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Position Overview

Blueprint Labs is hiring Predoctoral Researchers based at MIT in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint Labs uses data, econometrics, and analytic tools to generate insights on the consequences of policy choices and improve society. Based in the Department of Economics at MIT, Blueprint Labs consists of academic affiliates who represent leading economic thinkers, full-time staff members, and graduate researchers. Blueprint Labs works closely with academic, government, and nonprofit institutions across the country to generate pioneering research that informs policy and practice in education, health care, and the workforce.

We are seeking motivated, independent, and organized Predoctoral Researchers to support our research initiatives. The Predoctoral Researchers will work closely with one or more of the Blueprint Labs Directors or Co-Directors, including Josh Angrist, Parag Pathak, Nikhil Agarwal, and David Autor, plus collaborators at other universities. Blueprint workforce predocs are part of the Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work, which operates under the Blueprint umbrella.

This position also offers the opportunity to collaborate with Blueprint Labs research staff and external policy and data partners. Working in this role at Blueprint Labs combines the academic exposure of a standard “econ predoc” with industry best-practices, like a supportive cohort model, and is designed for predocs to plan the next stage of their careers. Predocs gain work experience with advanced research methods, collaborate with leading researchers, and develop their research skills in a rigorous and methodical environment. Previous predocs have gone on to master’s and PhD programs or careers in consulting, tech, government, economics, K-12 education, policy, and more.

Blueprint Labs is a team of both researchers and managerial staff. The managerial staff provide structure through what we call “staff coaching,” which allows predocs to focus on conducting research while the staff coach largely handles administrative tasks. The staff coach also provides other types of support to facilitate a positive work experience. Blueprint Labs provides opportunities for professional development (through both academic and nonacademic classes), mentorship, attending conferences and seminars, and social events (ask us about our Social Committee!). The peer community of Blueprint predocs meets weekly to discuss common challenges, plan events, and discuss research.

Predoctoral Researchers receive a full-time, one-year appointment that is renewable annually, contingent on funding and mutual agreement. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. The starting pay for this position is $69,294 and includes standard MIT employee benefits. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

All hires must start by July 15, 2026 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Predoctoral Researchers work on research projects with MIT faculty members, additional affiliated faculty, and graduate students. Specific responsibilities include managing advanced code bases, constructing and preparing data for analysis, conducting analysis in Stata, Python, and/or R (or similar), presenting results and engaging in discussion in project meetings, communicating results to different audiences, and editing papers for publication. Other duties will arise as needed. All predocs attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings, may attend related conferences or external presentations, and communicate with faculty both in-person and online. Predocs can take classes (both for credit and via traditional auditing) and attend department seminars.

Blueprint is hiring for the following predoctoral researcher positions:

Predoctoral Researcher, Higher Education

The Predoctoral Researcher, Higher Education supports Professors Josh Angrist, David Autor, and Amanda Pallais (Harvard) to evaluate the impact of randomized financial aid on low-income college students’ post-secondary education, labor market, and personal credit outcomes. The predoc will hone their technical and econometric skills as well as gain valuable experience communicating with data providers at a private foundation, colleges, the U.S. Treasury, and a credit bureau. A successful predoc in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in the economics of education and labor economics topics.

Predoctoral Researcher, K12

The Predoctoral Researcher, K12 supports multiple research projects focused on understanding and improving public school effectiveness. These projects leverage randomization of centralized school assignment systems across multiple districts to study the relationship between schools and students’ academic achievement, non-cognitive skills, and labor market outcomes. The predoc works closely with Professors Josh Angrist, Parag Pathak, Peter Hull (Brown), Chris Walters (UChicago), and MIT PhD student Russell Legate-Yang. The predoc will hone their econometric and coding skills and gain valuable experience communicating with data providers at public school systems, a private foundation, and more. A successful predoc in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in the economics of education and applied econometrics.

Predoctoral Researcher, Higher Education and K12

The Predoctoral Researcher, Higher Education and K12 splits their time between higher education and K12 research projects. The predoc works with Professors Josh Angrist and Jack Mountjoy (UChicago) and MIT PhD student Raymond Han to evaluate the impact of scholarship awards on student outcomes, including college enrollment, major choices, and degree attainment. The predoc also contributes to a project with Professors Josh Angrist and Julien Grenet (Paris School of Economics) to leverage the centralized admission procedures in the Admission Post-Bac and Parcoursup platforms in France to track student trajectories in higher education, graduation outcomes, and professional integration.

The K12 research agenda supports Blueprint Labs’ Charter School Research Collaborative and works with Professors Josh Angrist and Parag Pathak.

The predoc can expect to hone technical and econometric skills as well as gain valuable experience communicating with data providers. A successful predoc in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in the economics of education and labor economics topics.

James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center Predoctoral Researcher, Workforce

The Predoctoral Researcher, Workforce supports Professors Daron Acemoglu and David Autor as part of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work. The predoc will be responsible for a variety of projects related to inequality, technology and the future of workforce. The projects study the transformation of the U.S. economy over the past 40 years, investigating the impact of technological change, through waves of robotization, computerization and artificial intelligence, on labor market dynamics and wage distribution. The predoc can expect to develop familiarity with a variety of large datasets (public and confidential) and sophisticated econometric tools. A successful predoc in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in labor economics. Proficiency in machine learning tools and mathematical modeling is a plus.

James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center Predoctoral Researcher, Workforce and Policy

The Predoctoral Researcher works with Professors Daron Acemoglu, David Autor, and Simon Johnson on projects in labor economics at the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work. The predoc can expect to work closely with faculty on their research projects and books, honing skills in statistical coding and econometrics. Additionally, the predoc will draw on their abilities in writing and editing to communicate and disseminate technical economics research to policymakers and the public.

Successful candidates must bring strong organizational and project management skills, a high level of independent judgment, superior writing ability, and technical research skills. The predoc can expect to work on multiple projects simultaneously, balancing both research and communication responsibilities with most of the time spent on research. Specific responsibilities include managing research projects and presenting work in research meetings; conducting econometric analyses; data analysis; literature review; qualitative research; speech writing; editing and drafting articles, essays, and other written content for publication; managing relationships with policymakers; and preparing scientific presentations.

Qualifications & Skills 

We encourage you to apply even if you do not possess every qualification and skill listed. This is not a data scientist role; some minimum economics training is required.

Required Education and Experience:

  • Education: A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in economics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or a related field
  • Experience: Minimum 2 years’ specialized experience with quantitative data analysis, research methods, and/or social sciences research (which may include coursework or experience gained as an undergraduate)
  • Skills: Programming skills, particularly around data analysis, cleaning, and simulations. Previous predocs in this position have used Stata, R, or Python to conduct analyses; Ability to work independently in a self-directed role across multiple projects, managers, and teams; Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Responsibility and Judgement: Deals with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgement

Preferred Education and Experience:

  • Education: Coursework or experience in labor economics, econometrics, and/or computer science
  • Experience: Knowledge of statistical programming and previous research experience, acquired through a research assistantship or an independent research project, are strongly preferred.
  • Skills: Some background or willingness/ability to learn Stata is particularly important. Familiarity with machine learning and natural language processing methods is preferred, though not necessary.

How to Apply

  1. Submit your application via MIT’s hiring website. If this link doesn’t work, please visit hr.mit.edu, Click “Search Open Positions,” and search for Job Number 25113.
    • Please only submit one application to the MIT site.

AND

  1. Complete the Google form and upload additional materials.
    • You’ll be asked to upload your cover letter, resume, transcripts, and GPA conversion guidance (if applicable) in a single PDF, maximum file size of 10 MB, titled “Blueprint Labs Application_[First name]_[Last name].pdf”.
    • In the cover letter describe your:
      • Preferred role(s) for consideration and why*
      • Relevant experience and qualifications, highlighting research and coding
      • (If applicable and of interest) Experiences that impact you and your desire to work at Blueprint**
    • In your resume:
      • Include your GPA
      • We recommend your resume is between 1-2 pages and includes all work experience, not just research adjacent experience.
    • Transcripts:
      • Add your complete undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official.
    • GPA conversion guidance:
      • Please include a page that explains converting your GPA to a 4.0 scale only if you’ve studied outside the U.S. and this information is available. It helps us understand your academic performance.
  • You will also be asked to upload a writing sample, maximum file size of 10MB, titled “Blueprint Labs Writing Sample_[First name]_[Last name].pdf”
    • Upload one writing sample, ideally a solo-written academic or policy piece from a class.

*For the 2025 hiring cycle, Blueprint is hiring predoctoral researchers for multiple projects, and candidates are asked to rank your preference of the role or roles that best suit your skills and interests. Please note in your cover letter which role(s) you’re applying to and select the appropriate boxes in the Google Form.

**Blueprint Labs values the experiences our staff bring to the team. We invite you to provide a statement sharing what has influenced your desire to work at Blueprint. This is not required, but rather provides an opportunity for us to get to know you.

The Hiring Process

The priority application deadline is Sunday, September 21st at 11:59pm ET. We will continue to accept applications after the priority deadline on a rolling basis. We maintain the Careers page on our website with the latest open roles.

Candidates who apply by the priority deadline and advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities. While these dates are our current plan, the exact timing may shift slightly. If you do not hear from us in the timeframe listed, please know your application is still under consideration.

  • Late-September: Complete a data task. You will receive about two weeks to access the task, and it must be submitted within 48 hours of starting.
  • Mid- to late-October: Participate in interviews with current Blueprint predocs and staff managers.
  • Late-October to early-November: Participate in final interviews with faculty and project team members. At this time, we will also request professional references.
  • Mid-November: Offers extended.

If you apply after the priority deadline, the hiring process follows the steps above but with a variable timeline.

Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the hiring process. Questions not addressed in the FAQ can be directed to hiring@mitblueprintlabs.org.

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals from all identifies and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive equitable consideration for employment based on their experience and qualifications and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or national or ethnic origin.