Predoctoral Research Associate

About the Role

Harvard Business School (HBS) is seeking multiple Predoctoral Research Associates starting in Summer 2027. This role supports an assigned faculty member in one of the following academic units:

• Accounting & Management
• Business, Government and the International Economy
• Entrepreneurial Management
• Finance
• General Management
• Marketing
• Negotiation Organizations & Markets
• Organizational Behavior
• Strategy
• Technology and Operations Management

Faculty currently hiring include:

• Ray Kluender: Researches financial well-being, financial distress, entrepreneurship and technology for social problems, market failures, and corrective policies. Focuses on partnerships with financial technology companies and employs empirical approaches. A two-year commitment is expected.
• Maren Hoff
• Christopher Stanton: Conducts empirical and theoretical research in organizational economics, focusing on how markets and workplaces shape competition, productivity, and economic opportunity.
• Zoe Cullen: Labor economist examining how information, technology, and firm behavior shape worker and societal well-being. Current projects involve artificial intelligence's impact on human expertise and wage distribution, and worker bargaining power. Projects utilize field experiments, partnerships with technology and payroll companies, and administrative data.

Key Responsibilities

• Work under the general direction of HBS faculty on topics central to the HBS research agenda.
• Provide subject-area knowledge, analysis, and interpretation to faculty members.
• Identify and explore a wide range of questions related to faculty research agendas.
• Write cases, case supplements, project reports, and policy memos from start to finish, creating original writing based on subject-area expertise, research, and interviews.
• Write articles for applicable business audiences such as Harvard Business Review.
• Develop, design, conduct, analyze, and implement research using data science knowledge and prior knowledge of requested statistical packages.
• Perform statistical programming.
• Experience with NLP is required.
• Manage and manipulate data using requested packages, such as STATA, Python, R, or MATLAB.
• Ensure compliance with department, University, and federal regulations.
• Complete work with only general direction, being aware of department, School, and University policies.
• Apply complex research ideas, concepts, and methodologies to new projects and situations.
• Structure assignments and keep faculty informed as necessary, using own judgment.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor's degree with a GPA above 3.5 is required.
• Proven evidence of independent research in a specific advanced field of study.
• Evidence of prior high-quality, original academic writing.
• Background in analysis and interpretation of relevant data, research, news, and literature.
• Ability to read academic, subject-specific information and write a reasoned and thoughtful analysis.
• Ability to produce a creative interpretation.
• Extremely high standards in terms of quality of work.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong organization skills.
• Absolute commitment to task completion.
• Ability to balance multiple tasks and shifting priorities under tight deadlines at an accelerated pace when necessary.
• Familiarity with navigating a complex organization, such as Harvard Business School, is helpful.
• Experience with NLP.
• Proficiency with data manipulation packages such as STATA, Python, R, or MATLAB.

Additional Information

• Appointment End Date: 1-year term appointment (Summer 2027 - June 30, 2028), with the possibility of renewal/extension. Faculty strongly prefer candidates willing to commit for two years.
• Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week.
• Work Format: Hybrid position (combination of remote and onsite work at the Boston, MA campus). HBS expects staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs.
• Visa Sponsorship: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education.
• Recruiting Process: Rolling; applications reviewed as received. Offers typically finalized in late spring.
• Requirements for Application: Cover letter, writing sample, transcript, and a code sample.
• Salary Grade: 055.
• Benefits: Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, and vision health insurance, retirement plans, wellbeing resources, support for families and caregivers, professional development, and commuter benefits.