Research Professional – Joshua Gottlieb, Zarek Brot-Goldberg, and Maggie Shi (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible)

Job Title: Research Professional – Joshua Gottlieb, Zarek Brot-Goldberg, and Maggie Shi (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible) (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible)

Location: Chicago, IL – Hyde Park Campus, Saieh Hall 

Expected Start Date: July 1, 2025

Please send questions about this position to [email protected]. 

Job Summary:

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) is seeking to hire a full-time Research Professional to work with Maggie Shi, Zarek Brot-Goldberg, and Josh Gottlieb.  The Research Professional will be involved in all stages of ongoing and new research projects related to research in the economics of health. 

Successful candidates will work directly with Professors Shi, Brot-Goldberg, Josh Gottlieb, and co-authors as part of BFI's Predoctoral Research in Economics Program (PREP). The program is intended to serve as a bridge between college and graduate school for students interested in empirical economics. Applicants must have completed a Bachelors degree by June 2025 and have strong quantitative and programming skills. Candidates with research experience are strongly preferred, especially those with experience in Stata, R, or Python. The ideal candidate would begin on July 1, 2025 (flexible) and work for BFI for one or two years before applying to graduate school in Economics or another quantitative social science. BFI offers competitive salary and employee benefits. 

 Unit-specific Responsibilities:

• Write programs in Stata, R, or Python to analyze large datasets
• Construct maps, figures, and tables for economics papers 
• Identify new data sources 
• Editing tasks 
• Other duties as assigned 

 Unit-preferred Competencies:

• Desired (but not required) skills include advanced familiarity with numerical optimization and package development in R and/or Python, and the ability to use Stata to manage and analyze large datasets. Although previous experience with any specific language is not essential, familiarity with at least one scripting language is encouraged. 
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously 
• Excellent organizational skills 
• Attention to detail 
• Strong academic writing/communication skills 

Preferred Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in economics, computer science, physics, engineering, or other quantitative STEM fields is highly desirable.

Experience

• Relevant research experience as a research assistant.

Technical Knowledge/Skills

• Knowledge of R, Python, Stata preferred

Required Documents:

• Resume/CV
• Writing sample
• Transcripts (unofficial is ok)

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