Research on Economics of Immigration, Past and Present
POSITION FILLED
Faculty Supervisor:
Project and Position Description:
Professor Leah Boustan, Professor of Economics at Yale University, is hiring a highly skilled and motivated pre-doctoral research fellow to work as part of her research team.
The position will support projects related to the economics of immigration, past and present. The projects use complete-count historical census data and modern administrative sources. Research fellows will be engaged in all stages of the research process, including conceptual development, data collection, data analysis and visualization, and writing.
Examples of potential projects include:
• Understanding mobility patterns of the children of immigrants in the United States, Canada, Australia, and destination countries in Europe
• Comparing political speeches about immigrants in the United States and Europe using large language models
• Evaluating the outcomes of immigrants in enclave neighborhoods, past and present
• Methodological projects improving matching algorithms in historical census data
Responsibilities for this position include tasks like: Cleaning and managing large datasets, conducting statistical analyses of data using Stata or R, and preparing literature reviews for academic papers.
Fellows join in regular meetings with Professor Boustan and her co-authors at other universities (including Ran Abramitzky at Stanford and others). This position is particularly appropriate for candidates interested in preparing for doctoral studies in Economics. The fellow will receive dedicated research training and career development skills with their Tobin pre-doctoral fellow cohort. Professor Boustan also encourages fellows to participate in various economics seminars happening across campus. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong excitement to engage with the research process. The position is offered for one year, with a strong preference for a second-year renewal.
Requisite Skills and Qualifications:
• Quantitative background, which might include a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics or another degree with substantial quantitative coursework
• Computer skills including programming in Stata and/or R
• Strong academic record and interest in pursuing a PhD in economics
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Both the organization skills needed to work in larger teams and the ability to work independently