Writing Focused Research Associate

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise.

Harvard Business School, located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, was founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University. It is among the world's most trusted sources of management education and thought leadership. For more than a century, the School's faculty has combined a passion for teaching with rigorous research conducted alongside practitioners at world-leading organizations to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.

Harvard Business School seeks multiple Research Associates (RA) to support faculty members on writing / content focused work. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of business topics and prior writing experience.

The Research Associate (RA) position reports directly to faculty supervisors and administrative manager in the Research Staff Services office. Ideal RA candidates will be comfortable in an environment that requires a high level of independence, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to use discretionary judgment.

Please note the faculty currently hiring include:

• Alison Wood Brooks
• Joshua Margolis
• Fritz Foley – seeking a Research Associate who can support a book project regarding the role of CFO in organizations. Ideal candidates bring knowledge in finance, strong writing and research skills, along with the ability to conduct statistical analysis on firm profitability data.
• Jonas Heese and Aiyesha Dey (paired together) – looking for a Research Associate who can support a book project on corporate fraud. Ideal candidates bring prior writing experience and an interest in business management.
• Yuan Zou – seeking a half-time Research Associate to support case writing and course development needs for the spring 2027 Business Analysis and Valuation elective course in the MBA program. Ideal candidates will have a strong understanding of core accounting principles and financial statements, as well as excellent writing skills.

• Work under the general direction of HBS faculty on topics central to HBS research agenda. Provide subject-area knowledge, analysis and interpretation to faculty member. Identify and explore a wide-range of questions related to faculty's research agenda.
• Write cases, case supplements, project reports, and drafts for a book project from start to finish creating original writing based on subject-area expertise, research, and interviews, and write articles for applicable business audiences such as Harvard Business Review.
• Under general direction of faculty member, must be able to take complex research ideas, concepts, and methodologies and apply them to new projects and situations. Must be able to structure assignments and keep faculty member informed as necessary, using own judgment.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree with a GPA above 3.5 is required.
• Prior experience supporting short form writing and website project management preferred.

• Evidence of prior high-quality, original academic writing, and background in analysis and interpretation of relevant data, research, news, and literature is helpful. Ability to read academic, subject-specific information and write a reasoned and thoughtful analysis, as well as produce a creative interpretation, is a must.
• The candidate must have extremely high standards in terms of quality of work, attention to detail, strong organization skills, and absolute commitment to task completion. Must be able to balance multiple tasks and shifting priorities under tight deadlines at an accelerated pace when necessary. It is helpful if the candidate is familiar with navigating a complex organization, such as Harvard Business School.

Appointment End Date: June 30, 2027. These are term appointments starting summer 2026 through June 30, 2027, with an expectation of reappointment until June 30, 2028, based on funding and performance.

Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week.

Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state.

A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, code sample (if applicable to their skill set) and a transcript.