What does the Pre-Doctoral Research Assistant programme involve?
The programme offers a unique educational opportunity for high-potential individuals to come to London Business School to participate in the intellectual life of the school.
The role provides an ideal transition for recent graduates who are interested in going on to a top business school PhD programme in Finance.
Successful candidates will work closely with leading faculty, learn to provide research assistance, e.g., in the form of data collection and analysis, and will receive mentoring from the faculty with whom they are working.
They will be able to take one PhD course per term, attend workshops and seminars and access a rich intellectual and cultural campus life.
Overall, the position provides excellent preparation for high-level doctoral studies. Applicants should have at least an undergraduate degree in Economics or Finance or in a related area such as mathematics, statistics or computer science. Previous experience in a similar role – even as an undergraduate – is an advantage. Some knowledge of programming in, for example, R, Matlab, Python, SAS, Stata etc. is also helpful.
Why work with us?
London Business School is one of the world’s elite business schools. We shape business practice and transform careers across the globe. Our academic strength drives original and provocative business thinking, empowering our people to challenge conventional wisdom in a truly unique academic environment.
Above all, we’re an academic institution with an unquenchable thirst for learning. Our fundamental academic strength drives original, provocative and actionable thinking. Our teaching, consulting, research, service delivery and ethical standards are world-class. Academically rigorous ourselves, we expect extraordinarily high standards from all of our students and participants.
Our multicultural community gains strength and ideas from London’s dynamism. London is the world’s most connected city and a global centre for finance, business and culture.
We are a global school. Our students, staff, faculty, alumni and corporate partners come from all over the world. We use our diversity to create a multi-portfolio, multicultural learning environment embodying the global ambitions of big business, small business and entrepreneurs alike.
About the Finance Department at London Business School
The Finance Subject Area (known as “The Finance Group”) at London Business School (LBS) produces impactful, high quality research that spans many areas of corporate finance and asset pricing. Finance faculty members are regularly invited to present their research to fellow academics, companies, industry groups, regulatory agencies, and government departments. They also host a number of conferences, which involves the contribution of colleagues on programme committees to select papers submitted by colleagues from local UK, European and international institutions.
The Finance Group organise an ambitious seminar series that runs throughout the year. Several Finance professors are Academic Directors of funded research centres / institutes. Professors within the Finance Group teach on all of the Degree Education programmes’ core courses and also deliver a high number of elective courses, many with multiple streams. Degree Education programmes are organised by career level: Early Careers (Masters in Financial Analysis, Masters in Management, Masters in Analysis and Management); MidCareers (Masters in Finance and MBA); and Leadership (Executive MBA and Sloan). Finance professors also teach on Executive Education programmes, for both Open and Custom courses.
For more information:
Visit our https://www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/finance
Contact us via email: finadmin@@london.edu or call us 00 44 207 000 7580
Applicants should have at least an undergraduate degree in economics or finance or in a related area such as mathematics, statistics or computer science. Previous experience in a similar role – even as an undergraduate – is an advantage. Some knowledge of programming in, for example, R, Matlab, Python, SAS, Stata etc. is also helpful.
The term of the post is normally two years but in exceptional cases, candidates wishing to participate for only one year will be considered.
How to apply for the Pre-doctoral Research Assistant position
Applicants need to submit the following via Interfolio:
The closing date for applications for the 2025 intake is Friday 27 November 2026. Successful candidates will be expected to start in September 2025, or at a later date to be agreed.
London Business School is an equal opportunities employer and as such we particularly welcome applications from women, black and other ethnic minority candidates, who are under-represented in our faculty.
London Business School is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
