Harvard University is offering a fully paid Pre-Doctoral Fellowship opportunity under the supervision of economist Augustin Bergeron. This highly competitive research position provides early-career researchers with hands-on experience in frontier economic research, field experiments, and policy-relevant development studies. The role is designed as a bridge between undergraduate or master’s studies and a PhD in Economics or related disciplines.
The fellowship will begin on July 1, 2026 and lasts for one year, with the possibility of renewal for a second year based on performance and project needs. The annual salary is approximately $50,000 and visa sponsorship may be arranged for selected candidates.
The position is particularly valuable for candidates aiming to pursue doctoral studies at top institutions, as previous research assistants from similar programs have historically progressed to leading global universities.
Research Focus and Academic Scope
The fellow will work directly with Professor Augustin Bergeron and collaborate with a global network of renowned economists from institutions including UC Berkeley, NYU Stern, University of Chicago, UBC, LSE, World Bank, and others.
The research agenda spans four major academic areas:
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Development Economics
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Political Economy
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Public Economics
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Economic History
The projects focus primarily on governance, taxation, institutional trust, and state capacity in low-capacity settings, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and historical Nigeria.
Responsibilities and Daily Work
The Pre-Doctoral Fellow will be deeply involved in all stages of academic research rather than performing administrative tasks. Responsibilities include:
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Data collection, cleaning, and validation
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Statistical and econometric analysis
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Supporting randomized controlled trials
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Preparing tables, figures, and policy memos
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Conducting literature reviews
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Monitoring field experiment implementation
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Collaborating with international research partners
The fellow will produce outputs used by governments, academic journals, and international institutions.
Detailed Research Projects
1. Progressive Taxation and Fiscal Capacity
This randomized controlled trial examines how progressive property tax structures affect compliance, fairness perceptions, and government revenue.
The fellow will:
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Conduct empirical analysis
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Prepare research outputs
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Evaluate behavioral responses to taxation
The project explores whether citizens comply more when tax burdens better match ability to pay.
2. Dispute Resolution and the Social Contract
A large-scale randomized evaluation studies how justice access influences institutional trust and tax compliance.
Two dispute systems are compared:
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Formal legal mediation by government lawyers
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Informal mediation by customary chiefs
The fellow will:
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Clean endline datasets
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Analyze trust and social cohesion outcomes
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Assist in evaluation reporting
3. Bargaining and Property Tax Enforcement
This project studies taxpayer-state negotiations during enforcement of high-value property taxes.
Key question:
Does negotiation improve compliance or encourage favoritism?
The fellow will:
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Support field logistics in Kananga
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Monitor survey data quality
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Analyze negotiation effects
4. Historical Tax Legitimacy in Nigeria
Using 40,852 colonial taxation records, the project examines how historical fiscal policies affect modern attitudes toward government.
Methods include:
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Spatial regression discontinuity design
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Text-based sentiment analysis
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Linking historical records with Afrobarometer surveys
The fellow may contribute to dataset construction and empirical analysis.
Fieldwork Opportunities
Candidates should ideally be willing to spend time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo supporting research implementation. This offers rare real-world experience in development economics field experiments.
Benefits of the Fellowship
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Salary: $50,000 annually
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Visa sponsorship possible
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Direct mentorship from leading economists
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Publications and co-authorship opportunities
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Preparation for top PhD programs
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International research collaboration
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Field research experience
This role functions similarly to a pre-doctoral research program at elite universities and significantly strengthens PhD applications.
Eligibility Requirements
Strong applicants generally have:
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Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in economics, math, statistics, computer science, or related fields
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Interest in development or political economy
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Training in causal inference methods
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Programming skills in Stata or R
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Strong academic writing skills
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Desire to pursue a PhD
Application Materials Required
Applicants must submit:
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One-page cover letter explaining research interest
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CV including GPA and class rank
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Academic transcripts
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Optional recommendation letters