Research Fellow

Monday - Friday, hours TBD

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

The Department of Anthropology at UNC Chapel Hill fosters an environment where multiple approaches coexist and intersect. We support studies, research, and professional applications in the three subfields of foundational training, Sociocultural Anthropology, Human Biology, Ecology and Evolution; and Archaeology, and one cross-disciplinary program, Medical Anthropology. Cross cutting these subfields, the department supports concentrations that integrate anthropology's diverse expertise to address contemporary world problems. Current concentrations focus on: Health, Medicine, and Humanity; Heritage and Unwritten Histories; Global Engagement; Race, Difference and Power; and Food, Environment and Sustainability. The goals of this approach are to permit crosscutting research on the part of faculty and students, to encourage engagement with other programs and interdisciplinary units on campus and to allow interest groups to form around particular problems as they emerge. Within this larger, open structure, the department maintains strong collective interest in issues of globalization, nature and the environment, public anthropology, cultural studies and political economy. It also features strong collective interest in the regional study of North America (particularly the southern United States), Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Europe and Asia (particularly Southeast Asia). None of these interests are exclusive, however, and faculty members work on a variety of topics in a variety of settings.

The Salm Ethnography Lab at the UNC Chapel Hill Department of Anthropology is seeking a Research Fellow to help launch and lead a new interdisciplinary research initiative directed by Dr. Melissa Salm. The lab's initial project examines conspiracy theories related to Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. This research will employ digital ethnography, qualitative data analysis, and community-based fieldwork to explore conspiracy theories as meaningful practices of interpretation, community formation, and civic engagement following natural disasters. The Research Fellow will manage day-to-day research activities, help establish the lab's infrastructure, and collaborate closely with Dr. Salm on research design, data collection, and mentoring of undergraduate assistants. This role offers career development opportunities for postdoctoral scholars or professionals to lead innovative research, produce scholarly and public-facing outputs, and contribute to the lab's growth through co-authoring publications and securing funding. Key Responsibilities: a) Co-lead research design and data collection with Dr. Salm, overseeing both online and offline ethnographic data collection and analysis; b) Establish workflows and coordinate research activities, administrative tasks, and lab meetings; c) Mentor undergraduate research assistants in qualitative methods and data management (e.g., digital ethnography, grounded theory, thematic analysis, Atlas.ti); d) Produce at least one research output, such as a peer-reviewed article, public scholarship, or digital project; e) Organize a public-facing event (workshop, conference, etc.) to disseminate research findings; f) Contribute to grant proposals to support the lab's future growth.

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Exposure to Anthropology, STS, or a related field is preferred but not required. Candidates from other disciplines are welcome to apply if they have demonstrated experience in ethnographic fieldwork and virtual participant observation, including methods such as online interviews, visual media elicitation, or text-based data analysis. Expertise working with topics related to conspiracy theories, social media, disaster studies, public engagement, digital humanities, online political speech, or similar themes. Knowledge of the epistemic, cultural, and political dimensions of alternative knowledges and their role in shaping public discourse and social life. Experience with advanced qualitative methods such as grounded theory, and familiarity with computational tools for social science research (e.g., AI-assisted analysis, text mining, or machine learning) is a plus. Experience with grant writing or an interest in contributing to the development of research proposals. Interest in experimenting with interdisciplinary methods, integrating perspectives from fields like anthropology, philosophy, data science, and media studies.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.