What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Associate, Accounting & Management position at Harvard Business School?
Position Description
Harvard Business School seeks a qualified candidate for a Predoctoral Research Associate position. The position is ideal for intellectually ambitious researchers interested in doctoral studies in applied economics and business disciplines and a research career. The job will expose candidates to applied quantitative and qualitative research and to executives, analysts, and investors in the field. The position supports Aliya Korganbekova and Jungkoo Kang , faculty members with research interests in alternative/big data, corporate social responsibility, and corporate finance at Harvard Business School. Previous Predoctoral Research Associates who worked with these faculty members have received admission offers to doctoral programs in accounting at renowned business schools, including the University of Michigan (Ross) and New York University (Stern).
The RA position reports directly to faculty supervisor and administrative manager in the Research Staff Services office. Ideal RA candidates will be comfortable in an environment that requires a high level of independence, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to use discretionary judgment.
Primary Duties:
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Economics, Statistics, Computer Science or related field required, along with evidence of outstanding academic achievement.
Additional Qualifications And Skills
This is a term appointment starting July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with an expectation of reappointment until June 30, 2027, based on funding and performance. All Predoctoral Research Associate roles at HBS are structured as one-year term appointments, but faculty strongly prefer candidates willing to commit for two years.
The recruiting process is rolling. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, now through spring 2025. Candidates with external deadlines should notify the recruiter as soon as possible.
This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.
A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and a code sample to be reviewed by an HBS statistician. Harvard Business School will not offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity.
Culture of Inclusion: The work and well-being of HBS is profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Explore HBS work culture at https://www.hbs.edu/employment/.
About Us
Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 250 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and PhD degrees, as well as more than 175 Executive Education programs, and Harvard Business School Online, the School’s digital learning platform. For more than a century, faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching, to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. The School and its curriculum attract the boldest thinkers and the most collaborative learners who will go on to shape the practice of business and entrepreneurship around the globe.
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
Research
Department Office Location
USA - MA - Boston
Job Code
RS0055 Researcher I Humanities
Work Format
Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub-Unit
Salary Grade
055
Department
Division of Research and Faculty Development
Union
00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary
Time Status
Full-time
Appointment End Date
30-Jun-2025
Pre-Employment Screening
Education, Identity
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)
Harvard Business School seeks a qualified candidate for a Predoctoral Research Associate position. The position is ideal for intellectually ambitious researchers interested in doctoral studies in applied economics and business disciplines and a research career. The job will expose candidates to applied quantitative and qualitative research and to executives, analysts, and investors in the field. The position supports Aliya Korganbekova and Jungkoo Kang , faculty members with research interests in alternative/big data, corporate social responsibility, and corporate finance at Harvard Business School. Previous Predoctoral Research Associates who worked with these faculty members have received admission offers to doctoral programs in accounting at renowned business schools, including the University of Michigan (Ross) and New York University (Stern).
The RA position reports directly to faculty supervisor and administrative manager in the Research Staff Services office. Ideal RA candidates will be comfortable in an environment that requires a high level of independence, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to use discretionary judgment.
Primary Duties:
- Support the development and execution of research projects
- Conduct background research for literature reviews and case materials
- Interpret and codify qualitative data; use statistical programs to clean up quantitative data, create datasets, and run analyses
- Use advanced knowledge of quantitative techniques such as robust causal inference methods or machine learning analysis to further research findings; support the development of surveys (e.g., set them up online, approach and follow up with subjects); and help with the execution of field experiments and special projects (e.g., the creation of videos).
- Responsible for other duties as assigned.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Economics, Statistics, Computer Science or related field required, along with evidence of outstanding academic achievement.
Additional Qualifications And Skills
- Masters degree preferred.
- Ideal RA candidates will demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a strong quantitative background, excellent writing skills, and an ability to use discretionary judgment.
- Candidates must have extremely high standards in terms of quality of work, attention to detail, organization skills, independence, initiative, and commitment to task completion.
- Diplomatic skills, comfort in interacting with individuals, and grace under pressure are essential. Candidates must be able to balance multiple tasks and shift priorities under tight deadlines at an accelerated pace when necessary. Strong skills related to the use of Microsoft Office Suite are expected (Latex a plus).
This is a term appointment starting July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with an expectation of reappointment until June 30, 2027, based on funding and performance. All Predoctoral Research Associate roles at HBS are structured as one-year term appointments, but faculty strongly prefer candidates willing to commit for two years.
The recruiting process is rolling. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, now through spring 2025. Candidates with external deadlines should notify the recruiter as soon as possible.
This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.
A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and a code sample to be reviewed by an HBS statistician. Harvard Business School will not offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity.
Culture of Inclusion: The work and well-being of HBS is profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Explore HBS work culture at https://www.hbs.edu/employment/.
About Us
Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 250 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and PhD degrees, as well as more than 175 Executive Education programs, and Harvard Business School Online, the School’s digital learning platform. For more than a century, faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching, to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. The School and its curriculum attract the boldest thinkers and the most collaborative learners who will go on to shape the practice of business and entrepreneurship around the globe.
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
- Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
- Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
- Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
- Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
- Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
- Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
- Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
- Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
- Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
Research
Department Office Location
USA - MA - Boston
Job Code
RS0055 Researcher I Humanities
Work Format
Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub-Unit
Salary Grade
055
Department
Division of Research and Faculty Development
Union
00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary
Time Status
Full-time
Appointment End Date
30-Jun-2025
Pre-Employment Screening
Education, Identity
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)
Salary : $5,250
