Seasonal Migration
Faculty Supervisor:
Project and Position Description:
The job will consist of collaboration on a number of new and ongoing projects related to the Y-RISE research agenda on the effects of large-scale development interventions. The focus of this research may include assessing the general-equilibrium effects of interventions, the effects of programs on political outcomes, the external validity of initial estimates of program effects in different locations and years, and the implementation challenges that arise when programs scale. Mobarak’s work on seasonal migration is an example of the type of research that fits within this agenda.
Primary responsibilities include planning study design, cleaning and analyzing large datasets, helping to write papers and proposals, generating figures and tables, and supporting quality assurance of ongoing fieldwork.
Training: The candidate will receive training on skills including but not limited to technical research skills, including the ability to conduct statistical analysis on economic and experimental data; designing and managing field experiments; literature on many key topics in economic development, especially the design and evaluation of large-scale programs; and soft skills necessary for academic research, such as the ability to collaborate, communicate, self-motivate, and manage multiple projects effectively.
Mentoring: The candidate will receive mentoring from Professor Mushfiq Mobarak, through group and 1:1 meetings. He will help facilitate academic relationships with other faculty, postdoctoral associates, and other future graduate students in their field as well.
Finally, the candidate will also have access to mentorship through the Tobin Center for Economic Policy.
Other: The candidate will have access to the resources provided as part of the Tobin Pre-doc Program, including taking for credit or auditing one course per semester, participating in a weekly professional development seminar, and attending department research seminars.
Requisite Skills and Qualifications:
(i) be detail-oriented with programming experience in statistical software such as Stata, R, Matlab, or Python; (ii) have a strong quantitative background; (iii) be able to work independently to solve problems; and (iv) have a long-term interest in pursuing research in economics. Familiarity with economics and randomized controlled trials is preferred – but we also welcome applicants with strong technical backgrounds who wish to increase their exposure to economics and related fields.