Vacancies
Research assistant required. Deadline asap.
We are looking for a research assistant to help us to extract a large quantity of usable data from a public source. The work will likely take between 25-35 working hours and requires strong programming skills in Python or similar software. Being desk-based assistance, it can be performed from anywhere in the world. It will involve writing a programme to scrape a large amount of quantitative data and text from online sources, housed on separate but standardised web pages.
Ideally, a small sample of data will be provided initially, to check and adjust the information extracted, before the full data scraping is performed. A more complete guide to the data sources and specific items required from the scraping can be provided to prospective RAs to aid an assessment of the number of hours required.
The work is suitable for a student (Masters level or above) with good programming skills and, ideally, availability to perform the work within the next month or two.
If you are interested, please send a CV and a short description of your experience with programming to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., together with details of when you would be able to undertake the work.
MSc in Economics for Development 2018–19 STATA Teaching Assistant. Deadline 26 Oct 2018.
Students on the MSc in Economics for Development write an Extended Essay (dissertation) of up to 10,000 words, which is submitted in Week 5 of Trinity. We are looking for a TA to work with students individually and/or in groups to help them with Stata issues related to their Extended Essays. The Extended Essays are normally based on original analysis of data, and most of the 30 or so students on the course will be writing on applied topics that make use of standard methods in econometrics – OLS, instrumental variables, RD designs, etc. Students have already used Stata on problem sets and other assignments, but many will have further questions related to their own work.
You will hold regular office hours, beginning early in Hilary Term and going through to Week 2 of Trinity Term. You will also be expected to respond outside office hours to student requests for feedback, according to a reasonable timetable. (Ideally, this will also include some limited availability by e-mail or in person over the Easter break, when many students are working hard on their Extended Essays). You will provide support on topics such as data cleaning, data merging, and commands for different kinds of data analysis, and will be expected to provide general advice to students on these topics. At times, it may be most helpful for the TA to look over a student’s program files and output files to provide feedback and for troubleshooting. To some extent, the Stata support may blur at times into substantive econometric support, however, you will not be expected to provide substantial econometric teaching.
Key deadlines for the Extended Essay, before which students are likely to need particular support, are in Week 7 of Hilary (submission of outline) and Week 1 Trinity (submission of revised abstract). Please note you will need to have a visa which allows you to work in the UK in order to undertake this work. The appointment will take the form of a “36-hour Teaching Assistantship”, giving a gross payment for the contract of £1,440.
Applications: send a brief CV which includes details of the STATA training you have received; how long you have used the programme and in what capacity; and any other TA work you have undertaken to the Course Coordinator, Nicola Shepard (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
