Senior Research Specialist

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, Seema Jayachandran, and Mica Sviatschi (along with their co-authors), as well as RPDE post-doctoral fellows. This position is ideal for graduating seniors or master’s degree students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics or related fields. Candidates from any country are encouraged to apply.

This is a one-year term position with the possibility of renewal contingent on performance. Successful applicants will start in summer 2026. The position is in-person, based in Princeton, NJ.

Responsibilities

The position involves empirical analysis, including 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:

• Data collection, cleaning and analysis 
• Survey design and implementation
• Literature reviews
• Field visits depending on project needs
• Training surveyors, running and editing interviews
• 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 is desirable
• Familiarity with standard social science data sources, internet tools, and HTML is desirable
• Additional language besides English (in particular, French, Hindi, Portuguese or Spanish).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled 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.)

1. Cover letter and resume with standardized test scores (ideally GRE or SAT) listed
2. List of three references
3. Transcripts from all previous academic programs

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity 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.

The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.

If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher, depending on the position and factors listed above.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.