The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago is hiring multiple full-time Research Professionals to work with Professors Esteban Rossi-Hansberg and Rodrigo Adao on cutting-edge research projects in international finance, macroeconomics, and spatial economics.

About the Position

Location: Chicago, IL 

Salary Ranges: $55,000–62,000 annual salary, additional $2,000 professional development fund 

Terms: Seeking a Research Professional for a period of at least one but ideally two years 

Projects: Projects include work on new and ongoing research projects in and related to international finance, macro, and spatial economics.  

Expected Start Date: July 2026 

Number of Hires: Multiple 

Department: Becker Friedman Institute
 

This role serves as an ideal bridge between undergraduate studies and graduate school for students passionate about empirical economics. Research Professionals will be involved in all stages of the research process, spanning data collection to manuscript preparation. The position requires strong quantitative and programming skills, with research experience strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Research Professionals will handle diverse tasks throughout the research lifecycle, including collecting and organizing data in both tabular and spatial formats, developing algorithms to clean and organize datasets, conducting statistical analyses, running simulations, and preparing manuscripts and presentations. Additional responsibilities include writing replicable data files and scripts for publication, assisting with data analysis plans and study registration documents, maintaining technical and administrative support for research projects, conducting literature reviews, and preparing reports and other documents.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree by June 2026 in economics, computer science, engineering, or related STEM fields. At least one year of work experience in a related discipline is required, though experience gained through coursework counts as relevant experience. Familiarity with at least one scripting language is encouraged.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in economics, public policy, or a related field, along with experience in statistics and econometrics. Previous work as a research assistant, analyzing large datasets, and applying econometric methods or machine learning techniques is highly valued. Advanced knowledge of R, Python, and STATA is preferred, particularly for numerical optimization, package development, and managing large datasets.

Essential Skills

Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously, excellent organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and outstanding academic writing and communication abilities. The position requires individuals who can work both independently and as team members while meeting tight deadlines.

Application Requirements

Interested candidates must submit a resume or CV, cover letter, writing sample, transcripts (unofficial acceptable), and two professional references.

About the Becker Friedman Institute

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics fosters frontier research and applies findings to achieve global impact. The institute brings together researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, the Law School, and the entire University of Chicago Economics Community. BFI bridges the divide between academic researchers and policymakers by translating rigorous research into accessible formats and sharing findings with decision-makers and thought leaders in business, government, and nonprofit institutions.

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, disability status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.

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