Call Submissions: Evaluation Design Contest

Postdoc:
Mining and Local Development in Zambia

The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley, is seeking an outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar (postdoc) to support a multi‑year research initiative evaluating the social and economic impacts of the exploitation of KoBold’s Mingomba copper mine in Chililabombwe, Zambia—the largest high‑quality copper mine in the world. The project combines large‑scale household surveys, a regression discontinuity design to measure the causal effects of mine employment, and historical research on the Copperbelt.

The postdoc will report to Berkeley‑based CEGA affiliated PI Jonathan Weigel and work in close collaboration with Co‑Investigators Edward Miguel (UC Berkeley), Anja Benshaul‑Tolonen (Barnard/Columbia), and Dale Mudenda (University of Zambia).

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge empirical research on resource extraction, labor markets, and community welfare in Sub‑Saharan Africa, while engaging with academic and policy audiences. The position is full‑time and based in Berkeley, California.

CEGA is a hub for research, training, and innovation headquartered at UC Berkeley. We generate insights that decision‑makers can use to improve policies, programs, and people’s lives. Our best‑in‑class academic network includes nearly 200 faculty, 80 scholars from low‑ and middle‑income countries (primarily from East and West Africa), and hundreds of graduate students who produce rigorous evidence about what works to expand education, health, and economic opportunities for people living in poverty.

• Lead the development and implementation of survey instruments for a panel survey of 4,000 households across 400 villages, including sampling design, census operations, and field protocols.
• Coordinate with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Zambia on field implementation, quality control, and data management.
• Oversee baseline and endline data collection for a worker regression discontinuity (RD) study, leveraging applicant scoring data from KoBold to credibly estimate the causal impact of mine employment on household welfare.
• Conduct statistical analysis of panel and RD data using Stata, R, or Python, contributing to both academic outputs and policy‑facing publications.
• Engage with Zambian academic partners, local stakeholders, and international organizations to ensure policy relevance and dissemination.
• Contribute to grant writing, project administration, and dissemination activities, including presentations at conferences and workshops.
• Mentor a team of research associates, graduate students, and CEGA fellows, including a University of Zambia PhD/postdoc fellow based at Berkeley, providing technical guidance and support.
• PhD in Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, Statistics, or a related field at the time of appointment.
• Strong training in applied econometrics and causal inference methods (e.g., difference‑in‑differences, regression discontinuity, panel data methods).
• Demonstrated experience with large‑scale field surveys, preferably in low‑ or middle‑income countries.
• Proficiency in statistical software (Stata, R, or Python).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to produce publications and translate technical findings for non‑academic audiences.

• Research experience in African economic development, natural resources, or labor markets.
• Familiarity with managing partnerships with implementing organizations (e.g., IPA, NGOs, government agencies).
• Record of academic publication in development economics, political economy, or related fields.
• Experience managing research teams and mentoring junior researchers.
• Capacity to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, multi‑institution research team.
• Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, local communities, and private sector partners.

This is a 1.5‑year full‑time position with the possibility for extension pending funding. Starting annual salary for this position is set per…