Empirical Research Fellow (Various Academic Depts)

Job Summary

As an Empirical Research Fellow, you will collaborate with faculty and PhD students at the Kellogg School of Management to work on empirical or theoretical economics research projects. You will typically work on multiple projects at a time, and your contributions might span all aspects of the research life cycle. Candidates should have an interest in applying for a quantitative Ph.D. program, preferably in Economics or a related field, and pursuing an academic research career. The ideal candidate will have: (i) a strong quantitative background; (ii) strong computer skills including programming; (iii) past experience with research, including independent work (such as an undergrad thesis) or work as a research assistant. A background in Economics is a plus, but not necessary; in fact, we encourage candidates with strong technical backgrounds who are looking to receive more exposure to Economics or Finance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Absolutely successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree.
• A strong understanding of applied statistical concepts;
• Computer programming skills using at least one commonly used statistical programming language – such as R, Stata, Matlab, and/or SAS;
• Strong habits documenting datasets and program code;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently to solve problems;
• A long-term interest in pursuing research in Economics, Finance, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working as a Research Assistant or conducting one’s own original research.
• Working knowledge of various data formats, database structures, and tagging schema is preferred.
• Experience working with lower-level or scripting programming languages – such as Python, bash, Java, C, etc.

Specific Responsibilities

• Research Project Execution: Work closely with multiple faculty members as a project team member on multiple new or ongoing research projects. Collect, maintain, and document original research datasets, and proactively test for data integrity. As necessary, merge together data sources, create new variables, and reformat data to prepare it for analysis. Assist data analysis by performing applied statistical techniques. Write programs to simulate the results from theoretical models and/or solve constrained optimization problems. Produce tables, figures, and/or other research outputs as needed.
• Research Production: Might assist faculty members with literature reviews, development of theoretical economic models, and reviewing drafts of papers.
• Miscellaneous: Performs other duties as assigned.

Pay and Benefits

The expected pay for this position is $25.55 per hour, in alignment with departmental equity and market data. Benefits include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html.

Professional Growth and Development

Northern Illinois University supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Northern Illinois University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northern Illinois University’s non-discrimination statement here.