National Bureau of Economic Research

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

Samuel Bazzi, Eric Chyn, Andreas Ferrara, Martin Fiszbein, Thomas Pearson, and Patrick Testa seek a full-time pre-doctoral research assistant starting spring 2026 for period 10 months (with the possibility of extensions between 1-3 months based on demand). The RA will collaborate on empirical projects in political economy, development, and economic history, working with large-scale digitized historical newspapers and U.S. census data, and helping train and supervise undergraduate research assistants.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, computer science, mathematics, political science, or a related field. The position is well suited for candidates preparing for PhD study in economics or related disciplines. Strong programming skills in Python are required. Familiarity with large language models is a plus but can be learned on the job.

The position is based at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in Cambridge, MA, and is hybrid- or remote-eligible. Annual salary is $60,000.

To apply, submit a single PDF including:

(1) a cover letter describing research interests, programming skills, prior research experience, and two references;
(2) a CV;
(3) an unofficial transcript. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Shortlisted candidates may complete a technical exercise and interview.