Job Description

Professors Deborah Lucas and Haoxiang Zhu are seeking a highly skilled, motivated individual to work as a full-time pre-doctoral researcher at the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy (GCFP). The appointment ideally would start in the fall or winter of 2026, but we are open to slightly later start dates as well.

The appointment will entail close collaboration with GCFP-affiliated faculty and researchers at all stages of the research process, contributing to new and ongoing projects that apply the science of financial economics to theoretical and empirical/quantitative model-building research initiatives aimed at informing financial policy decisions. A genuine interest in policy-related questions is a pre-requisite.

The pre-doctoral position offers the opportunity to gain training and experience in a broad set of research topics and methodologies before pursuing a PhD in finance, economics or public policy.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The Associate is responsible for helping to carry out the Center’s research program and for ensuring GCFP is well positioned to inform public policy development through high-quality reports and educational/outreach initiatives.

The individual will perform a range of tasks that contribute to all phases of the research and information dissemination process:

• Assisting in model formulation and development
• Data gathering and documentation for creation of new data sets
• Quantitative analysis of data using modern analytical and programming tools
• Clean and analyze complex administrative using modern programming and data analytics methods
• Create compelling data visualizations to communicate results effectively
• Maintain meticulous records of procedures and analyses
• Meet project deadlines and deliver high-quality outputs
• Assist in developing papers, short-form reports (policy briefs), blog posts and other website materials, and media content
• Translate the results of academic studies into articles that can be understood by a lay audience
• Interact with colleagues in the predoctoral program to discuss methods and research ideas
• Contributing across the Center to carry out a diverse mix of tasks as the need arises
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will have:

1. Bachelor’s degree with excellent grades in Finance or Economics (preferred) or in a related technical field.
2. Minimum 2 years’ specialized experience with qualitative data analysis, research methods, social sciences (which may include experience gained as an undergraduate).
3. A strong quantitative background, with statistical analysis and programming skills
4. Excellent writing and communication skills
5. The ability and interest to learn new skills and take initiative as a project develops.
6. The ability to work independently
7. Candidates must have authorization to work in the US for the duration of the appointment.
8. A master’s degree is a plus but not required.

The position is typically held for 2 years before a PhD program in Finance, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field. This is primarily an on-campus position, and the successful candidate is expected to work on campus most days. Occasional remote work may be permitted with supervisor approval. Campus life includes the opportunity to interact with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty across the Institute, and we encourage pre-doctoral researchers to attend the finance department and other seminars. Annual salary is competitive with other predoctoral research positions. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The pay range for Technical Associate I is $50,000-$63,000.

MIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

Application Instructions

If you are interested, please provide the following documents:

• A one-page cover letter briefly describing your academic career, your interest in finance and policy, research experience, coding experience, future goals, and, optionally, any obstacles you’ve faced in pursuing your achievements thus far.
• A CV
• A transcript
• A writing sample. This could be any research paper or term paper that you think best reflects your abilities
• A sample of code that you have written, along with a summary of the outputs it generates (logs/graphs) in a single document
• The names of two references with contact information.

We will be accepting and reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Massachusetts Institute of Technology shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.