Pre-doctoral Researcher - Technical Associate (Charles Angelucci and Alexey Makarin)

Description

Professors Charles Angelucci and Alexey Makarin are looking for one or more highly skilled and motivated individuals to work as our full-time research assistants for a period of at least one year, ideally two. The appointment will entail close collaboration at all stages of the research process on new and ongoing empirical projects that utilize large datasets to address questions in the fields of political economy, media economics, economics of digitization, and international trade.

This position offers the opportunity to gain exposure to and training in a broad set of economic research topics and statistical methodologies before pursuing a Ph.D. in economics or related fields. The chosen candidate will also gain valuable experience analyzing large and unique datasets, and working with programs such as Stata, R, Python, and GIS. The chosen candidate will also make connections with faculty at several other institutions involved in the research projects and will have the opportunity to take courses and attend seminars at MIT.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should have: 

1. a strong quantitative background and programming skills, with some experience of programming in Stata, R, or Python;
2. a long-term interest in pursuing a PhD in economics. Background in economics is a plus, but not necessary – we welcome candidates with strong technical backgrounds who are looking for more exposure to economics. Prior research assistant experience is strongly preferred;
3. an enthusiasm for empirical research, and the ability and interest to learn new skills and take initiative as a project develops;
4. the ability to work independently;
5. a bachelor’s or a master’s degree with excellent grades.

This position would begin in the summer 2024 and typically lasts for 2 years. It is located at the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge Massachusetts, with the opportunity to interact with economics undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. We encourage RAs to attend research seminars. Annual salary is competitive with other predoctoral research positions.

Application Instructions

If you are interested, please provide the following documents:

• A cover letter that includes:
  • a brief description of your experience as a research assistant and with any independent research (e.g., thesis or other research projects)
  • your familiarity with various statistical and computer packages (e.g. STATA, R, SAS, Python, Matlab, etc.)
  • the names of two references (and their email and phone contact information)
  • when you are available to begin
• A current CV
• A transcript
• A writing sample. This could be any research paper or term paper that you think best reflects your abilities.
• A sample of code(s) which you have written, along with a summary of the outputs it generates (logs/graphs) in a single document. 

We will be accepting and reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

MIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

NOTE: 
Visa sponsoring is not available for this position. Candidates should have authorization to work in the US for the duration of the appointment.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 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. MIT’s full policy on Nondiscrimination can be found here.

Background Check Policy
Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check, including possible verification of any findings of misconduct (or pending investigations) from prior employers.