Research Fellow x2 (107168-1123)

The Department of Economics is looking to appoint two Research Fellows with a strong background in applied microeconomics to collaborate with Professor Sonia Bhalotra on research in relation to an ERC research program on violence against women. The successful candidate(s) are invited to generate new ideas that fit within the frame or that are broadly related.

Full time, fixed term contract, ideally to start by 1 April 2024 with some flexibility in start date and duration. The expected duration is 2-years subject to performance-based probation, and there may be a possibility to extend it further.  

The positions are research intensive. There is no teaching requirement and only occasional and small administrative tasks related to data access or project reporting for instance. The candidate will be invited to participate actively in department seminars and research group reading groups and research away days. They will benefit from and contribute to the broader research environment which, in Warwick, is one of the best in the country (and internationally).

The posts are funded by the ERC. Project summary: Violence against women (VAW) is both a cause of and a manifestation of gender inequality. It generates significant constraints on women’s lives, with spillovers for society, the economy and the next generation. The project will investigate institutional designs that encourage women to report VAW and that deliver justice on VAW; the role of information and support in inducing behavioural change among men and women; the likely value of policies addressing proximate causes; and the potential of women’s political mobilisation. It will use natural experiments, analysed with administrative data, and field and lab experiments. The project addresses issues on the frontier of economics research, including inequality, productivity, institutional design, political economy, and legislative reform.

We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.  

Candidates are expected to hold a PhD in Economics or Data Science. The ideal candidate will have a background in applied microeconomics, be ambitious, organized, able to work independently, but also with a collaborative team spirit. Applicants with training in labour economics, contemporary quasi-experimental research designs and/or structural estimation, and with experience working with large register data sets and collecting data from public agencies, web scraping and/or running field and/or lab experiments are particularly encouraged to apply. Knowledge of Stata and programming skills in Matlab, Python, or a similar software at advanced level is a plus; as is knowledge of numerical methods for solving and estimating dynamic models. An understanding of equal opportunity issues as they may impact on areas of research content.

If you are near submission or have recently submitted your PhD but have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant at the top of level 5 of the University grade structure (£32,411). Upon receipt of evidence of the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of level 6 of the University grade structure (£33,348).

For further information regarding the skills required for this role please see the personal specification section of the attached job description.

The Department of Economics at Warwick is consistently ranked among the top economics departments both in Europe and globally. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, which assesses the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, 99% of the Department’s research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent - placing us 2nd in the UK for economics.

The candidates will be based at the University of Warwick, which has a vibrant research environment and offers a whole host of training opportunities both internally and externally. The Department has a strong applied-micro group including people working on labour, families, health, gender and crime. It also has research groups in econometrics and data science, experimental/behavioural, political economy, macro and theory. There is a strong flow of international speakers and visitors and a lot of interchange, including with PhD students.

For further information about the Economics Department, please visit our website.

Born in the 60s with a mindset of boldness, imagination and collaboration, the University of Warwick is a world-leading research-intensive university with the highest academic and research standards. We’re one of the world’s top universities, ranked 67th in the world and 10th in the UK*, with 92% of our research assessed to be ‘world leading or internationally excellent’**. 

You'll be joining a diverse, innovative and globally connected community committed to igniting real world progress. Here at Warwick, we offer you opportunities to follow your ambitions as long as you bring the energy and determination to succeed.

*QS World University Rankings 2024

** Research Excellence Framework 2021

To find out more about us visit our website.

To enquire about the positions, please email:  Professor Sonia Bhalotra, Sonia.bhalotra@warwick.ac.uk.

Please attach the following in the application: CV, Cover letter including research statement (max 2 pages), job market paper and one additional paper.

References will be requested at the application stage.

Closing date: 5th December 2023. 

The interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed. Interviews may be held in two stages. Candidates that proceed to the second round will receive a brief assignment to complete and return within two weeks.

We will provide you with a great range of benefits, which include an attractive pension scheme, 30 days holiday plus Christmas closure, excellent learning and development opportunities, and savings on a wide range of products and services. We offer a generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy, and onsite childcare facilities. 

We recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and offer you access to flexible working, for more information click here. 

We are proud to say that we are a Living Wage employer.

Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment.  We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued.  Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social, and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding. 

We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here. 

The University currently holds a Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, Athena Swan Sliver Award and a Disability Smart Bronze Award. The University of Warwick is also one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance. 

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