Senior Research Specialist

Overview

The Politics Department is seeking a Senior Research Scholar (SRS) to provide advanced research and project management support for a portfolio of research studies focused on Africa, Latin America and South Asia. This role requires strong analytical skills and substantial experience coordinating academic research projects.

The SRS will manage research operations, oversee data and fieldwork activities, coordinate with collaborators, and contribute to publications, grant proposals, and dissemination efforts.

This is a one year term, benefits-eligible, position.

Responsibilities

The SRS will support the growing scale and complexity of Professor Leonard Wantchekon’s research portfolio. The SRS will provide oversight of research operations, including project coordination, data management, fieldwork, and grant-supported activities. This position will strengthen research continuity, improve efficiency and reproducibility, and enable the timely execution of high-impact studies in political economy research.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Political Science, or a related field.
• Significant experience (typically 3-5+ years) in academic research management or project coordination.
• Demonstrated familiarity with quantitative research methods and data analysis.
• Experience supporting international or field-based research.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Stata, R, or Python.
• Knowledge of development economics and political economy.
• Experience working on Africa-focused research.