"Postdoctoral Fellow - Platform Lab at the Digital, Data, and Design Institute"

School: Harvard Business School

Position Description

The Platform Lab, led by Professors Chiara Farronato and Feng Zhu, at the Digital Data Design (D³) Institute at Harvard is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow for the academic year 2026 - 2027.

The mission of the Platform Lab is to provide a research-based roadmap for businesses and policymakers that are interested in creating an innovative platform ecosystem. The postdoctoral fellows will work under the direct supervision of faculty Principal Investigators and the Senior Associate Director, Lab Operations. They will work closely with the lab manager and research associate(s) at each lab. D³ is looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or new perspectives. There are no teaching requirements for these open positions.

A typical empirical project involves refining a research question, designing an experiment or survey, analyzing historical and experimental data, and writing research papers targeted at peer reviewed social science journals. Candidates should have good familiarity with:

• Causal analysis and experimental design: difference-in-differences and fixed effects models, instrumental variables, treatment selection, power analysis, analysis of attrition and non-compliance, analysis of heterogenous effects and treatment-control interference;
• Programming/scripting knowledge suitable for processing raw data for analysis (e.g., text manipulation);
• One or more computational environments for statistical analysis (e.g., MATLAB, R, or Stata);
• Writing papers for management and economics journals;
• Interest in platforms, digitization, antitrust, network effects and/or strategy.

Basic Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in economics, business, or related field. All degree requirements must be satisfied prior to the fellowship start date.
• Strong team player with excellent communication skills.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have obtained your Ph.D. in the past 12 months you must be able to provide a certificate of completion from the degree-granting institution OR a letter from the institution's Registrar stating all requirements for the degree have been successfully completed and should verify the date the degree has been conferred. No exceptions.

Special Instructions

Application Details:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please apply via the ARIeS system. Please do not contact lab faculty; if you have any questions, please contact d3@harvard.edu.

All applications should include the following:

• Curriculum vitae
• Copy of academic records (unofficial records are acceptable)
• 2-page research statement
• Two research papers
• Contact details of at least two references

Candidates may be asked to do an interview and present their research as part of the search process.

Additional Information:

This is a term position starting July 2026 and ending on June 30, 2027. Relocation funding not provided.

Contact Information

Kate de Stadler

Recruiting Manager, Research Staff Services

HARVARD | BUSINESS | SCHOOL

Contact Email: kdestadler@hbs.edu

Salary Range

$75,000 annual salary

Minimum Number of References Required: 2

Maximum Number of References Allowed: 4