Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Economy of Development

International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID)

HSE University

Moscow, Russia  

The Higher School of Economics Laboratory for International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID) in Moscow, Russia, invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of political economy of development.

Understanding the root causes of economic growth and well-being stands among the most fascinating and important topics in the social sciences. A large body of literature demonstrates the importance of a variety of factors including technologies, institutions, human capital, culture, and decisions of political elites. We know a great deal about the developed world, but there is still lack of understanding of developing and transition countries.

Russia is a fertile ground for research in political economy of development. ICSID offers unique databases needed for such kind of research. Among them are:

• surveys of around 35,000 individuals in almost all Russian regions conducted in 2000-2011 and containing rich information about norms, preferences and the quality of institutions;
• detailed statistics of economic and social life at the regional and municipal levels;
• data on biographies of almost 900 governors and representatives of the federal elite in 2000-2012, 3,500 officials from the regional elite in 2000-2012, 830 mayors in 1996-2012;
• data on Russian censuses starting from the Census of 1987;
• special surveys such as the one of 3,300 attorneys in 35 regions of Russia and the other including 1600 owners in homeowners associations.

Our databases are partly available on our website.

Current ICSID projects concentrate on a variety of topics, including empirical studies of political elites, collective action, trust and cultural norms and their link to economic development, institutional quality and historical roots of institutions. Candidates are welcome to participate in ongoing projects or offer other topics of research that will be of mutual interest. 

About HSE University

The Higher School of Economics (HSE University) is a young, dynamic and fast-growing Russian research university. Over the past 25 years, HSE University has become a leader in Russian education, while also being recognized globally.

For instance, we were the first state-run university in Russia to begin recruiting on the international academic market. We aim at being a university with a highly attuned approach to training new professionals. Therefore, we are eager to hire people with real experience, as well as basic and applied knowledge. Committed to high-quality research, HSE University now has more than 100 research institutes and centres and over 30 international research laboratories collaborating with international specialists from all over the world.

Requirements

The general requirements for the postdoctoral fellowship positions are the following:

• a PhD in economics, sociology, political science, public policy, or government (got during last 5 years but before the start of the program);
• a strong interest in the field of political economy of development;
• strong quantitative skills, ability to carry out research using Stata/R/similar software to meet standards of academic journals;
• ability to design lab and/or survey experiments is an asset;
• peer-reviewed publications, working papers or a job market paper in the field will be a strong advantage;
• ability to work in a team;
• ability to understand and communicate in Russian is not a requirement but will be a plus.
• fluent English is an obligatory condition as research and other activities are conducted in English.
• Relevant experience will be an asset although not required.

The position involves:

• working under the supervision of Professor Timothy Frye and Professor Andrei Yakovlev;
• possibility to collaborate with the ICSID team (https://iims.hse.ru/en/csid/persons) and associate fellows (https://iims.hse.ru/en/csid/members);
• taking part in the ICSID’s research projects/pursuing independent research;
• publishing papers in peer-reviewed academic journals in economics, political science, regional studies, public policy, history, sociology;
• presenting research results at seminars and conferences;
• participation in the organization of ICSID events;
• public presentations of candidate’s own research to the academic community;
• some teaching is encouraged, though not required.

Conditions

Appointments are normally made for one year (since September 2021). Postdoctoral fellows have an opportunity of renewal of the contract (no more than two times).

HSE University offers postdoctoral fellows a competitive salary, the standard medical insurance plan, a working space equipped with a computer and free Internet access at the University.

The Center offers access to its unique databases on socio-economic indicators of the Russian regions, political elites and historical roots of institutions in Russia. ICSID also provides all necessary support for research such as up-to-date analytical software, funding for attendance at international conferences and research assistantship. Moreover, the HSE library provides access to a large collection of academic journals.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online. Please provide a CV, a statement of research interest and a recent research paper submitted via the online application form. At least two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru before the application deadline. Please note that direct applications to the hiring center may not be reviewed.

Read more about the application process here.

The deadline for the applications is February 14, 2021.

For more information:

• about Postdoctoral Fellowship - Frequently Asked Questions
• about HSE university – official web-site
• about the International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development (ICSID) in Moscow, Russia – official web-site of the Centre  

or contact Valeriya Kotelnikova, a manager of the center, directly via

• about international specialists' life in Moscow - International Faculty Support page

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru