December 10, 2025
The Upjohn Institute’s Early Career Research Awards provide a resource for junior researchers (those within six years of earning a Ph.D.) to conduct research related to policy on employment issues. The Institute encourages research proposals on all issues related to employment and public workforce policy. Research of interest may examine how policies affect overall labor market outcomes or the labor market outcomes of different groups. Junior researchers in economics, sociology, public policy, political science, and related fields may apply.
Early Career Research Award recipients are expected to write a research paper based on the funded work, submit the paper to the Institute’s working paper series, and prepare a synopsis of the research for as a policy brief and for possible publication in the Institute’s newsletter, Employment Research.
Funding for an Early Career Research Award is $7,500.
The deadline to apply for the 2026 Early Career Research Awards is January 23, 2026.