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Position Overview

Nathaniel Hendren is recruiting a Predoctoral Researcher based at MIT in Cambridge, MA to conduct economic analysis. The full-time, one year appointment is to begin by July 1, 2026, renewable annually based on mutual agreement and availability of funding. An employment term of two years is strongly preferred. The Predoctoral Researcher will be part of Policy Impacts, an organization founded by Professor Hendren that is dedicated to improving the quality of government decision-making by promoting standardization in policy analysis. 

 

The Predoctoral Researcher will work directly with Professor Hendren on research topics in applied micro-economics and empirical welfare analysis. Topics likely include the welfare analysis of policies targeting firms, international development policies, macroeconomic stabilization and fiscal stimulus policies, environmental policies, and the impact and incidence of labor market shocks. Work will involve detailed and careful analysis and coding of the welfare impacts of government policies, literature reviews, and advanced meta-analysis methods using Stata and GitHub. Some projects also involve analysis of large-scale datasets derived from Census and IRS tax forms. The projects will also build upon earlier work studying the welfare impacts of government policies, the impact of local labor markets on upward economic mobility, and the effectiveness of policies addressing climate change.

 

The predoctoral position is intended to provide experiences that will be most beneficial to applicants intending to pursue graduate work in economics. The work will include in-depth exposure to a broad set of literature in economics and experience with advanced empirical and statistical methods. Predoctoral Researchers are invited to participate in broader activities at MIT, including seminars and courses, and will be connected to a broader community of pre-doctoral fellows at Policy Impacts, MIT, Blueprint Labs, and Opportunity Insights. 

 

The starting salary for a Predoctoral Researcher is $69,294 and includes standard MIT employee benefits. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

 

Qualifications and Skills

Successful candidates have come from a variety of backgrounds (including from undergraduate and graduate programs, industry jobs, and other research assistant positions). We encourage applicants to apply even if they do not possess every qualification or skill listed. Applications are especially encouraged from backgrounds under-represented in economics.

 

MINIMUM 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 fellows 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.
  • Responsibility and Judgement: Deals with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgement. 

 

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Education: Advanced undergraduate coursework in public or labor economics and/or computer science
  • Experience: Knowledge of Stata, Python, and/or R, and previous research experience, acquired through a research assistantship or an independent research project. Some background or willingness/ability to learn Stata is particularly important. 
  • Skills: Ability to work well in teams and strong communication 

 

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 25163.
  • Please only submit one application to the MIT site.

AND

  1. Complete this 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 “[First name]_[Last name]_Policy Impacts Application.pdf”.
    • In the cover letter describe your:
      • Interest in the position and research topic
      • Relevant experience and qualifications, highlighting research and coding
    • In your resume:
      • Include your GPA and (if available) your class rank.
    • Transcripts:
      • Add your complete undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official.
    • GPA conversion guidance:
      • Please include a page explaining 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 “[First name]_[Last name]_Policy Impacts Writing Sample.pdf”.
    • Upload one writing sample, preferably solo-written, preferably in economics (or another social science).
  • You will also be asked to share the names and email addresses of two professional references.

 

The priority application deadline is Sunday, October 5, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. We will continue to accept applications after the priority deadline through Friday, October 31, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. 

 

Candidates who apply to meet the priority deadline and advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities: 

  • Mid-October: Complete a timed data task
  • Early November: Interviews

 

If you have another offer deadline and this timeline will be too late for you, please contact jregier@policyimpacts.org. We will do our best to expedite the review process so you can make an informed decision.

 

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.