Position Summary: The Research Program in Development Economics at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs invites applications for an Associate Professional Specialist expected to begin on April 1, 2026. The initial term of this appointment is for one year, with renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued funding.

About RPDE: The program’s mission is to advance evidence-based policy-making in the global south through both (a) evidence generation using cutting-edge research and (b) the promotion of evidence use by governments and other decisionmakers. RPDE sponsors several active research and research-to-policy programs, supports an engaged student associate community, and hosts major international conferences on development.

Responsibilities: The Associate Professional Specialist will contribute to the research-to-policy initiative on safe water access in Africa led by Professor Pascaline Dupas (approximately 30%), help disseminate research insights into policy through the production of reports and presentations and case studies for SPIA graduate classes (30%), and help identify, develop and pursue policy-relevant research opportunities with new government and non-profit partners in the Global South (40%).

Principal Duties

• Collaborate with Professor Pascaline Dupas and the JPAL Africa health policy team on implementation research and national scale-ups for safe water access in partnerships with the governments of Rwanda, Guinea, Togo, Madagascar and possibly more as the initiative expands. While the J-PAL Africa team leads communication with governments, the Associate Professional Specialist will be responsible for coordinating research methods and instruments across countries, helping interpret pilot data analyses to provide guidance on next steps, and producing detailed reports.

• Using advanced knowledge, play a key role at the interface of research and policy, identifying necessary data analyses and how to interpret them (to go from research to policy) and translating government priorities into sound research protocols (to go from policy needs to impactful research.)

• Develop policy briefs, commentary, and applied research products aimed at practitioners and policymakers.

• Help RPDE faculty develop case studies, including applied research assignments, to be used in graduate classes at SPIA, including Professor Dupas’ “Evidence-informed policy-making” class.

• Support Professor Dupas in providing technical assistance to government partners, helping harness existing administrative data or other data sources to identify opportunities to scientifically answer policy-relevant research questions.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.