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Predoctoral Researcher Jobs (NOW HIRING)

University of Pennsylvania

$45K - $65K/yr

... predoctoral research experience. The positions is designed for a duration of 2 years and cannot be extended beyond the initial term. The start date for this position is July 1, 2027. The salary will ...

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Upenn

$45K - $65K/yr

... predoctoral research experience. The positions is designed for a duration of 2 years and cannot be extended beyond the initial term. The start date for this position is July 1, 2027. The salary will ...

Posted today

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How much do predoctoral researcher jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for predoctoral researcher in the United States is $113,102.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,000.00 and $154,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a predoctoral researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Predoctoral Researcher, you need a solid academic background in your field, strong analytical abilities, and experience with research methodologies, typically supported by a bachelor's or master's degree. Familiarity with statistical software (such as SPSS, R, or Python), literature databases, and sometimes laboratory equipment is essential. Excellent critical thinking, attention to detail, and strong written and verbal communication skills help you stand out in research environments. These competencies ensure rigorous, credible research output and effective collaboration within academic teams.

What are some common challenges faced by predoctoral researchers, and how can they be overcome?

Predoctoral researchers often face challenges such as managing multiple research projects, adapting to new technical skills, and balancing coursework with research responsibilities. It can also be challenging to navigate the expectations of supervisors and develop independent research ideas. To overcome these hurdles, it's helpful to establish clear communication with mentors, create structured timelines, and actively seek feedback from colleagues. Engaging with lab members and participating in seminars or workshops can also provide support and foster professional growth.

What is a predoctoral researcher?

Predoctoral researchers are individuals who typically hold at least a bachelor's or master's degree and are engaged in research work before entering a doctoral (PhD) program. They often work in academic, research, or laboratory settings, assisting with experiments, data analysis, and scholarly publications under the supervision of established researchers. These positions provide valuable experience and training, helping individuals strengthen their research skills and academic credentials in preparation for a PhD program. Predoctoral researchers may also be referred to as research assistants or research fellows, depending on the institution.
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Predoctoral Researcher jobs near you
Infographic showing various Predoctoral Researcher job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $113,102 per year, or $54.4 per hour.

Pre-Doctoral Technical Associate - (Charles Angelucci, Mert Demirer, Namrata Kala, Alexey Makarin, B

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 39 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

46th of 618 rated colleges and universities

Job description

Description
Professors Charles Angelucci, Mert Demirer, Namrata Kala, Alexey Makarin, Benjamin Vatter, and Catherine Wolfram are looking for highly skilled and motivated individuals to work as full-time pre-doctoral researchers. The appointments will entail close collaboration at all stages of the research process on new and ongoing empirical projects in applied economics. Research projects will be in the fields of health economics, public economics, energy & environmental economics, political economy, and industrial organization, with empirical tools including natural experiments, randomized trials, and structural estimation.
The pre-doctoral position(s) offers the opportunity to gain training in a broad set of economic research topics and statistical methodologies. The chosen candidate will also gain valuable experience analyzing large data sets, working with programs such as Stata, R, and/or Python.
Qualifications
A successful candidate will have:
  1. A strong quantitative background and programming skills
  2. A long-term interest in pursuing a PhD in economics. Background in economics is a plus, but not necessary - we welcome candidates with strong technical backgrounds who are looking for more exposure to economics. Prior research assistant experience is strongly preferred.
  3. An enthusiasm for empirical research, and the ability and interest to learn new skills and take initiative as a project develops.
  4. The ability to work independently
  5. A Bachelor's degree with excellent grades

One pre-doctoral position could begin this fall, while the remaining positions would begin in the summer 2025. They typically last for 2 years prior to a PhD program in Economics or related field. It is located at the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge Massachusetts, with the opportunity to interact with economics undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. We encourage pre-doctoral researchers to attend seminars, for example. Annual salary is competitive with other predoctoral research positions. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
MIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.
Application Instructions
If you are interested, please provide the following documents:
  • A one-page cover letter briefly describing your academic career, research experience, coding experience, future goals, and, optionally, any obstacles you've faced in pursuing your achievements thus far. Successful candidates will work most closely with one or two faculty members, so please describe your interest in a particular sub-field of economics.
  • A CV
  • A transcript
  • A writing sample. This could be any research paper or term paper that you think best reflects your abilities
  • A sample of code(s) which you have written, along with a summary of the outputs it generates (logs/graphs) in a single document
  • The names of two references with contact information.

We will be accepting and reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

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