Senior Research Specialist

The Princeton Program in Public Finance is looking to hire full-time pre-doctoral fellows (Senior Research Specialists). The position involves responsibilities that serve as excellent preparation for Ph.D. programs in economics, including data processing and analysis, survey design, simulation techniques, literature reviews, and presentations.

Research fellows will work with Professors Henrik Kleven, Ilyana Kuziemko, and Evan Soltas. along with their co-authors, on topics such as income and wealth inequality, entrepreneurship, gender equality, regional economic development, political economy, and the subsidies on the housing market and social insurance policies. 

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 by gaining valuable research experience. In addition to working closely with faculty, senior research specialists have opportunities to participate in the vibrant academic life of Princeton University through attending seminars, attending classes, and interacting with students and fellows in the Department of Economics.

This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal for a second or third year, with start date flexibility as early as February or as late as August 2025. 

Research support for Professors Kleven, Kuziemko, and Soltas, including:

• Independent data collection, cleaning and analysis 
• Programming experiment designs and data collection tools 
• Survey implementation and organization of focus groups 
• Running and editing interviews
• Research summaries and literature searches and reviews
• Admin support, including organizing logistics of experiments and data collection

The position requires:

• BA/BS in Economics, Math, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Fluency with statistics/econometrics.
• Knowledge of statistical programming, particularly STATA.
• Knowledge of standard internet tools and HTML.
• Familiarity with standard social science data sources.
• Experience with programs such as SAS, Matlab, and Python, LaTx, Unix/Linux is preferred.
• A Master’s degree is desirable but not required.

The application process entails two main stages. For the first stage, please send a cover letter, transcript, CV, writing sample, and a list of three references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through October 15, 2024. For shortlisted candidates, the second stage involves a coding exercise and an interview.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS