"Postdoctoral Research Assistant"

University of Reading - School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Location: Reading, Hybrid

Salary: £36,636 to £41,064 per annum.

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 10th February 2026

Closes: 8th March 2026

Job Ref: SRF53000

Full-time / fixed-term for 18 months.

The closing date for applications is 23.59 on 8th March 2026.

Interview dates: week commencing 13th April.

By reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship may be possible under the Skilled Worker Route. Applicants wishing to consider the SWR must ensure that they are able to meet the points requirement before applying. There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website.

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Post-doctoral Research Associate to work on the project “The effects of permanent school closures on pupils’ outcomes” which is being funded by the Nuffield Foundation. You will play a central role in the design and execution of quantitative, causal analyses, contribute to writing research outputs for academic and policy audiences, and assist with project delivery and dissemination activities. The post is fixed-term for 18 months. The successful candidate is expected to start on 1 May or as soon as possible thereafter. Some hybrid/remote working is possible, as long as you are based in the UK. Having previously completed Safe Researcher Training (Safe Researcher Training) accreditation is desirable.

For any questions, please contact Dr Gennaro Rossi (g.rossi@reading.ac.uk).

The Department of Economics is part of the School of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (SPPE). The School and the Department have an established reputation for inter-disciplinary research, and members are collaborating with colleagues from schools across the university. Further information on the Department, its people, taught programmes, and research activities can be found at our main website, http://www.reading.ac.uk/economics/, or our research-focused website, https://research.reading.ac.uk/economics/.

You will have:

• A PhD (or soon to be completed PhD) in Economics or a closely related subject.
• Strong quantitative and econometric skills, including the ability to analyse large-scale administrative datasets.
• Proficiency with statistical software such as Stata, R, or Python for data management and analysis.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to contribute to academic papers and policy-facing reports.

For more information, please contact:

Contact Name: Dr Gennaro Rossi
Contact Job Title: Lecturer in Economics
Contact Email Address: g.rossi@reading.ac.uk

Contact Name: Professor Simonetta Longhi
Contact Job Title: Head of Department of Economics
Contact Email Address: s.longhi@reading.ac.uk