Overview

The Empirical Studies of Conflict (ESOC) Project seeks a Research Specialist to provide geo-spatial and statistical analysis for a multi-university team of researchers. The Specialist will develop and analyze micro-level datasets to explore the relationship between the practices of multinational extractive companies and local conflict outcomes in Africa, the Middle East and other regions of the world, and the efficacy of policies to mitigate the natural resource curse. The Specialist will work under the direction of the Principal Investigator, Jacob Shapiro, Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, and Co-PI Tarek Ghani, Assistant Professor of Strategy at Washington University in St Louis.

 

This position is ideal for those with master’s degrees seeking an applied research position or exceptional recent undergraduates with a strong interest in pursuing a PhD in Economics or Political Science after acquiring a year of research experience.

 

This is a one-year term position. The position will be based at Princeton University, with the potential for both domestic and international travel if required.

 

Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV online. Upon request, candidates should be prepared to submit references, transcripts, and/or writing samples. Short list candidates may also be asked to complete STATA or R coding exercise as well. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Responsibilities

Essential Requirements include:

 

• BA or more advanced degree, preferably in a social science or statistics
• Experience conducting statistical analysis and some qualitative research in an academic setting
• Proficiency with R or STATA.
• Experience with or ability to rapidly learn geospatial analysis using ArcGIS or equivalent tools.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills
• Evidence of ability to take the initiative in solving practical research problems
• Ability to work independently and to adjust to rapidly changing needs of researchers

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

• Master’s degree in Economics or Data Science
• Two or more years of experience working on impact evaluation projects involving randomized trials or matched control designs
• Experience with qualitative data collection, including interviews, focus groups and case studies
• Previous experience working on issues related to natural resource extraction
• Familiarity with the use of ESRI suite of products and Python scripting
• Familiarity with SQL or other database systems
• Experience with automated scraping of data from websites

 

The final candidate will be required to complete a background check successfully.

Qualifications

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW

Salary GradeRSP, 020Standard Weekly Hours36.25Eligible for OvertimeYesBenefits EligibleYesEssential Services Personnel (see policy for detail)NoEstimated Appointment End Date7/31/2020Physical Capacity Exam RequiredNoValid Driver's License RequiredNo