Economics Research Fellow, Policy Impacts

Position Overview

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, 2025, 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 policies targeting firms, macroeconomic stabilization and fiscal stimulus policies, environmental policies, and the impact and incidence of labor market shocks. Work will involve detailed and careful analysis and coding of the welfare impacts of government policies, literature reviews, and advanced meta-analysis methods using Stata and GitHub. Some projects also involve analysis of large-scale datasets derived from Census and IRS tax forms. The projects will also build upon earlier work studying the welfare impacts of government policies, the impact of local labor markets on upward economic mobility, and the effectiveness of policies addressing climate change.

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 Policy Impacts, MIT, Blueprint Labs, and Opportunity Insights. 

The starting salary for a Research Fellow is $67,113 and includes standard MIT employee benefits. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check. This position is not eligible for 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). We encourage applicants to apply even if they do not possess every qualification or skill listed. 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

1. Please prepare the following as a single PDF. 
   1. Cover letter that describes your:
      1. Interest in the position and research topic
      2. Relevant experience and qualifications 
      3. Earliest available start date and desired end date
      4. Requirements for work authorization. Fellows are not eligible for visa sponsorship.
   2. Resume, including your GPA and (if available) your class rank
   3. Names and email addresses for two professional references
   4. Complete undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts (unofficial transcripts are allowed)
   5. A writing sample
2. 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 24354. 
   1. 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, October 13, 2024 at 11:59pm ET. We will continue to accept applications after the priority deadline through Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 11:59pm ET. 

Candidates who apply to meet the priority deadline and advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities: 

• Mid-October: 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.
• Early November: Interviews

If you have another offer deadline and this timeline will be too late for you, please contact jregier@policyimpacts.org. We will do our best to expedite the review process so you can make an informed decision.

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.