Part-time student research assistant needed to work with Professor Rachel Meltzer in data collection, cleaning, and analysis. Depending on the student’s set of skills and interests, work will focus on one of two potential projects:
- What Does E-commerce Mean for Retail in Cities?
- Who Bears the Burden of Climate Risk? Documenting the Migration of Renters and Owners after Hurricanes Sandy and Harvey
Depending on the project, tasks include cleaning, combining, and analyzing various micro-datasets on consumers, land use, housing, property values, and establishments. Econometric analyses will be both spatial and non-spatial in nature. Successful candidates will have the following qualities:
- Comfort and facility with large quantitative datasets
- Knowledge of and facility with a statistical data management/analysis program (e.g., Stata, R, SAS, or Python)
- Knowledge of and facility with a spatial statistical data management/analysis program (e.g., GIS or R)
- Knowledge of and facility with Excel
- Familiarity with statistical/econometric analysis techniques preferred (but not required)
- Attention to detail and patience for careful work
- Organized and structured in the storing and sharing of data/information
- Self-directed, but comfortable asking for support when necessary
- Demonstrated ability to manage time including multiple deadlines.
Review of applicants will start immediately, and the position will start as soon as it is filled. It will run through June 2026, with the option to extend through the summer. Expected weekly hours during the semester are at least 8-10 hours per week, with the possibility of more hours over the summer break. There is flexibility to work more some weeks and less others, and the hours of work are very flexible as much of it will be done independently.
Students will meet with Professor Meltzer on a regular basis to check in and discuss progress and findings. These meetings and the work can easily be done remotely. For doctoral students, if their contribution to the project continues on a longer-term basis, access to the data for their own research and co-authorship opportunities are possible.
Please send a resume and names and emails of two references (preferably at least one Harvard faculty) to Rachel Meltzer (rmeltzer@gsd.harvard.edu). If you have work study funds, please indicate that.
This position is open to advanced undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students and compensation is commensurate with degree status and relevant experience.