Student Assistant for Research

We are looking for one or more ambitious student assistants for two large research projects on unemployment, job search and the labor market. The projects are headed by Associate Professor Nikolaj Harmon.

The Project

Unemployment is detrimental to society and individuals. Helping unemployed workers find good jobs is therefore very important. The aims of the research projects are to improve our understanding of how job search works and how we can improve job outcomes for the unemployed.

A main problem for previous research on job search is lack of data. While many data sets contain information about unemployment and job finding, very few data sets contain information about job search behavior. As a result, much is still unknown about how job search works in practice, and many proposed theories remain largely untested.

At the center of our projects sit a range of brand new data sources that try to fill this gap. This includes data on actual job applications, click-by-click data on how job seekers search for jobs online job and novel survey data. These data will be combined with the detailed administrative register data from Statistics Denmark. These new data will be used both to test and expand existing theories of job search, including bringing in new insights from behavioral economics.

Primary tasks and qualifications

The primary tasks of the student assistant will be data processing in SAS and Stata under supervision. Prior experience with these programming languages is therefore a plus but not a prerequisite to be hired. Many of the tasks will involve processing administrative register data at Statistics Denmark and running various econometric analyses. The econometric analyses will be motivated by theory and previous research. Accordingly, the position will likely also include assisting researchers in some research-related tasks, such as reading existing literature and editing papers/proofs.

The student assistant will be part of a larger research team that includes several PhDs as well as more senior researchers. As the team includes non-Danish speakers, much of the work will take place in English.

The position offers an opportunity to observe leading research in the making. It is thus an ideal opportunity for strong students who may be considering a career in research. Both bachelor and master level candidates are encouraged to apply. Note that it is a requirement for employment that you are enrolled in a higher education institution.

Working hours and salary

Working hours are flexible but are expected to average around 8-12 hours per week. Employment and remuneration are in accordance with the Collective Agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Organizations of Public Employees - The State Area (OAO Collective Agreement) and the Organizational Agreement for Office Workers, Laboratory Technicians, and IT Staff (HK) § 35. The minimum hourly wage is DKK 140,56.

Your salary will be determined based on your previous employment.

The University of Copenhagen aims to reflect the surrounding society and encourages all qualified individuals, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

The position is expected to run until the end of the research project in December 2025.

Application and further information

Applications, including a CV, transcript of grades, and contact details, should be submitted electronically via the University of Copenhagen's job portal no later than Monday, October 21, 2024 (see also http://www.econ.ku.dk/stillinger/).

The start date for the position(s) are flexible but should be no later than February 15, 2025.

For more information, you are welcome to contact Associate Professor Nikolaj Harmon at [email protected]



UCPH is in the process of designing a new shared administrative organisation at UCPH, which is expected to lead to changes within the next 12 - 18 months. The purpose of the administrative reform is, among other things, to strengthen cross-organisational cooperation, increase efficiency, and ensure good career paths for administrative staff members at UCPH. The reform will lead to cutbacks on administration. You are encouraged to contact Department Administrator Peter Flindt [email protected] to learn more about the connection between this position and the administrative reform.