Research Professional – Macro Finance Research Program (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible)

Job Title: Research Professional (RP) 

Location: Chicago, IL 

Salary Ranges: $55,000–62,000 annual salary, additional $2,000 professional development fund 

Terms: Seeking a Research Professional for a period of at least one but ideally two years 

Expected Start Date: April - July, 2026

Department: The Macro Finance Research (MFR) Program under the Becker Friedman Institute 
 

Job Summary  

 

The Macro Finance Research (MFR) Program under the auspices of the Becker Friedman Institute is seeking a highly skilled and independently motivated early career scholar for the Macro Finance Research Program (MFR) led by Professor Lars Peter Hansen. This full-time Research Professional will work on ongoing and new research projects at the Macro Finance Program. Applicants must have completed a Bachelors degree by June 2026. The Research Professional’s responsibilities will span all stages of research, including collecting data of in both tabular and spatial formats, developing algorithms that clean and organize data, conducting statistical analyses, running simulations, and preparing manuscripts and presentations. 

The program is intended to serve as a bridge between college and graduate school for students interested in empirical economics. The ideal candidate would work for BFI for one or two years before applying to graduate school in Economics or another quantitative social science. BFI offers competitive salary and employee benefits. 

Unit-Specific Responsibilities

The research professional will be expected to: 

• Conduct independent problem-solving with high-level directional advice; 
• Be fully informed on the latest developments in the relevant research areas; 
• Assist Professor Hansen to identify, assess and organize information for research from academic institutions worldwide and other organizations addressing similar research goals; 
• Collaborate with the MFR research team to create and strengthen a digital platform accessible to the community of researchers whose aim is to strengthen dynamic models in macroeconomics and finance; 
• Present findings effectively and articulately at internal staff meetings and seminars/conferences; 
• Contribute essential technical content relevant to grant proposals and reports in support of the initiative. 

The candidate will be required to independently identify and interpret research data, develop conclusions, and communicate findings through effective oral and written communication on a bi-weekly basis. 

The ideal candidate will have strong computer programming and quantitative skills, experience with a statistical programming language such as MATLAB, JULIA, Stata, or R, and familiarity with lower-level programming languages such as C, C++, or Python with interest in coding and a willingness to learn new programs and methods of analysis. 

Additional Responsibilities 

• Collects and cleans data. 
• Analyzes data, using reduced form and structural methods. 
• Prepares literature reviews. 
• Prepares tables and figures for papers and presentations. 
• Writes, proofreads, and fact checks papers, reports, and presentations. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Unit-preferred Competencies

• Strong written and verbal communication skills required.  
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines required.  
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail required.  
• Excellent data visualization ability preferred. 
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member required.  

Preferred Qualifications:

Education

• A bachelor’s degree or above in applied mathematics and computation, statistics, economics or a closely connected field. 

Experience

• Relevant research experience, especially with data, preferred
• Basic knowledge of economic dynamics, preferred

Technical Knowledge/Skills

• Knowledge of Python, MATLAB, Stata, JULIA and/or R required 
• Knowledge of LaTeX preferred 

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required, include earliest available start date)
• Writing Sample (required)
• Transcripts (unofficial is acceptable) (required)
• Two Professional References (required)

About the Department  

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics aims to foster frontier research and apply those findings to achieve global impact. BFI brings together researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, the Law School, and the entire University of Chicago Economics Community to leverage robust data, apply cutting-edge analytical tools, and uncover novel insights on the world’s most difficult economic problems. BFI then bridges the divide between academic researchers and relevant policy makers by translating and packaging rigorous research into accessible formats and proactively sharing those findings with decision-makers and thought leaders in business, government and nonprofit institutions. In this way, BFI has the potential to play a significant role in meeting the most difficult challenges facing the global community. 

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.