Overview

The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University offers a Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship (CC-PRF), a full-time research staff position designed for recent college graduates who intend to pursue a Ph.D. in the social sciences, public policy, or public health. The Fellowship offers intensive research experience under the mentorship of senior faculty affiliated with the Cook Center.

The program's primary goal is to provide fellows with the analytical skills, deep substantive knowledge, and professional mentorship necessary to be competitive for, and succeed in, the nation’s most rigorous doctoral programs.

Duration and Appointment 

  • Initial Duration: The initial appointment is for 10–12 months. Appointments generally begin in late summer or early fall (August–September), but start dates may vary based on program needs and candidate availability.
  • Renewal Option: Fellows who demonstrate exceptional work quality, strong research contributions, and clear alignment with their mentor’s research agenda may be invited to apply for a second-year renewal. This renewal option provides an extended opportunity for Ph.D. application preparation and co-authorship on major publications.
  • Appointment Status: Fellows are appointed as a full-time Associate in Research.
  • Compensation: Fellows receive a competitive annual salary/stipend, along with access to Duke University staff benefits (including health insurance).
  • Funding: Funding for the fellowship position is typically provided by the Cook Center. In some cases, the position may be cost-shared (e.g., partially supported by a faculty mentor, lab, department, or external grant funding), depending on the fellow’s specific research placement and available resources.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Fellows are expected to dedicate 40 hours per week to the program, fulfilling the following primary duties:

Core Research 

  • Research Alignment: Fellows are paired with one of the Center’s Pillar Directors (or core faculty) and develop a research portfolio that advances the Center’s mission. Projects may fall within a Center pillar (e.g., Educational and Economic Opportunity, Health Equity, Carceral Justice) or connect to the Center’s cross-cutting themes—systems and structures of inequality; public policy engagement; data science and methodological innovation; and training the next generation of scholars.
  • Data Analysis: Conducting high-level quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis, collecting data, programming, data cleaning, and dataset management for peer-reviewed publications, grant reports, and policy briefs.
  • Literature Review: Performing systematic literature reviews to support faculty publications and new grant proposals.
  • Manuscript Preparation: Assisting with the drafting, editing, and submission of academic manuscripts and presentations.

Professional Development & Training 

  • Mentorship: Engaging in weekly, structured meetings with their faculty mentor focusing on research project development, career planning, and preparing competitive Ph.D. applications.
  • Training: Participating in specialized workshops and colloquia led by the Cook Center or other Duke Centers (e.g., CLRP, DUPRI, FHI, Kenan, and Margolis Institute) on topics like advanced causal inference, data science, and academic writing.
  • Center Engagement: Attending all relevant Cook Center events, including the weekly research working groups and public colloquia, fulfilling the goal of building a vibrant and collaborative intellectual community.

 

Key Program Benefits and Features

  • Ph.D. Application Support: Dedicated assistance, including personal statement review, GRE preparation resources, and letters of recommendation from leading faculty.
  • Co-Authorship Opportunities: Strong potential for co-authorship on academic papers based on the fellow’s significant contributions to data analysis and writing.
  • Research Resources: Access to Duke University resources, including Duke University Libraries and high-performance computing clusters.

 

Eligibility

The Samuel DuBois Cook Center seeks highly motivated recent college graduates committed to pursuing doctoral study in social sciences focused on structural inequality. This is a full-time, 10–12 month research staff position designed to provide intensive preparation for competitive Ph.D. programs.

  • Degree:  Must have completed an undergraduate degree (or relevant master's degree) within three years of the start date.
  • Commitment:  Clear statement of intent to pursue a doctoral degree in a field relevant to the Cook Center's mission.
  • Skills:  Demonstrated academic excellence and proficiency in research methods (quantitative or qualitative).
  • Employment Eligibility: Applicants must be eligible to work full-time in the United States.

 

Application Instructions

APPLY ONLINE

A link to apply online will be provided here when the application is open.

MATERIALS

Candidates should be prepared to submit the following documents:

1. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

  • A concise document (ideally 1–2 pages) detailing your educational background, research experience, relevant work experience, and technical skills (e.g., statistical software like R, Python, Stata, or qualitative analysis methods).

2. Cover Letter (Maximum 1 Page)

  • A formal letter addressed to the Cook Center Senior Leadership Team. The letter must clearly address:
    • Your specific interest in the CC-PRF and working at the Cook Center.
    • Your experience in social science research and the technical skills you bring.
    • How this full-time staff position fits into your long-term goal of pursuing a Ph.D.

3. Personal Statement on Equity and Research Interests (Maximum 800 Words)

  • The statement must describe:
    • How your personal, academic, and professional experiences have shaped your interest in social equity research.
    • How your research interests align with one or more of the Cook Center’s core pillars (Educational and Economic Opportunity, Health Equity, Carceral Justice) and/or its cross-cutting themes (systems and structures of inequality; public policy engagement; data science and methodological innovation; training the next generation of scholars).
    • Experiences that demonstrate your ability to be persistent and resilient.
    • Your potential to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and equity-focused research environment.

4. References

  • Please provide the names, titles/affiliations, and email addresses of two professional or academic references, along with a brief description of your relationship to each (e.g., course instructor, research supervisor, employer/manager).
  • Letters are not required at the time of application; if you are selected as a finalist, we will contact your references directly to request confidential letters addressing your academic abilities, research potential, work ethic, and fit for an immersive, mentored post-baccalaureate fellowship.