Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow
Nathaniel Hendren is recruiting a Research Fellow based at MIT in Cambridge, MA to conduct economic analysis. The full-time, one year appointment is to begin July 1, 2023, renewable annually based on mutual agreement and availability of funding. An employment term of two years is strongly preferred. The Research Fellow will be part of Policy Impacts, an organization founded by Professor Hendren that is dedicated to improving the quality of government decision-making by promoting standardization in policy analysis.
The pre-doctoral fellow will work directly with Professor Hendren on research topics in applied micro-economics and empirical welfare analysis. Topics likely include the welfare analysis of environmental and criminal justice policies, empirical macroeconomics, and the impact and incidence of labor market shocks. Work will involve detailed and careful coding of the welfare impacts of government policies, analysis and coding of large microdatasets, literature reviews, and advanced meta-analysis methods using Stata and GitHub. It will also build upon earlier work studying the welfare impacts of government policies and the impact of local labor markets on upward economic mobility.
The pre-doctoral position is intended to provide experiences that will be most beneficial to applicants intending to pursue graduate work in economics. The work will include in-depth exposure to a broad set of literature in economics and experience with advanced empirical and statistical methods. Pre-doctoral fellows are invited to participate in broader activities at MIT, including seminars and courses, and will be connected to a broader community of pre-doctoral fellows at MIT, Blueprint Labs, and Opportunity Insights.
The salary range is $53,000-$58,000. This position is not eligible for any visa sponsorship.
Qualifications and Skills
Successful candidates have come from a variety of backgrounds (including from undergraduate and graduate programs, industry jobs, and other research assistant positions), and have a range of skill levels and experience with coding. Applications are especially encouraged from backgrounds under-represented in economics.
MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Education: A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in economics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or a related field.
- Experience: Minimum 2 years’ specialized experience with quantitative data analysis, research methods, and/or social sciences research (which may include coursework or experience gained as an undergraduate).
- Skills: Programming skills, particularly around data analysis, cleaning, and simulations. Previous fellows in this position have used Stata, R, or Python to conduct analyses.
- Ability to work independently in a self-directed role across multiple projects, managers, and teams.
- Responsibility and Judgement: Deals with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgement.
PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Education: Advanced undergraduate coursework in public or labor economics and/or computer science
- Experience: Knowledge of Stata, Python, and/or R, and previous research experience, acquired through a research assistantship or an independent research project. Some background or willingness/ability to learn Stata is particularly important.
- Skills: Ability to work well in teams and strong communication
How to Apply
Please prepare the following as a single PDF.
- Cover letter that describes your: interest in the position and research topic; relevant experience and qualifications; earliest available start date and desired end date; and requirements for work authorization: Fellows are not eligible for visa sponsorship.
- Resume, including your GPA and (if available) your class rank
- Complete undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts (unofficial transcripts are allowed)
Submit your application via MIT’s hiring site here. If this link doesn’t work, please visit hr.mit.edu, Click “Search Open Positions,” and search for Job Number 21971. Upload the single PDF in the “Submit a Resume” section, by clicking “Upload an existing resume.” Select “no cover letter” in the “Submit a Cover Letter” section.
The priority application deadline is Sunday, February 19, 2023 at 11:59pm ET. We will continue to accept applications after the priority deadline through Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 11:59pm ET.
Candidates who apply to meet the priority deadline and advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities:
· Late February – Early March: Complete a timed data task and submit a pre-existing writing sample. You will receive about two weeks to access the task, and it must be submitted within 48 hours of starting.
· Mid-March: Initial Interviews. At this time, we may also request professional references.
· Late March: Final Interviews.
MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.