 Position
Summary This 2-year postdoctoral scholar position will be the primary researcher for the ethnographic fieldwork component of a multi-year, NSF-funded study examining how rural Michigan communities have adapted to decades of workplace automation in manufacturing and agriculture. Working across three case counties, the postdoc will conduct sustained observational fieldwork and interviews with current and former
workers, business owners and managers, families, and community leaders, documenting how the impact of automation in the workplace unfolds and how communities respond. The postdoc will be embedded in each community for extended periods, working alongside the PI, Co-PI, and a team of graduate student researchers to capture both workplace-level dynamics and broader community-level adaptation. The successful candidate
will contribute to all stages of the ethnographic research process: developing rapport and access with community and business partners, conducting semi-structured and ethnographic interviews, maintaining detailed fieldnotes and in-process memos, and contributing to qualitative data analysis using flexible coding and concept-mapping approaches. The postdoc will also contribute to academic publications, policy briefs,
and presentations at academic and professional venues, and will be trained in responsible conduct of research. The position is associated with the Quello Center for Media and Information Policy in the Department of Media and Information and the Future of Work Initiative in the College of Social Sciences at Michigan State University. The Quello Center conducts research to inform media, communication, and information
policy. Our work critically examines the role of technology, policy and regulation for citizens, communities, and society. We often work with multiple stakeholders to find solutions to harness the full benefits of advanced communications. The Future of Work Initiative is a multidisciplinary research collaborative dedicated to understanding the ways that emerging technologies are reshaping the experience of work, with
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