Predoctoral | Research Associate

University of Notre Dame•Notre Dame, IN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Building Inclusive Growth (BIG) Lab at Notre Dame is hiring a full-time predoctoral Research Associate in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. The RA will join a cohort of predoctoral research associates who work in a team environment as part of the BIG Lab. The Lab supports development economists and other quantitative researchers in both the Keough School and the Department of Economics, such as Lakshmi Iyer, Taryn Dinkelman, Enrique Seira, Joseph Kaboski, Santosh Gautam and Alejandro Estefan, and aims to produce high quality research into enduring pathways out of poverty in low-income countries. The RA will work on research projects related to structural transformation, education, gender, labor markets, and energy use in low- and middle-income countries. Recent projects have focused on India, Uganda, Mexico, Guatemala, and Malawi. The RA will be involved in all aspects of the research process, including: data sourcing, grant applications, fieldwork, data analysis, manuscript preparation, research team management, presentation of results, generation of replication materials, and dissemination of results to academic and policy audiences through workshops and conferences. The RA will also be able to participate in mentorship and skills development activities and the weekly development economics workshop. RAs can also enroll in one class each semester for credit. This is a full-time, one-year position with the possibility to extend to a second year pending funding. Start date is flexible, preferably by September 16, 2026. This position does not qualify for employer-sponsored H1B visa sponsorship. It is the individual's responsibility to file all necessary visa applications and pay the associated fees. Successful candidates requiring a J1 or F1-OPT visa are eligible to receive reimbursement for visa fees up to $2,000.

Requirements

Completed 4-year undergrad degree (bachelors or foreign equivalent) in economics, statistics, applied mathematics, or related field
Strong quantitative background
Strong writing skills (evidenced by a writing sample)
Independent problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and be highly organized
Experience programming in Stata and/or R

Nice To Haves

experience working with GIS data a plus

Responsibilities

Data sourcing (may involve international travel)
Grant applications
Fieldwork (survey preparation, survey testing and implementation)
Data analysis
Literature reviews
Writing up of results
Preparation of presentations
Weekly team meetings for research review
Planning, logistics, grant proposal screening, communication for research workshops (internal and external) and other service to the Lab