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Cambridge, MA

Research Fellow

Position Overview

Blueprint Labs is hiring Research Fellows based at MIT in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint Labs uses data, econometrics, and analytic tools to generate insights on the consequences of policy choices and improve society. Based in the Department of Economics at MIT, Blueprint Labs consists of academic affiliates who represent leading economic thinkers, full-time staff members, and graduate researchers. Blueprint Labs works closely with academic, government, and nonprofit institutions across the country to generate pioneering research that informs policy and practice in education, health care, and the workforce.

We are seeking motivated, independent, and organized Research Fellows to support our research initiatives. The Research Fellows will work closely with one or more of the Blueprint Labs Directors or Co-Directors, including Josh Angrist, Parag Pathak, Nikhil Agarwal, and David Autor, plus collaborators at other universities. This position also offers the opportunity to collaborate with other Blueprint Labs research staff and external policy and data partners. A research fellowship at Blueprint Labs combines the academic exposure of a standard “econ predoc” with industry best-practices, like a supportive cohort model, and is designed for fellows to plan the next stage of their careers. Research Fellows gain work experience with advanced research methods, collaborate with leading researchers, and develop their research skills in a rigorous and methodical environment. Previous fellows have gone on to master’s and PhD programs or careers in consulting, tech, government, economics, K-12 education, policy, and more. Learn more about working at Blueprint in this video.

Blueprint Labs is a team of both researchers and managerial staff. The managerial staff provide structure through what we call “staff coaching,” which allows Research Fellows to focus on conducting research while the staff coach largely handles administrative tasks. The staff coach also provides other types of support to facilitate a positive work experience. Blueprint Labs encourages professional development (through both academic and nonacademic classes), mentorship, attending conferences and seminars, and social events (ask us about our Social Committee!). The peer community of fellows meets weekly to discuss common challenges, plan events, and discuss research.

Research Fellows receive a full-time, one-year appointment that is renewable annually, contingent on funding and mutual agreement. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. The starting salary for a Research Fellow is $67,113 and includes standard MIT employee benefits. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Fellow will work on research projects with MIT faculty members and additional affiliated faculty and graduate students. Specific responsibilities include constructing and preparing data for analysis, conducting analysis in Stata, Python, and/or R (or similar), presenting results and engaging in discussion in project meetings, and editing papers for publication. Fellows can also expect to manage advanced code bases and communicate results to different audiences. Other duties will arise as needed. This position requires a high level of independent judgement and presents opportunities for professional development and on-the-job learning.

For the 2024 fall hiring cycle, Blueprint is hiring fellows for multiple projects, and candidates will rank preference for the role or roles that best suit your skills and interests. Please note in your cover letter which role(s) you’re applying to.

  • Research Fellow, Higher Education
    • The Higher Education Research Fellow will support Professors Josh Angrist, David Autor, and Amanda Pallais (Harvard) to evaluate the impact of randomized financial aid on low-income college students’ post-secondary education, labor market, and personal credit outcomes. The fellow can expect to hone their technical and econometric skills as well as gain valuable experience communicating with data providers at a private foundation, colleges, the U.S. Treasury, a private scholarship clearinghouse, and a credit bureau. Fellows attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings, may attend related conferences or external presentations, and communicate with faculty both in-person and online. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in the economics of education and labor economics topics. This position will begin as soon as possible at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research Fellow, Preschool
    • The Preschool Research Fellow will work on several preschool research projects. The breakdown of effort depends on the research phase. The Fellow will work closely with Professor Parag Pathak and MIT PhD students to evaluate the short- and long-term impacts of Denver Public Schools preschool. They will also work on several other new projects evaluating preschool effectiveness and the characteristics of high-quality preschool programs. The fellow can expect to hone their technical and econometric skills as well as gain valuable experience communicating with data providers at public school systems, a private foundation, and more. Fellows attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings, may attend related conferences or external presentations, and communicate with faculty both in-person and online. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in the economics of education. This position will begin as soon as possible at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research Fellow, K12
    • Blueprint is hiring two K12 Research Fellows. One K12 Research Fellow will split their time between Charter School Research Collaborative projects and school quality research. Another K12 Research Fellow will contribute to research evaluating school closures, declining enrollment, and other education related projects optimizing market and research design. Fellows may work on additional K12 projects, including analyses supporting our school district partners, as needed. K12 Research Fellows will support MIT professors Parag Pathak and collaborators at other universities, and depending on the projects may also support Josh Angrist, Postdoctoral Associate Sharada Dharmasankar, and MIT PhD students. K12 fellows work closely with project junior PIs and MIT PhD students, with frequent research meetings with the full set of PIs. The fellows will hone their data collection and data management skills, technical and econometric skills, as well as gain valuable experience communicating with data providers and project partners at the state, local and national level. Fellows attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings, may attend related conferences or external presentations, and communicate with faculty both in-person and online. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong background in data analysis, professional communication, and is adept at staying organized while working with competing priorities and tasks on different timelines. This position must start by July 15, 2025 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research Fellow, Workforce
    • The Workforce Research Fellow supports Professors Daron Acemoglu and David Autor in a variety of projects related to the transformation of the US economy over the past 40 years, studying the impact of technological change (through waves of robotization, computerization and recently, the advent of artificial intelligence) on labor market dynamics and wage distribution. The fellow can expect to develop familiarity with a variety of large datasets (public and confidential) and sophisticated econometric tools. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong background in data analysis, project management, and professional communication, and is interested in labor economics. Proficiency in machine learning tools and mathematical modeling is a plus. This position must start by July 15, 2025 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research and Policy Fellow, Workforce 
    • The Research and Policy Fellow will work with professors Daron Acemoglu, David Autor, and Simon Johnson on their research projects in labor economics. The fellow can expect to work closely with faculty on their research projects, honing their skills in statistical coding and econometrics. They will additionally draw on their abilities in writing and editing to communicate and disseminate technical economics research to policymakers and the general public. Successful candidates will need strong organizational and project management skills, a high level of independent judgment, superior writing ability, and technical research skills. The fellow can expect to work on multiple projects simultaneously, balancing both research and communication responsibilities. Specific responsibilities include: managing research projects and presenting work in research meetings; conducting econometric analyses; data analysis; literature review; speech writing; editing and drafting articles, essays, and other written content for publication; managing relationships with policymakers; preparing scientific presentations. This position must start by July 15, 2025 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research Fellow, Human-AI Collaboration
    • The Human-AI Collaboration Research Fellow will work primarily on comparing human and AI decision-making, and designing human-AI collaboration systems. The fellow supports Professors Nikhil Agarwal’s joint projects with Professors Tobias Salz, Alex Wolitzky and Ashesh Rambachan to evaluate existing data and running lab experiments on combining human expertise with Artificial Intelligence. The fellow can expect to hone their technical and econometric skills as well as gain valuable experience working with projects at various stages. Fellows attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings and will collaborate closely in one-on-one settings with faculty. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong background in data analysis and coding, the ability to work independently, and is interested in the economics of AI and decision-making. This position must start by July 15, 2025 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.
  • Research Fellow, Health Care
    • The Health Care Research Fellow will work on efficiency and equity issues in organ transplantation projects and support additional healthcare research as needed. They will assist Professors Nikhil Agarwal, Paulo Somaini, and Charles Hodgson in evaluating the efficiency of the U.S. organ allocation system. This role provides an opportunity to develop technical and econometric skills while engaging with data providers at various levels. Fellows attend and present at regularly occurring research meetings and will collaborate closely in one-on-one settings with faculty. A successful Research Fellow in this role has a strong technical background in data analysis, coding, simulations, the ability to work independently, and an interest in the economics of health. This position must start by July 15, 2025 at Blueprint’s office in Cambridge, MA. Blueprint understands that candidates may need to first complete a degree program or transition from another full-time role.

Qualifications & Skills

We encourage you to apply even if you do not possess every qualification and skill listed.

MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Education: A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in economics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or a related field
  • Experience: Minimum 2 years’ specialized experience with quantitative data analysis, research methods, and/or social sciences research (which may include coursework or experience gained as an undergraduate)
  • Skills: Programming skills, particularly around data analysis, cleaning, and simulations. Previous fellows in this position have used Stata, R, or Python to conduct analyses; Ability to work independently in a self-directed role across multiple projects, managers, and teams; Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Responsibility and Judgement: Deals with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgement
PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Education: Coursework or experience in labor economics, econometrics, and/or computer science
  • Experience: Knowledge of statistical programming and previous research experience, acquired through a research assistantship or an independent research project, are strongly preferred.
  • Skills: Some background or willingness/ability to learn Stata is particularly important.Familiarity with machine learning and natural language processing methods is preferred, though not necessary.

How to Apply

  • Submit your application via MIT’s hiring site. If this link doesn’t work, please visit hr.mit.edu, Click “Search Open Positions,” and search for Job Number 24221.
    • Please only submit one application to the MIT site.

AND 

  • Complete the Google form at this link.
    • The Google form requires you to upload a cover letter, resume, one writing sample, and complete undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) unofficial transcript(s) in a single PDF.
      • Your cover letter should describe your:
        • Preferred role(s) for consideration*
        • Relevant experience and qualifications
        • (If applicable and of interest) Identity influences that impact you and your desire to work at Blueprint**
      • We recommend your resume is between 1-2 pages and includes all work experience, not just research adjacent experience.
      • Your writing sample is ideally a solo-written academic or policy piece from a class.

*For the fall 2024 hiring cycle, Blueprint is hiring fellows for multiple projects, and candidates are required to rank your preference of the role or roles that best suit your skills and interests. Please note in your cover letter which role(s) you’re applying to and select the appropriate boxes in the Google Form.

**Blueprint Labs values diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusivity in our work and the broader perspectives our staff bring. We encourage people of color, first generation college students/graduates, and other underrepresented groups to apply to this role. In your cover letter, please consider sharing how your racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic and/or other identity has influenced your desire to work at Blueprint. This is not required, but rather an opportunity for us to get to know you. For more information, read the MIT Economics Department’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The Hiring Process

The priority application deadline is Sunday, September 22nd at 11:59pm ET. We will continue to accept applications after the priority deadline on a rolling basis. We maintain the Careers page on our website with the latest open roles.

Candidates who apply by the priority deadline and advance to further stages can expect the following additional activities:

  • Late-September: Complete a timed data task. You will receive about two weeks to access the task, and it must be submitted within 48 hours of starting.
  • Mid- to late-October: Participate in interviews with current Blueprint fellows and staff managers.
  • Late-October to early-November: Participate in final interviews with faculty and project team members. At this time, we will also request professional references.
  • Mid-November: Offers extended

If you apply after the priority deadline, the hiring process mirrors the steps above but will follow a variable timeline.

Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the hiring process. We also have a Research Fellow Webinar from the 2022 Hiring Cycle with relevant tips. Questions not addressed in the FAQ should be directed to hiring@mitblueprintlabs.org.

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

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