Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard University with Augustin Bergeron

Augustin Bergeron is recruiting a full-time Pre-Doctoral Fellow based at Harvard University. The position will begin July 1, 2026, and is for one year, with the possibility of renewal for a second year. The Fellow will work closely with Augustin Bergeron at all stages of research on projects in development economics, political economy, public economics, and economic history, with a focus on taxation, state capacity, and governance in low-capacity settings. The role will include supporting the implementation and analysis of ongoing field experiments conducted in partnership with the Provincial Government of Kasaï-Central in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Fellow will also assemble and clean administrative and survey data, conduct statistical analysis, and produce high-quality research outputs (tables, figures, and memos) for internal and external audiences. The Fellow will work primarily with Augustin Bergeron and will also collaborate with co-authors and partners on related projects. The Pre-Doctoral Fellow will work on several projects, including but not limited to: (i) Progressive taxation and fiscal capacity; (ii) Dispute resolution and the tax-based social contract; (iii) Bargaining, enforcement, and equity in high-value property tax collection; (iv) Tax legitimacy as a constraint on state capacity. This position is fully paid and visa may be arranged.

Successful candidates will typically have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics, mathematics, computer science, statistics, or a related field, demonstrated interest in relevant areas, solid training in causal inference, strong programming skills in Stata and/or R, and excellent written communication skills. Interest in pursuing a PhD in Economics or a related discipline is also preferred.

$50,000 salary, possibility of visa arrangement.