PreDoctoral Research Assistant

Applicants must apply through Interfolio at  Applications submitted through any other platform will not be considered. This position is posted on the Notre Dame Careers website for visibility purposes only.

The Pulte Institute for Global Development is hiring a pre-doctoral Research Assistant to support Professor Isaac Mbiti. The RA will work on research projects focused on human capital development and labor markets in low- and middle-income countries. Recent projects have focused on Ghana, India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.

• Data sourcing
• Grant applications
• Fieldwork
• Data analysis
• Manuscript preparation
• Research team management
• Presentation of results
• Generation of replication materials
• Dissemination of results to academic and policy audiences through workshops and conferences
• Participation in mentorship and skills development activities, including the weekly development economics workshop
• Enrollment in one class each semester for credit (as a pre-doc)

This is a 2-year appointment at the University of Notre Dame. Start date is flexible, but candidates should start no later than August 1st, 2026. Pre-docs are supported by a positive work environment and a robust team of fellow researchers, including other pre-docs, post-docs, and faculty within the Pulte Institute.

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in Economics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated strength in quantitative analysis, including proficiency with experimental and quasi-experimental econometric methods
• Excellent written communication skills, supported by submission of a writing sample
• Proven ability to work independently and apply strong problem-solving skills
• Capacity to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while maintaining a high level of organization and attention to detail
• Experience with statistical programming in Stata (preferred) and/or R

• Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Experience or familiarity with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Experience or familiarity with Item Response Theory (IRT)
• Proficiency or working knowledge of LaTeX
• Demonstrated experience working with large and complex datasets
• Prior experience conducting or supporting fieldwork

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).

We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.