Microsoft Cloud Civil Liberties & Health Policy Research Fellow – Law Cordell institute for Policy in Medicine & Law Full-time

Microsoft Cloud Civil Liberties And Health Policy Research Fellow

The Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law at WashU seeks a full-time Microsoft Cloud Civil Liberties and Health Policy Research Fellow for a one-year term. This position operates in a hybrid work environment and is expected to be based in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The Cordell Institute's mission is to devise solutions to the novel ethical, legal, and policy questions accompanying scientific and technological advancements in healthcare. The Institute advances interdisciplinary scholarship and practical solutions at the intersection of law, medicine, public health, technology, and governance, with a particular focus on strengthening accountability, innovation, and public trust.

The Microsoft Cloud Civil Liberties and Health Policy Research Fellow will contribute to research and thought leadership examining the legal, ethical, and governance challenges arising from emerging technologies, data systems, and evolving health policies. Particular attention will be given to issues involving privacy, civil liberties, civil rights, equity, accountability, public trust, and democratic governance in healthcare, public health, and related systems.

Under the supervision of the Institute's executive director and faculty co-directors, and potentially in coordination with other faculty, departments, and external partners, the Fellow will conduct interdisciplinary legal and policy research that contributes to scholarly publications, policy analyses, white papers, and other public-facing products. Research may address topics such as health law and policy, public health law, health governance, artificial intelligence and data governance, civil liberties, legal epidemiology, policy surveillance, and privacy law.

The Fellow will work closely with Institute leadership to define the scope and objectives of specific projects and identify meaningful deliverables aligned with the Institute's strategic priorities.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

The Fellow will train under the supervision of Institute leadership and faculty mentors, including but not limited to:

• Designing and managing one or more research projects aligned with the Institute's strategic priorities.
• Conducting interdisciplinary legal and policy research addressing questions at the intersection of health, law, technology, governance, and civil liberties.
• Contributing to a policy surveillance or legal epidemiology.
• Conducting research examining how legal and governance frameworks can promote innovation while protecting privacy, civil liberties, accountability, equity, and public trust.
• Preparing and submitting scholarly articles, policy briefs, white papers, reports, legal analyses, website content, blogs, and op-eds in a timely manner.
• Presenting research findings and policy analyses to academic, legal, governmental, healthcare, public health, and community audiences.
• Assisting in developing and delivering training, workshops, conferences, and presentations hosted by the Cordell Institute and its partners.
• Supporting interdisciplinary collaborations with faculty, students, clinicians, policymakers, researchers, and external partners.
• Assisting in the planning and execution of Cordell Institute programs and events.
• Contributing to grant-funded initiatives, partnership development, and dissemination of Institute research and thought leadership.
• Maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
• Participating in staff meetings and other Cordell Institute initiatives as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school or completion of all requirements for a J.D. by the fellowship start date.
• Demonstrated interest in health law, health policy, public health law, administrative law, civil liberties, technology law, or related fields.
• Outstanding demonstrated research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Outstanding demonstrated oral communication skills and demonstrated ability to present complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills.
• Self-discipline and ability to work independently with minimal day-to-day supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with students, colleagues, community partners, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to synthesize legal, policy, scientific, and technical information into clear and actionable insights.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional advanced degree (e.g., Ph.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H., M.P.P., M.S., M.A., or equivalent) in public health, public policy, systems science, political science, sociology, economics, data science, international studies, or a related field.
• Experience supporting federally funded, foundation-funded, or other externally funded research, policy, evaluation, or implementation projects.
• Experience conducting qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, policy, legal, or interdisciplinary research.
• Familiarity with statistical, qualitative, or analytic software (e.g., R, Stata, SAS, Python, NVivo, or similar platforms).
• Demonstrated record of scholarly writing, policy analysis, publication, or other research dissemination activities.
• Experience working across government, nonprofit, academic, advocacy, healthcare, or private-sector policy environments.
• Demonstrated interest, expertise, or scholarly work in one or more of the following areas:
• Health law and health policy
• Public health law
• Vaccination law and immunization policy
• Civil liberties, civil rights, privacy, or data governance
• Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies
• Health equity and structural determinants of health
• Comparative or international health law and policy
• Health systems, governance, and systems science