Harvard University

Position Description

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Under the supervision of senior research staff:
• Supports management of relationships with government partners including regular engagement, and troubleshooting issues.
• Supports the design and implementation of rigorous research designs, including – but not limited to -- randomized control trials (RCTs), survey experiments, and behavioral interventions.
• Conducts basic statistical and econometric analysis using Stata or R on administrative data sets and/or other incoming data, including cleaning data correctly, conducting analysis in accordance with pre-analysis plans, and presenting and visualizing the results in various formats (tables/graphs, etc).
• Supports authorship of academic papers, policy reports, grant reports, and other publications by conducting literature reviews, editing or drafting text, and preparing manuscripts for submission and publication.
• Other duties as assigned.

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Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, economics, statistics, or another closely related field.
• 2+ years of relevant post-baccalaureate research experience.

OR

• Graduate degree in public policy, economics, statistics, or another closely related field.
• 1+ year of relevant post-baccalaureate research experience.

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Additional Qualifications and Skills

If you have some, but not all of the following, we encourage you to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn:

• Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills, including exceptional writing skills. 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail 
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member 
• Eagerness and ability to learn new skills quickly on the job 
• Experience working in the public sector or on public sector challenges. 
• Experience designing and conducting online surveys 
• Experience working on randomized controlled trials preferred 
• Demonstrated experience meeting project timelines across multiple projects and communicating with internal and external stakeholders in a productive, professional, and timely manner 
• Ability to work with streams of qualitative and quantitative data across multiple projects 
• Experience handling sensitive data securely preferred 
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative data analysis, including cleaning new data sets and presenting data in various formats preferred.

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Additional Information

Your resume/CV should include your cumulative GPA in college and (if applicable) grad school. GPA will be one factor among many that will be taken into consideration. In your cover letter, please be sure to include (a) why this position interests you, (b) when you might be available to start, and (c) names and contact information for at least three references. We will not contact references until later in the recruitment process, with your permission. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This position is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment ending June 30, 2025, with possibility of renewal.

Learn more about our work culture and see yourself at Harvard Kennedy School.

We regret that the Harvard Kennedy School does not provide visa sponsorship.

Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background checks. 

Harvard University is committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable learning and working environment.

This is a hybrid position based on our campus in Cambridge, MA. As a campus-based institution, we place a high value on the in-person experience, cross-team collaboration, and strong community building in order to create a vibrant campus for our students, faculty, staff, and research fellows. The position is required to work in-person on campus a minimum of three days per week during the academic year. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Salary Range: $66,200 - $108,200

Note: Starting salaries typically fall in the lower half of the salary range; however, they are ultimately determined by the scope of the position, the candidate's relevant experience, and internal equity. 

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EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.,

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard Kennedy School’s Mission and Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism

At Harvard Kennedy School, fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong is a matter of basic fairness consistent with our core values as an institution. It is also essential to our mission of improving public policy and leadership—because recruiting the best people and creating an environment where they can thrive make us better at what we do, because we learn more from people with different perspectives, and because we work in diverse groups and serve diverse societies.

Learn more about Harvard Kennedy School’s commitment to Diversity Equity, and Anti-Racism.