Current Openings at CID
CID has an opening for a Senior Events Manager to lead the strategy, design, and execution of CID’s public-facing events in Cambridge and globally. This role is ideal for a candidate who enjoys developing innovative event strategies that advance CID's mission while also taking ownership of the operational excellence required to deliver exceptional experiences and strengthen global engagement. The Senior Events Manager will serve as the Center’s lead on all CID events and convenings, shaping the overall vision and annual event portfolio, advising leadership on programming priorities and directing the development and execution of conferences, student seminars, and strategic convenings for the CID community (including staff, fellows, Harvard students, global alumni, and external practitioners and researchers). This position will report to CID’s Senior Director of Communications and coordinate closely with the Associate Director, Student and Fellow Programming and broader CID team.
As a small, collaborative team, CID staff are responsible for both planning and executing programming. They must have the ability to interact and collaborate closely with a variety of stakeholders including students, fellows, faculty, donors, development partners and prominent individuals and organizations with tact and diplomacy. This position requires working independently and as part of a team, and a high level of maturity and good judgment. Given the nature of this position, the candidate will work mostly in person at the CID offices during the academic year, with more flexibility over the summer. CID is a high-profile, fast-paced office with friendly and energetic staff.
Work part time as a Research Assistant with Harvard Center for International Development’s PhD Affiliate Shao-Yu Jheng.
This research project examines the long-term consequences of French rubber plantations for the Vietnam War and Vietnam’s nation-building process. It explores how the life cycles of rubber trees shaped the extractive practices of plantations over time and how these experiences influenced Vietnamese support for U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
Responsibilities include:
- Supporting the digitization and organization of French colonial and Vietnamese archival materials using AI-assisted tools
- Reviewing and verifying AI-generated transcriptions and translations against the original archival documents
- Identifying and correcting errors in digitized materials
- Providing annotated examples to help improve the performance of the digitization pipeline
Qualifications include:
- Undergraduate or master’s student
- CV
- Writing sample, such as a research paper or final course paper. The writing sample should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to organize an argument and conduct careful research; there is no preferred topic.
- Strong attention to detail
Prior experience with AI or OCR tools is not required, as training will be provided. Applicants should be able to read either French or Vietnamese proficiently; they do not need to know both languages.
Preferred qualifications include:
- Strong French or Vietnamese language skills, demonstrated through relevant coursework, experience, or language-proficiency certification
- Experience working with archival or historical materials
- An interest in pursuing a future PhD in the social sciences or economics
The position is expected to begin on October 1, 2026, and continue through December 2026. This project will require approximately 10 hours per week, with the workload varying depending on project needs.
About the Fellowship
CID research fellows work closely with faculty on specific research projects. Professor Rema Hanna’s current research topics include social protection, improving labor markets, increasing the efficiency of tax collection, and the intersection of urban mobility and climate change, with research settings in Indonesia, India, Morrocco, and other countries around the world. Our research methods focus on randomized evaluations and rigorous quasi-experimental designs, sometimes bringing in cutting-edge optimization methods from computer science and related fields to boost the potential impact of the solutions we test. We also work to synthesize the global body of evidence on the topics we study and close gaps between researchers and policymakers. Example projects include randomized experiments on expanding insurance coverage for informal workers in Indonesia; improving urban mobility through model-generated bus allocations, fare pricing, and private vehicle charges; outsourcing property tax assessments in India; and, in Morocco, public employment services, worker preferences for formal versus informal jobs, and coding education. These diverse projects are bound by the common threads of rigorous methods and high potential for real-world impact, and new projects form all the time as we work closely with policymakers to understand pressing issues and to develop and test solutions.
Fellows come from diverse backgrounds and bring highly valued technical skillsets and cultural perspectives to our research teams. Fellows receive mentoring from faculty, work with cutting-edge topics and research methods, and participate in a broad range of activities at Harvard. They are welcomed as members of the Harvard community and receive salary, benefits, and access to an array of university resources. Fellows are among the best and the brightest of future researchers and practitioners in Economics, Public Policy, and related fields, and many go on to top PhD programs or pursue careers outside of academia, supporting and implementing evidence-based policy from a variety of organizations.
This specific fellowship will be under the direction of Professor Rema Hanna and focus on projects in Indonesia, India, and Morocco, with opportunities to interface with other researchers and support additional projects. We are seeking a full-time research fellow for one year, with the strong possibility of second-year renewal, starting in March-August 2027. The position will be based in Cambridge, MA, with the possibility of hybrid in-office/remote scheduling in accordance with university flexwork policies.
Responsibilities
Clean and manage large datasets
Conduct statistical analyses in Stata
Develop survey instruments and data request documents for data collection
Create technical documentation for internal and external audiences
Conduct background research and literature reviews
Draft content for reports to policymakers, academic papers, grant proposals, research compliance protocols, and other project documents
Coordinate with a variety of research team members at CID and partner organizations, including those based internationally
Travel to project locations as needed
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, International Development, or related field requiring substantial coursework in math and economics
Demonstrated academic excellence
Proficiency in Stata, working with large, complex datasets
Thorough understanding of randomized control trials and econometric methods
Strong English oral and written communication skills
Excellent command of Microsoft Office suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
Strong motivation, self-direction, and organizational skills
Enthusiasm for collaborating with a diverse team, including international colleagues
Willingness to travel internationally
Preferred
Master’s degree with graduate-level coursework in Economics and Econometrics
Proficiency in R, Python, and/or Julia
Experience with survey design and implementation using Qualtrics
Experience using GitHub
Experience with remote computing servers
Experience with the responsible use of generative AI tools
Relevant research experience, including complex data processing and causal effects estimation
Familiarity with or interest in the academic literature on social protections, active labor market programs, financial inclusion, taxation, urban mobility, and related topics in development
Language skills in French, Arabic, or Indonesian are a plus, but certainly not required
How to Apply
Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. After completing a brief registration, choose the University-based Data Research Associate position type, then select "Research Fellow – Harvard CID (Prof. Rema Hanna)” and include the following materials:
1) Cover letter (one page max)
2) CV
3) Coding sample demonstrating data analysis skills in Stata (preferred), R, or Python. To ensure a blind, bias-free grading process, please redact your name or other information that could be used to identify you as a candidate (including versions of your name in referenced file paths) from anywhere it appears in the file. Applications with personal identifiers in the coding sample will be considered incomplete.
4) Two letters of recommendation from academic (preferred) or professional references. You may submit your application before your references complete their recommendation letters; however, you must include their contact information before submitting your application.
5) Transcripts from all degrees competed and in-progress (including current course enrollment). Unofficial copies are acceptable.
Please note that we may also consider candidates for similar positions on other CID portfolios or at collaborating institutions. Please ‘opt-in to open recruitment’ when completing your J-PAL/IPA common application.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and will not be considered complete until all elements (excluding letters of recommendation) are received. Given the volume of applications received, only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applicants chosen to move forward in the hiring process will be required to take a Stata exam, participate in multiple interviews, and provide additional materials as requested. Please contact cidfellowapplications@hks.harvard.edu with any questions.