Career Center

Harvard University's Opportunity Insights (OI), is seeking applicants for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on projects with co-Directors Raj Chetty, John Friedman, Nathan Hendren, and other Research Principals. Appointment to begin July 1, 2024, renewable for a second year based on mutual agreement.

Opportunity Insights (OI) is a nonpartisan research and policy institute focused on improving economic opportunity. Founded in 2018, Opportunity Insight has become a nationally- and internationally-recognized leader in the science of economic mobility and in the use of large administrative data to understand and address inequality. Opportunity Insights has published seminal work on national trends in upward mobility; racial disparities; the role of neighborhoods, social capital, and higher education in upward mobility; and the use of private-sector data to understand disparate impacts in the recent economic recession and recovery. To complement this research, Opportunity Insights has developed data resources including the Opportunity Atlas, the Social Capital Atlas, and the Economic Tracker to support evidence-based policy and practice. To date, OI's work has shaped policy discussions at the national and local level, with nearly a dozen of its studies covered on the front pages of major media outlets, such as the New York Times, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and have been widely cited in policy discussions, including the President's State of the Union address.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will work closely with OI co-Directors and other Research Principals. Fellows will be invited to work on both OI work as well as have time for their own complementary research.

We invite applications from candidates with a background in applied microeconomic research who would be eager to focus their efforts coauthoring projects with us studying economic opportunity and the determinants of upward mobility in the US. Applicants are expected to have strong analytical skills and also work well in team settings.

We especially encourage applications from backgrounds under-represented in economics. The position is fully funded with no teaching requirements. The salary and benefits are competitive with other top postdoctoral positions in economics.

The position reports directly to Raj Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, and John Friedman and is located in Cambridge, MA.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, their CV, and up to three research papers through the Harvard Application Portal. Three recommendation letters should be sent directly by references via the Harvard application portal.

Applications should be submitted by December 21st, 2023 for full consideration. The position will remain posted until filled.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

The successful candidate is expected to have finished a Ph.D. in Economics or related fields as noted above by the start date.

Questions regarding details of the position can be directed to: hiring@opportunityinsights.org.

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.