The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is hiring a Research Assistant (RA) to support ongoing work that measures the skill content of individual jobs from massive databases of online job postings.  The project will use these measures to document how skill demand evolves across time, geography, and firms.  It will also link them to administrative datasets to study the determinants and productivity of individual worker-job matches.  The RA will work closely with Professors Stephen Hansen, Fabien Postel-Vinay, and Imran Rasul.  The RA will also be part of the broader IFS community and participate in its intellectual life.

The ideal candidate will be proficient in natural language processing techniques relevant for extracting structured information from unstructured text data, including associated applied machine learning and AI tools.  The RA will also collaborate in implementing econometric models that use the skill measures to explore the core economic questions.

Funding is available for a two-year, full-time position.  That contract structure is well suited to candidates seeking a predoctoral research position.  Alternatively, the position could be converted to a part-time position for an exceptional candidate, for example a PhD student working in related areas.  An interest in academic research and real policy impact is essential.

About the IFS

The IFS is Europe’s leading independent microeconomic research institute. Our goal is to promote effective economic and social policies by better understanding how policies affect individuals, families, businesses and the government’s finances. We communicate our findings widely, impacting upon the policy debate, the media, and policymakers.

The Research Assistant will work with IFS researchers, Post-Doctoral Fellows and PhD scholars. The Research Assistant will participate in events and seminars; and collaborate with a range of research and policy partners.

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop research and analytical skills, work with diverse data sources and teams, learn about real-life research work and contribute towards building the evidence base on the effectiveness of public policies on youth development.

Job description

 The Research Assistant will be responsible for:

• Implementing algorithms for extracting a structured database of skills from large, unstructured databases of online job postings;

• Cleaning, organising, and documenting secondary data ready for analysis;

• Replicating existing analyses, with guidance from the study leads;

• Developing new analyses data, with guidance from the study leads;

• Assisting in drafting academic papers, reports, and policy briefs;

• Contributing to the design of new high-quality, rigorous research projects which have both an academic interest and policy effects;

• Participating in internal presentations and external discussions with stakeholders;

• Contributing actively to intellectual life of the IFS more broadly, through regular participation in team meetings and seminars;

• Supporting the team to successfully deliver other project outcomes.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

The IFS recruits self-motivated and effective individuals with a record of exceptional success in their academic study or professional experience of economics.  The ability to work independently is essential. The ability to analyse large, complex, and unstructured datasets is an important skill required for this position.

The successful candidate will have:

• A master’s degree in economics, data science, or related field;

• Familiarity with algorithms for extracting information from massive textual corpora;

• Proficiency in Python, R, or other core language for unstructured data analysis;

• Familiarity with the applied econometric toolkit;

• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills and a strong attention to detail;

• Strong organisational and administrative skills and the ability to work in a systematic, thorough manner;

• Well-developed writing skills, including the ability to explain complex ideas in plain language;

• Good interpersonal skills and experience of working effectively in a diverse team;

• The ability to think creatively, work independently and take initiative to promote successful project outcomes;

Desirable:

• Experience of working with large, unstructured datasets;

• Existing coding projects that demonstrate understanding of machine learning and AI as applied to text data;

• At least one year of work or research experience, preferably using ML/AI tools;

• Formal training in both economics and data science;

•  A willingness to travel if required.

Location

This role will be primarily based at the IFS office in central London. The Research Assistant is expected to work on-site at least three days a week.

Employment type and duration

Full-time, fixed-term contract for 24 months (or as agreed).

Start date: 1st September 2025 (or as agreed).

Application process

Apply via BeApplied by submitting a single PDF containing your CV and a cover letter (ideally 1 page) explaining your suitability for the role. We are particularly interested in learning about your experience analyzing textual data using modern methods, as well as background at the interface of economics and data science.

Selected applicants will be notified around late-July and invited to one round of interview. The interviews will take be held soon after, exact dates TBC. If you cannot make those dates, please let us know in your cover letter and we might try to find another suitable time.

Eligibility

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. The successful candidate should have the right to work in the UK.

Commitment to diversity

We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive environment, in which people from all backgrounds feel – and are – welcome and valued. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, and flexible working arrangements wherever possible, so that staff can work in ways that suit their personal circumstances. Read more here.

Personal Data Disclaimer

IFS will manage this recruitment process. Details of the IFS's privacy policy can be found here.