The Center for Global Development, an independent, nonpartisan research organization in Washington, DC, seeks a part-time paid research intern to support the work of a member of the global health policy team. The purpose of the 12-month work program is to provide guidance to those who construct computerized projection models of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on how best to incorporate cost functions into those models. The overarching purpose of such models is to help donor and government policy makers allocate financial and human resources to the health sector and, within the health sector, between HIV/AIDS and other health services.
The task of equipping projection models with plausible mathematically-defined cost functions entails addressing key issues including the tradeoff between the cost and the quality of a given amount of health services, the distinction between economies of scale and scope at the facility level and those same concepts at a national program level and the wide variation in technical efficiency of otherwise similar facilities, both with and across countries.
The intern’s main task will be to assist a senior researcher in the estimation of flexible cost functions from micro data sets. The secondary task will be to propose ways to embody the central findings of this empirical work into computerized projection models of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The intern’s use of this data and analysis for his or her own research or thesis is possible, but conditional on approval from collaborators outside CGD who control these rights.
General Responsibilities:
- Conduct literature reviews and data compilation and cleaning on the facility-level and above-facility costs of HIV/AIDS services and related health service outputs.
- Manage the micro data sets on facility-level costs from approximately ten African countries
- Write and maintain Stata DO files and associated log files which estimate the facility cost functions and fully document the data cleaning and estimation process, so that all estimates can be replicated by outside researchers
- Collaborate with researchers at other institutions who are either analyzing the same data or building mathematical models containing cost functions
- Assist with setting up a meetings and telephone conferences.
- Perform other duties as necessary in support of research goals. Some international travel may be required.
The successful candidate will have the following qualifications and skills:
- Economics coursework through intermediate microeconomics at the level of the Varian text. An undergraduate or graduate degree in economics is preferable.
- Statistics and econometrics courses and empirical papers using these disciplines, including experience with estimating models using instrumental variables and survival models.
- Mastery of Stata, including data management, fully documented and commented batch programs (called “DO” files) and some familiarity with writing or adapting Stata programs (called “ADO” files). Experience using Stata graph commands is also desirable.
- Exposure or experience with mathematical or computer models of HIV or other epidemics is preferred, but not required.
- Enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. Program, ideally in economics, development studies, epidemiology or another health-related field. Ph.D. candidate is preferred.
- Interest in the field of global health or international development
- Intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for research
- Self-directed with the ability to work autonomously
- Outstanding communications and writing skills
- Good humor and collegiality
$20 per hour, commensurate with education and experience.
Applicants should send a short cover letter, CV and short writing sample to [email protected]. Please use the subject "Grad Student Intern – Econometrics and Global Health” in all e-mail correspondence. No phone calls please.
CGD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age or sexual orientation shall have equal access to positions, limited only by their ability to do the job. Finalist(s) for the position may be subject to a pre-employment background check as a condition of employment.