Predoctoral Research Associate in Finance (Summer 2027), Division of Research and Faculty Development

Harvard University • Boston, MA

11h • Hybrid

About The Position

Harvard Business School seeks multiple Predoctoral Research Associates to begin in summer 2027 and support faculty research in its Finance unit. Associates typically work with two faculty members, with some working with up to three. Faculty and associates are matched based on mutual research interests. Professors Adi Sunderam and Mark Egan will serve as cohort mentors. The role follows a multi-faculty model: associates contribute to a portfolio of academic research projects rather than working exclusively with one faculty member. Projects may address financial markets, asset pricing, empirical corporate finance, banking and financial institutions, household and corporate finance, financial technology, macro-finance, and applications of finance to business and economics. The role offers exposure to the full research process, multiple faculty projects, and mentorship in preparation for future study, especially a PhD in finance or economics.

The position reports directly to the primary faculty mentors and other participating Finance faculty, with administrative support from the Research Staff Services office. Associates work with substantial independence and are expected to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, flexibility, sound discretionary judgment, strong organization, and high standards for work quality. They contribute to research from question development and literature review through data collection, empirical analysis, interpretation, and preparation of findings. Work includes statistical programming and managing financial and economic data with packages such as STATA, Python, R, or MATLAB; natural language processing or other computational methods may also be used where relevant. Associates document sources, code, workflows, and outputs to support reproducibility and collaboration.

The appointment is a term position beginning in summer 2027, with an end date of June 30, 2028. The role is 40 hours per week and hybrid, combining remote work with on-site work at the Boston campus. Staff are expected to be on site at least three days per week; specific days and hours depend on business needs and may change with advance notice. Harvard cannot provide visa sponsorship. A cover letter is required, and applicants are expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and code sample for review by an HBS statistician. The application deadline for full consideration is December 7, 2026; review may continue until all positions are filled. Faculty strongly prefer candidates willing to commit for two years, though the stated appointment end date is June 30, 2028.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and GPA above 3.5.
• Ability to read academic, subject-specific material and write reasoned, thoughtful analyses and creative interpretations.
• Evidence of independent research in a specific advanced field of study.
• Extremely high standards for work quality and attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and commitment to completing tasks.
• Ability to balance multiple tasks and shifting priorities under tight deadlines, working at an accelerated pace when necessary.
• Willingness and ability to work in a multi-faculty research model and adapt to different research questions, methods, timelines, and working styles.
• Ability to work with only general direction and exercise a high degree of independence and judgment.
• Ability to meet the hybrid on-site requirement of at least three days per week at the Boston campus.
• Applicants must submit a cover letter, writing sample, transcript, and code sample.

Nice To Haves

• Prior high-quality, original academic writing.
• Background in analysis and interpretation of relevant data, research, news, and literature.
• Familiarity with navigating a complex organization such as Harvard Business School.
• Interest in pursuing a PhD in finance or economics; the opportunity is particularly well suited to candidates considering doctoral study.
• Faculty strongly prefer candidates willing to commit for two years.

Responsibilities

• Work under the general direction of participating Finance faculty on academic research projects involving financial markets, concepts, data, and frameworks.
• Support multiple faculty members and projects, adapting to different research questions, methods, timelines, and working styles while maintaining organized, high-quality workflows.
• Contribute to the research process by developing research questions, reviewing academic literature, collecting and assembling data, designing empirical analyses, interpreting results, and preparing findings for faculty review.
• Develop, design, conduct, analyze, and implement research using data science knowledge and statistical packages; perform statistical programming and use natural language processing or other computational methods where relevant.
• Manage and manipulate financial and economic data using packages such as STATA, Python, R, or MATLAB.
• Document data sources, code, workflows, and outputs so analyses are reproducible and can be shared across projects.
• Prepare research memos, literature reviews, tables, figures, presentations, case materials, and other written or analytical products communicating research progress and findings.
• Use mentorship and feedback from faculty to deepen finance knowledge and develop research skills, judgment, and professional habits for future academic study.
• Ensure compliance with department, University, and federal regulations, and remain aware of relevant department, School, University, and outside research policies.
• Work with only general direction and exercise independence and discretionary judgment.
• Be present on site and engage directly with colleagues and other constituents to build trust and collaboration.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
• Retirement plans with university contributions.
• Wellbeing and mental health resources.
• Support for families and caregivers.
• Professional development opportunities, including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
• Commuter benefits, discounts, and campus perks.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level