J-PAL Research Fellow, Inclusive Insurance - J-PAL Global or J-PAL Europe

About J-PAL

J-PAL is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 affiliated researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts innovative research and builds powerful partnerships to solve the world’s greatest challenges.

Position Overview: 

J-PAL is hiring a Research Fellow for a period of 9 months to conduct evidence analysis, research synthesis, and research agenda setting for a new initiative on inclusive insurance.

Insurance plays a critical role in protecting and promoting the financial health of low- and middle- income individuals, households, and small businesses around the world. Access to insurance contributes to poverty reduction by providing protection against shocks, and allowing individuals and businesses to take calculated risks that can contribute to economic growth.

J-PAL and AXA, a global insurance company, seek to scope a research initiative that will answer policy, adoption, and social impact relevant questions that will ensure that inclusive insurance policies, product features, distribution partnerships, and programs are informed by scientific evidence. The aim of this work is to generate rigorous and independent insights that can galvanize a multisector collaboration to advance the global inclusive insurance agenda in contributing to the financial health and resilience of, and poverty reduction for, the most vulnerable populations. The initiative will work with companies, governments, funders, multilaterals, philanthropists, and implementers to understand the nature of distinct markets, design appropriate insurance products, identify effective distribution channels, and to quantify the social impacts of inclusive insurance in both mature and emerging markets to positively contribute to societal resilience. This will include analyzing existing informal coping mechanisms that individuals, households, and communities use to manage risks and shocks.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

The Research Fellow will:

• Lead a systematic review of academic evidence on informal coping mechanisms and inclusive insurance, synthesizing existing studies, identifying knowledge gaps, and, in consultation with J-PAL affiliated researchers and stakeholders, help develop a research and learning agenda for a new initiative on the contribution of informal coping mechanisms and inclusive insurance to financial health, resilience, and poverty reduction.
• Produce 1) an academic white paper that summarizes the evidence base on informal coping mechanisms, inclusive insurance, and open questions that can set the research agenda for a future research initiative on these topics; and 2) an executive summary of findings that will focus on practical and actionable insights that can inform policies, products and distribution features, and programs. It is expected that the first phase of the engagement will be dedicated to the evidence review and production of these outputs.
• Working with the Scientific Advisor, Professor Shawn Cole, conduct outreach and work with stakeholders – including academics, donors, industry, and practitioners – to develop and identify a pipeline of inclusive insurance research projects and design the piloting, monitoring and research agenda around each new project.
• Support local researcher capacity building efforts and collaboration with local researchers involved in the project pipeline.
• Other duties may include: designing and conducting experiments to quantify social impacts and inform inclusive insurance programs and/or informal coping mechanisms; contributing to other J-PAL initiatives, incubators, and training activities; partnerships development; and participating in the organization of events and seminars.

The Research Fellow will work with Professor Shawn Cole, the J-PAL Scientific Advisor for ESG and Corporate Partnerships. Professor Cole is the John G. McLean Professor of Business Administration in the Finance Unit at Harvard Business School. The Research Fellow will also work closely with J-PAL’s ESG and Corporate Partnerships Lead, and with J-PAL affiliates and principal investigators on specific research projects. 

The position offers the opportunity to join a leading global evidence-to-policy organization and research network, with a strong track record of high-quality publication and policy impact. The position would be particularly well suited to someone with a strong interest in the role of social innovation, the private sector’s contribution to development, and business as a force for good, and the practical application of research for the design of new inclusive business models.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Education: A doctoral degree in economics, political science, public policy, business, or related fields is required. Candidates who are currently studying for a PhD in these fields are also eligible to apply.
• Experience: Significant experience and a strong background in either implementing RCTs, and/or demonstrated research interest in financial inclusion, microinsurance, social innovation, private sector contributions to development, or related fields is desired.
• Work style: Attention to detail and ability to work on projects independently.
• Time management: Proven ability to handle several different projects/tasks at one time and meet deadlines. A willingness to work hard, be self-motivated, and learn will be essential for doing well in this position.
• Software proficiency: Stata or R required.

This Research Fellow position may be based at either J-PAL Global (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America), J-PAL Europe (Paris School of Economics, France), or remote. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the chosen location.