Development, Trade, and Markets Economic Research Fellow
POSITION FILLED
FACULTY SUPERVISOR(S):
Lauren Bergquist and Amit Khandelwal
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Professors Bergquist and Khandelwal are looking to hire a highly skilled and motivated pre-doctoral research fellow to work as part of their research teams. The position will involve assistance with all stages of empirical research in international development and trade. The fellow will split time 50/50 between working for each faculty member.
Professor Bergquist’s projects are mostly (though not exclusively) based in East Africa and focus on markets and firms, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. Methods often combine randomized control trials and structural work. Current projects explore barriers to quality upgrading in agricultural supply chains in Uganda, an export promotion program and a supplier development program for firms in Rwanda, and a trade fair to link agricultural buyer and suppliers in Chile. The fellow’s work will span the full project timeline, including early-stage partner development and exploratory analysis, preparing grant proposals and budgets, drafting and coding of surveys, cleaning and analyzing data, and preparing results for presentation and publication. Occasional field travel to East Africa is likely.
Professor Khandelwal’s projects examine global trade flows. One project will use tens of millions of daily shipment data to examine the welfare impacts of direct-to-consumer E-commerce shipments into the US. There may also be opportunities to get involved in randomized control trials studying industrial and trade policy in South Asia. The fellow’s work will span the full project timeline, including early-stage and exploratory analysis, preparing grant proposals and budgets, cleaning and analyzing data, and preparing results for presentation and publication. The fellow will also assist in creating a new and innovative course that critically examines the role of international trade in the economic development process.
Fellows are exposed to cutting-edge topics and research methods in this area. This position is data heavy, and the selected candidate will be expected to analyze survey data, administrative data, and intervention monitoring data. Fellows join in weekly meetings and benefit from opportunities to work with Professors Bergquist and Khandelwal, as well as academic economists at Yale and other universities. The position is offered for one year (start date in summer 2023), with a possible a second-year renewal. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, particularly women, people of color and other marginalized communities which have historically been underrepresented in the field of economics.
Responsibilities for this position include:
• Cleaning and managing large datasets;
• Conducting statistical analyses of data using Stata;
• Preparing literature reviews, background research, and other draft content for grant proposals and academic papers;
• Drafting project reports, research protocols, and other project documents;
• Working with field research teams, including travel to study sites (East Africa, multiple sites).
REQUISITE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
• Strong quantitative background: This could include Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Data Science, International Development, or other degrees with substantial quantitative coursework
• Strong computer skills including programming in Stata and/or R
• Strong academic record and interest in pursuing a PhD in economics
• Strong interest in public policy and economic development research, with a focus on developing countries
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Ability to work independently
• Willingness to travel to East Africa, including rural areas