Project Specialist

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Position Description Dr. Zachary Wagner at the University of Southern California’s Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) is seeking a full-time Project Specialist to support research in development and health economics. The Project Specialist will report directly to Dr. Wagner and work closely with collaborators at USC, RAND, and partner organizations in Nigeria.

The Project Specialist’s primary project will be a large-scale randomized study examining whether pre-emptive home delivery of oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc reduces child mortality in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The project builds on a large cluster-randomized trial that delivered ORS and zinc directly to households with children under five. The new study will conduct approximately 400k household surveys to estimate the intervention’s impact on diarrhea-specific child mortality using retrospective birth histories and verbal autopsies.

The position combines research and quantitative analysis with substantial project management responsibilities. The Project Specialist will be involved in all stages of the research process, including coordinating data collection, managing relationships with research and field partners, monitoring study progress and data quality, analyzing datasets, and contributing to academic publications.

This is a one year fixed term, grant funded position with a hybrid work arrangement.

Responsibilities The Project Specialist will work directly with Dr. Wagner to: • Manage day-to-day implementation of the research project, including coordinating across researchers, field teams, and partner organizations; tracking timelines and deliverables; organizing research meetings; and following up on action items. • Travel to Nigeria to help oversee training of data collection team • Coordinate closely with the study team in Nigeria during survey piloting and large-scale data collection and help identify and resolve implementation and data-quality issues. • Support the development, programming, testing, and refinement of survey instruments • Assist with study protocols, IRB materials, pre-analysis plans, field manuals, and other research documentation. • Help monitor incoming survey data and develop systems for regular data-quality checks and reporting. • Help with data cleaning and econometric analyses of the intervention’s effects on diarrhea-specific and all-cause child mortality, including robustness and heterogeneity analyses. • Produce publication-quality tables and figures and contribute to literature reviews, presentations, and academic manuscripts. • Maintain clear and reproducible project documentation, data workflows, and analysis code.

Depending on interests, performance, and project needs, the Project Specialist may also have opportunities to contribute to related research projects in development economics and global health.

Qualifications We welcome applications from candidates with a Ph.D., bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics, public policy, statistics, mathematics or another quantitatively oriented field.

Strong candidates will have: • Excellent quantitative and analytical skills. • Coursework in economics, econometrics, statistics, or related quantitative methods. • Experience working with statistical software such as Stata, R, or Python. • Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. • The ability to manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, and proactively identify tasks that need attention. • Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to coordinate effectively with collaborators across institutions and countries. • A Prior research assistant or project manager experience working with primary data collection. • An interest in pursuing a PhD in economics, public policy, public health, epidemiology or a related quantitative social science field is a benefit. • Experience with randomized controlled trials, survey research, field research, primary data collection in low-income settings, and project management is a plus. • Experience working with mortality datasets, and/or direct experience collecting mortality data (including familiarity with VASA instruments) is a plus.

Professional Development The Project Specialist will work closely with Dr. Wagner and receive mentorship in research design, econometric analysis, project management, and academic writing. The Project Specialist will also participate in the research community at CESR and USC and gain experience collaborating with researchers and field partners across multiple institutions, while building their own research agenda.

The position provides an opportunity to take substantial ownership of a major research project while developing both the quantitative and project-management skills required to conduct large-scale empirical research.

Application Instructions Applicants should submit: • A resume or CV; • A brief cover letter describing their research interests, quantitative background, and interest in the position; • Job market paper; • An unofficial academic transcript; and • Contact information for 2–3 references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid (2-3 days per week) on the University park campus in Los Angeles, CA.

Compensation The hourly rate range for this position is $32.99 - $36.89. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the USC Schaeffer Institute The USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service develops evidence-based solutions to address the nation’s most pressing policy issues. It serves as a policy laboratory to develop and test ideas generated by the USC academic community, fosters civic engagement, and provides a forum to reach federal policymakers.

Established by an historic gift from Leonard D. Schaeffer in 2024, the USC Schaeffer Institute includes four flagship centers: the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, the Center for Economic and Social Research, the Center for Civic Society and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service.

The Schaeffer Institute is home to more than 150 scholars and staff, including three Nobel Laureates and seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Schaeffer experts have testified before numerous Congressional committees and are regularly sought out by media outlets—including the New York Times, NPR, Stat, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post—to provide insight on policy issues.

The Institute has offices at USC in Los Angeles and at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC.

About the Center for Civic Society at the Schaeffer Institute The Center for Civic Society aims to assess, strengthen and promote democratic values around the world through research, civic engagement and global dialogue. Chaired by Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and led by Anna Saavedra, the Center for Civic Society was launched in 2026 and is dedicated to bridging political, social and economic divides through evidence-based research that informs and promotes better public policy.

About the Sol Price School of Public Policy Ranked among the foremost schools of public policy in the nation, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy generates uncommon knowledge for the common good. The school is composed of overlapping disciplines that generate innovative approaches to critical issues ranging from health-care policy to homelessness, and sustainability to congestion – to name a few. A wide-ranging curriculum, including extensive experiential learning, prepares our graduates to navigate problems that demand multi-layered solutions driven by critical, informed thinking.

The Price School, founded in 1929, is anchored by four departments: Public Policy and Management, Health Policy and Management, Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Real Estate Development, and Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. The School’s rigorous academic programs provide students with the knowledge and distinctive opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their professions. Integrating classroom instruction with real-world experience and led by some of the world’s most renowned faculty in their fields, our students establish a clear pathway to successful careers.

Our academic programs are augmented by numerous research centers, institutes and initiatives that provide additional research expertise and experiences, notable among them are: The Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public; The Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy; The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate; The METRANS Transportation Consortium; The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics; and The Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Together, they account for over $100 million in externally funded research grants and contracts.

Together, these departments and research enterprises provide unmatched breadth and depth to tackle an enormous range of challenges facing our country and the world. Price graduates hold leadership positions across diverse sectors – public, private, and nonprofit – championing the advancement of the common good. They come from around the world and from a variety of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to create a rich intellectual environment that celebrates, supports and benefits from a variety of backgrounds and opinions.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree

Additional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 2 years

Minimum Skills: Directly related education and experience to be able to advise on project procedures and analysis techniques.

Preferred Education: Master's degree

Preferred Experience: 3 years

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

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