Salary
£40,133 to £47,297 per annum - including London Allowance
Post Type
Full Time
Closing Date
23.59 hours GMT on Friday 31 January 2025
Reference
1224-350
Right to work: Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
Full-Time, Fixed Term (36 months)
Applications are invited for the post of Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Economics.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual to join the research project Social Mechanisms and Applications led by the Principal Investigator (PI), Professor David Levine.
The main goal of this project is to study social mechanisms and their allocations. Social norms are crucial for groups to succeed, from political parties to labour unions and criminal gangs. Each of these groups faces a free-rider problem where it is in the interest of each individual in the group to let the others do the work of advancing the common interest.
The project aims to link work in game theory to the operation of social norms in a heterogeneous agents’ framework. The project will involve economists, psychologists, and computer scientists at Royal Holloway to understand how social norms develop and sustain themselves. It will explain how a willingness of individuals to bear small costs for the sake of society can be leveraged into system-wide institutional changes.
To answer these questions, a considerable innovation of the project is the use of economic experiments along with algorithmic simulations.
The project has both theoretical and empirical foci along with subject experiments. Proven research ability in economic theory or programming knowledge of Python or related languages are desirable. Moreover, data management skills and a high level of competence in econometrics and machine learning are desired. Experience in economic experiments would also be desirable. Most of all, the successful candidate will have great enthusiasm to conduct research on this topic.
This project is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. The successful candidate will work 1/3 time directly on the project and 2/3 of the time on individual grant-related research.
The successful candidate will work closely with the PI, Professor David Levine (Economics), and the research team including Professors: Michael Mandler (Economics), Francesco Feri (Economics), Kostas Stathis (Computer Science), and Ryan McKay (Psychology). They are expected to engage as a full member of the research team contributing to the theoretical and/or empirical analysis of social norms and economic institutions, using theoretical models, simulations, and designing and coding economic experiments.
The successful candidate will possess as many as possible of the following:
* PhD in relevant subject area: economics, computer science, mathematics/statistics, psychology, or related (it is expected that the appointee will have their PhD awarded within 4 months of the start date)
* Training in using key software, including Python, at an advanced level is a plus;
* Demonstrable comprehensive experience of research in heterogeneous agent modelling;
* Designing economic experiments, setting up and coding economic experiments using major online platforms;
* Experience of coding complex structural estimations and simulations;
* Experience with constructing research funding proposals;
* Ability to keep accurate records, strong communication skills, experience interacting with research users and with researchers from related disciplines, and ability to work independently under regular supervision as well as within a team setting.
In return, we offer a highly competitive rewards and benefits package including:
* Generous annual leave entitlement
* Training and Development opportunities
* Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
* Various schemes including Cycle to Work, Season Ticket Loans, and help with the cost of eyesight testing
* Free parking
The post is based in Egham, where the University is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London.
For an informal discussion about the post, please contact the project PI, Professor David Levine at david.levine@rhul.ac.uk
For queries on the application process, the Human Resources Department can be contacted by email at: recruitment@rhul.ac.uk
The university has adopted hybrid working for some roles; therefore, some remote working may be possible for this role.
Royal Holloway is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and encourages applications from all people regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, parental status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or trans status or history.
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