The Center for Media Innovation & Social Impact (MISI) at Boston University invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship, with the possibility of renewal for a second year.

Working with Professors Eric Gordon and Chris Wells, the fellow will play a central role in a multi-year study of public trust across New England. The project examines how residents of urban, suburban, and rural communities make sense of information in their daily lives — from local news to institutional messaging and algorithmically curated feeds. We are investigating how trust forms, erodes, and gets repaired, and how technologies, institutions, community relationships, historical context, and physical environments shape the information ecologies people rely on.

The successful candidate will contribute to a new study on local information ecosystems, which will employ the following methods.

• Landscape mapping of community information ecosystems, including local news presence, civil society infrastructure, institutional communication practices, and technological access.
• Deep qualitative inquiry — interviews, focus groups, ethnographic fieldwork, and document/content analysis — to understand how people assess credibility, manage conflicting information, and navigate moments of uncertainty.
• Comparative case studies across different types of communities (e.g., post-industrial towns, coastal communities navigating climate risk, suburban municipalities facing demographic change).
• Integration of qualitative findings with institutional and geographic data, helping the team identify patterns that inform broader theoretical and practical insights.
• Co-creation of applied outputs with community partners — briefs, workshops, narratives, or prototype communication tools — that feed back into local decision-making.

This study is designed not just to diagnose trust breakdowns, but to surface actionable, community-grounded strategies that institutions and media actors can implement.

Responsibilities

The fellow will spend at least 75% of their time on research activities, including:

• Review of relevant literature
• Managing data collection and analysis across multiple field sites in New England.
• Collaborating with community partners, civic institutions, and other stakeholders.
• Co-authoring journal articles, reports, applied briefs, and conference presentations.

The remaining 25% of the role includes:

• Advising students and collaborating with graduate research teams.
• Contributing to courses and workshops related to MISI’s mission.
• Supporting grant development and participating in public scholarship.

Appointment Details

Start date: Summer or Fall 2026 (flexible)
Duration: One year, with possibility of renewal
Location: Boston University, Charles River Campus
Salary: Competitive, with full benefits

Required Skills

We are seeking applicants with strong expertise in political communication, with a focus on the communication processes that shape contemporary civic life in the United States. Relevant domains include interactions with public institutions, local news ecosystems, online networks, civic technologies, and social movements.

Candidates with substantive knowledge in areas such as institutional trust, misinformation, community information needs, civic engagement, or digital communication ecologies are especially encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will be comfortable conducting applied research and collaborating directly with community partners, news organizations, and civic institutions.

TO APPLY:

Application Process

Submit:

• A cover letter explaining your research interests and how they align with MISI’s work.
• Curriculum vitae
• A writing sample (published or in-progress)
• Names and contact information for three references

Send inquiries to Eric Gordon (ejgo@bu.edu). Review of applications will begin January 15, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

_We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. _

Required Experience

We are seeking applicants with strong expertise in political communication, with a focus on the communication processes that shape contemporary civic life in the United States. Relevant domains include interactions with public institutions, local news ecosystems, online networks, civic technologies, and social movements.

Candidates with substantive knowledge in areas such as institutional trust, misinformation, community information needs, civic engagement, or digital communication ecologies are especially encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will be comfortable conducting applied research and collaborating directly with community partners, news organizations, and civic institutions.

TO APPLY:

Application Process

Submit:

• A cover letter explaining your research interests and how they align with MISI’s work.
• Curriculum vitae
• A writing sample (published or in-progress)
• Names and contact information for three references

Send inquiries to Eric Gordon (ejgo@bu.edu). Review of applications will begin January 15, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

_We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. _