Predoctoral Research Fellow, Research Program in Development Economics - Princeton University
- United States of America
Overview
Based in Princeton’s School of Public & International Affairs, in collaboration with and housed in the Department of Economics, the Research Program in Development Economics (https://rpde.princeton.edu/) carries out economics research on the causes and consequences of global poverty, with the goal of informing policy-making and thereby improving the lives of people living in low- and middle-income countries. We seek to hire talented and motivated predoctoral research specialists to assist several Economics faculty members working at RPDE.
Predocs will work with one or more of our faculty members, economists Pascaline Dupas, Thomas Fujiwara, Allan Hsiao, Seema Jayachandran, and Mica Sviatschi (along with their co-authors). This position is ideal for graduating seniors or master’s degree students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics or related fields. RPDE strongly encourages candidates with experience in low- and middle-income countries to apply though we welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
This is a one year term position with the possibility of renewal for one year. Successful applicants will start in summer 2024. The position is in-person, based in Princeton, NJ.
Responsibilities
The position involves empirical analysis, including more sophisticated statistical modeling, and could also involve theoretical work such as coding of model simulations. The position is structured to help individuals prepare for doctoral programs in economics (or related fields) by gaining valuable research experience. In addition to working closely with faculty, you will have opportunities to participate in Princeton’s vibrant academic life through attending seminars, attending classes, and interacting with students and other predocs in the Department of Economics and School of Public and International Affairs. Specific research activities that predocs will assist on include:
- Survey design and implementation
- Field visits depending on project needs
- Data collection, cleaning and analysis
- Training surveyors, running and editing interviews
- Literature reviews
- Admin support, including organizing logistics of experiments and data collection
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
- BA/BS in economics, mathematics, or computer science, or in a related field (e.g., public policy with significant coursework in economics, mathematics, statistics and/or programming)
- Experience with statistical programming in STATA and/or R
- Demonstrated interest in empirical social science
- Excellent analytical, empirical, and writing skills, demonstrated through independent work (e.g. course paper, undergraduate thesis, or independent research)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of STATA, R, Python, Julia, and/or Matlab
- Experience with LaTex, Unix/Linux
- Familiarity with standard social science data sources, internet tools, and HTML is desirable
- Additional language besides English (in particular, French, Hindi, Portuguese or Spanish).
How to Apply
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and as such we encourage applicants to apply early. Short-listed applicants will be contacted for an interview and may be asked to complete a coding exercise. Selected candidates will be required to successfully pass a background check.
Candidates should upload the following as a SINGLE PDF:
(Upload to the "Other Documents" field in the online application.)
- Cover letter and resume
- List of three references
- Transcripts from all previous academic programs
All interested candidates are encouraged to apply.
We at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs believe that it is vital to cultivate an environment that embraces and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion—fundamental to the success of our education and research mission. This commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment and hiring as we actively seek colleagues of exceptional ability who represent a broad range of viewpoints, experiences and value systems, and who share Princeton University's dedication to excellence.