Research Associate

Details

Posted: 22-Mar-24

Location: USA - MA - Boston

Type: Full-time

Salary: Open

Categories:

Research - Laboratory/Non-Laboratory
Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: 65370BR

Position Description

The Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard (LISH) is looking for an energetic Research Associate (RA) to facilitate research analyzing crowd data and the production of scientific knowledge. LISH is a Harvard-wide research program led by faculty co-directors Karim Lakhani and Marco Iansiti, Harvard Business School; Eva Guinan, Harvard Medical School; and David Parkes, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. We are an interdisciplinary research lab that is focused on developing a science of innovation through the application of quantitative and field experimental methods on innovation problems faced by our partners (NASA, Harvard Medical School, Broad Institute, Department of Defense Research Labs, Topcoder and various other institutions and corporations).
The primary responsibilities of the Research Associate will be using data science techniques to support the lab's social science research and working to field complex data science solutions through prize-based, online contests.
Core tasks include:

• Extraction, cleaning, exploration, and analysis of data collected from various sources, including organizational data and aggregated intelligence;
• Model creation and implementation using methods such as NLP, NN, random forest, etc.
• Creation and maintenance of documentation of data files, modeling choices, rationale, and results;
• Developing quantitative prediction and classification models for social science research;
• Working with the LISH Data Science Team to design and execute data science and AI development contests with partner research organizations.
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

The Research Associate will be a member of the data science team under the supervision of Professor Karim Lakhani (Harvard Business School). LISH is looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or new perspectives.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics or relevant analytical field required.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Graduate degree in Data Science or other quantitative field is preferred
• Adept in one or more programming languages (C/C++, Python, Java) preferred.
• Experience querying databases/web APIs and using statistical computer languages: R, Python, etc. preferred.
• Experience with statistical analysis, particularly working with 'messy' data -- identifying missing data, matching heterogeneous data sources using fuzzy matching techniques, etc. preferred
• Problem-solving aptitude – identifies/defines problems, seeks root causes, develops and implements various solution strategies
• Strong team player with excellent communication skills
• Interest in building algorithms and analytical models
• Ability to handle multiple projects, stakeholders, and demands

Additional Information

This is a full-time term appointment this summer (start date flexible) through June 30, 2024, with an expectation of reappointment until June 30, 2025. All Research Associate roles at HBS are structured as one-year term appointments with potential for renewal based on funding and performance.
This role is offered as a hybrid (some combination of onsite and remote) where you are required to be onsite at our Boston, MA based campus 2-4 days per week. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.
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, transcripts, 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 more about HBS work culture here https://www.hbs.edu/employment.

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