Postdoctoral Research Associate, Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Mathematical Foundations of Data Analysis in Knowledge Work Systems
Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

We are seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a project at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, working with Professor Russell Funk. This position focuses on using computational methods to understand how knowledge is produced, shared, and applied across complex systems.

About the Project:
The core of this research lies in understanding knowledge work systems-how knowledge is produced, shared, and applied across complex domains. Using large-scale data from scientific articles, patents, grants, and organizational networks, we characterize the dynamics of knowledge creation and application. Current projects include both the production and evolution of scientific knowledge and the application of knowledge in domains like healthcare delivery, where we study physician care delivery networks and how evidence translates into clinical practice. A key methodological approach for this role will involve the application of machine learning techniques (e.g., doc2vec, encoder models, multi-modal embeddings, large language models) to map concepts and their relationships, tracing how they change, merge, or diverge across time and contexts.

Job Description:
You will develop and apply mathematical models and machine learning algorithms to analyze the structure and evolution of knowledge systems across different domains-from scientific literature to organizational and clinical networks. An ideal candidate would be comfortable applying data science and statistical techniques to analyze extremely large datasets and would also take interest in thinking deeply about the theoretical underpinnings of the models and how they can inform theories regarding the structure and process of knowledge work across professional domains.

Required Qualifications:

• A recent PhD in a mathematical or scientific field (e.g., physics, computer science, statistics, applied mathematics, or a related quantitative discipline).
• A deep foundation in advanced mathematics, including differential equations, linear algebra, tensor calculus, and group theory; and the ability to use these for formal, mathematical reasoning.
• Extensive experience with mathematical modeling and comfort with formal, mathematical reasoning.
• Experience designing and implementing mathematical measures of complex systems.
• The ability to translate abstract or mathematical concepts into intuitive frameworks and analogies, creating interpretable models and clearly explaining complex results to an interdisciplinary audience.
• Skill in modeling the collective behavior of complex systems, understanding how micro- level interactions drive macro-level evolution.
• Practical experience with high-performance computing (HPC) and parallel processing to enable the analysis of massive datasets.
• Extensive experience in signal processing and advanced statistical inference (e.g., Bayesian statistics, Fourier analysis) for extracting robust patterns from noisy, high- dimensional data.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., in Python or R) for handling large datasets and
  implementing models.
• A genuine curiosity about how knowledge is produced, shared, and applied across different professional domains and a desire to ask big-picture questions.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with natural language processing (NLP) or network science.
• Experience with machine learning libraries like PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn.
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Experience with or interest in organizational networks, healthcare data, or empirical
  studies of professional practice.

Pay Range: $61,008 per year.

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Please attach the following to your application:

• A brief cover letter describing your research interests and why you are a good fit for this specific project.
• Current CV
• A representative publication or working paper (if available)

The priority deadline is November 13, 2025.

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).