Postdoctoral Associate

The Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education (ALCE) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate – Civic Science Fellow focused on food systems resilience, Cooperative Extension, and science–policy collaboration. Review date is June 28, 2026. 

This 18-month fellowship (anticipated start: September 2026), funded by the Rita Allen Foundation, is part of the national Civic Science Fellows program. The fellow will lead a project exploring Cooperative Extension as civic science infrastructure, including examining how Extension systems across the U.S. support science–policy partnerships with local governments around food systems resilience.

The position is co-hosted by:

• The Virginia Tech Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation
• Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Learning and Organizational Development Office

Key details:

• Hybrid position - U.S. based (minimum of three on-campus visits over 18 months - travel covered by the project)
• 75% project work / 25% national Civic Science Fellows program engagement and professional development
• Regular collaboration with Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and Extension partners (candidates should be available during Eastern Time business hours)
• Project design will be co-developed with the Fellow, with opportunities for both survey research and in-depth qualitative inquiry
• Salary range: $53,550 - $65,029

We are seeking an early-career scholar-practitioner (within five years of a terminal degree) with interests in science–society integration, land-grant systems, and Extension-based engagement.