Pre-Doctoral Research Associate in Accounting

About the role

The Accounting Unit at NYU Shanghai is looking for a full-time Pre-Doctoral Research Associate in Accounting, with an anticipated start date of September 2026. The initial appointment is one year, ending in August 2027, with a strong expectation of renewal for a second year based on performance and continued funding. The role suits people interested in academic research in accounting or related fields who plan to pursue a PhD, offering sustained collaboration with faculty and structured preparation for admission to leading PhD programs.

Key responsibilities

• Work closely with faculty on empirical research projects, possibly collaborating with faculty and coauthors at leading universities worldwide
• Collect, clean and manage large-scale datasets
• Conduct empirical analyses using statistical and econometric methods
• Implement machine learning and data-science techniques
• Perform literature reviews and prepare research materials
• Support the preparation of academic manuscripts, presentations and conference submissions

Required profile

• Bachelor's or master's degree in accounting, economics, finance, statistics, data science, computer science or a related quantitative field
• Demonstrated interest in pursuing a PhD in accounting or a related field
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

Required skills

• Proficiency with at least one statistical or programming language such as Stata, SAS, Python, R, Matlab, Julia or SQL
• Preferred: coursework or research in econometrics or statistics, prior research associate experience, experience with machine learning, numerical optimization, simulation, dynamic programming or large-scale data processing, familiarity with financial databases such as Compustat, CRSP, IBES, Thomson Reuters, LexisNexus and Westlaw, and experience managing AI agents

What we offer

• Extensive exposure to frontier academic research, including research seminars and conferences
• Structured mentoring to prepare candidates for top PhD programs, with close mentorship and detailed letters of recommendation for strong performers

Full-time position at 40 hours per week, based in Shanghai. International applicants are welcome, subject to immigration regulations. Applications (CV, cover letter, transcripts, two referees, a code sample and optionally a research writing sample) are submitted online by the advertised closing date of September 27, 2026, on a rolling basis.