Research Associate - Customer Data Lab, D^3 Institute
**This is an immediate opening, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Don't wait for the deadline to apply. Email Becky Wickel, rwickel@hbs.edu with your resume and cover letter to be considered ASAP**
The Digital, Data, and Design (D^3) Institute at Harvard is looking for a Research Associate work closely with Harvard Business School faculty and D^3 core and platform staff. D^3 is looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or new perspectives.
The Customer Data Lab, led by Professors Ayelet Israeli and Eva Ascarza, is seeking a quantitative Research Associate. The goal of the Customer Data Lab is to leverage customer data to improve outcomes for firms, consumers, and society at large. Ideal RA candidates will be comfortable in an environment that requires a high level of independence, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to use discretionary judgment. Under the general direction of faculty member(s), RAs will collect and analyze big data; estimate statistical and machine learning models; design and conduct online experiments; conduct academic literature search; contribute to scholarly research products including but not limited to journal articles, working papers, and presentations.
Duties:
Independently manage all timelines and deliverables. Exercise independent decision making with regard to progression of research project and methodologies. Must be able to structure assignments and keep faculty member informed as necessary, using own judgment.
The qualified individual should demonstrate strong skills of:
- Programming and engineering, including Python (must), Bash script, SQL, and preferably C++, Julia.
- Statistical analysis in R (must), and preferably STATA, Stan.
- Strong background in statistics and mathematics.
- Develop, synthesize, and provide analysis of data exhibits for academic journal articles.
RA must also ensure compliance with department, University, and federal regulations. Complete work with only general direction. Be aware of department, School, University policies and potential outside research policies.
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree required. Strong preference for candidates with a background in Computer Science, Econometrics, Statistics or Data Science.
The candidate must have extremely high standards in terms of quality of work, especially concerning data quality. He or she will work on projects involving collecting, experimenting and analyzing very large sets of diverse data to understand consumer behavior.
Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and absolute commitment to task completion are a must. Evidence of outstanding academic achievement, strong mathematics background, and the ability to establish strong engineering and research skills in big data are essential.
Additional Information :
Candidates should not reach out to faculty directly.
This is a full-time term appointment starting as soon as possible through June 30, 2023, with the possibility of renewal based on funding and performance. All Research Associate roles at HBS are structured as term appointments. There is strong potential for reappointment, and a preference for candidates willing to commit for two or more years.
A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and a code sample to be reviewed by an HBS statistician.
The University requires all Harvard community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters, as detailed in Harvard’s Vaccine & Booster Requirements. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement, exemptions, and verification of vaccination status may be found at the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage: http://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-information/.
This role is offered as a hybrid (some combination of onsite and remote) where you are required to be onsite at our Boston, MA based campus. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.
While we continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, we appreciate your understanding and flexibility with our interview process. Please note that we will be conducting interviews virtually (phone and or Zoom) for selected candidates until further notice.
Culture of Inclusion: The work and well-being of HBS is profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Explore HBS work culture at https://www.hbs.edu/employment/.
Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.