Postdoctoral Scholar - Institute Business & Social Impact - Haas School of Business

Postdoctoral Scholar - Institute for Business & Social Impact - Haas School of Business

Position title: Postdoctoral Scholar Employee

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay  the following table for the current postdoctoral scholar salary scales: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). The current full-time salary range for postdoc positions is $69,073 - $82,836. A reasonable estimate for this postdoctoral scholar position is $69,073 to $77,030. Final salary will be commensurate with level of experience.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: August 21, 2026

Position duration: This position is funded for two years with possible renewal.

Open date: February 2, 2026

Next review date: Monday, Feb 16, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Jul 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The Institute for Business and Social Impact at UC Berkeley seeks to hire a postdoctoral scholar who applies pioneering, rigorous empirical analysis to policy‑relevant questions in applied economics, development, mental health, labor, or closely related fields.

We are especially interested in candidates whose work combines empirical causal inference, administrative or large‑scale data, and topics related to development, labor markets, mental health (broadly defined, e.g., measurement, interventions, behavioral mechanisms, digital or light‑touch mental health tools), or behavioral economics. We welcome applicants with strong foundations in empirical methods in economics and/or experience designing, implementing, or overseeing large‑scale randomized controlled trials.

The ideal postdoctoral scholar will have demonstrated excellence in using modern empirical methods—including econometrics, experimental and quasi‑experimental techniques, and/or machine learning approaches for prediction and causal inference—to study policy‑relevant questions in development, labor, mental health, or related fields. We seek a postdoctoral scholar who bridges applied microeconomics with behavioral and mental‑health insights, using empirical and machine‑learning tools to study social and economic policy.

The position offers direct engagement in new and exciting research opportunities and personal mentorship from faculty and researchers on the team. The postdoctoral scholar will gain an expanded network of collaborators and become a member of the UC Berkeley research community by actively participating in seminar series and internal workshops to present and receive feedback on their work.

The postdoctoral scholar will be expected to join and develop a research agenda in collaboration with their supervisor and Faculty Director, Paul Gertler, along with Laura Chioda, IBSI’s Chief Data Scientist, and IBSI’s network of researchers.

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree program at the time of application.

Additional Qualifications (required at time of start)

• Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) by the start date.
• No more than three years of post‑degree research experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Ph.D. holders in economics and related fields specializing in applied microeconomics, development, mental health, or behavioral economics are invited to apply.

We particularly encourage applications from postdoctoral scholars whose work integrates theory‑driven mechanisms with rigorous empirical analysis, including field experiments (RCTs) or the use of large‑scale administrative datasets. Experience developing research projects in collaboration with non‑academic stakeholders—such as NGOs, governments, or industry partners—is highly valued.

• Advanced Programming:
  Proficiency in R, Stata, and/or Python.
• Computation…