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Department of Methodology

Research Officer in Modelling Social Dynamics

Salary from £42,679 to £51,000 with potential to progress to £54,730 pa inclusive of London Allowance

This is a fixed-term appointment for 2 years

This full-time research officer position is to work with Eleanor Power as part of her Research Leadership Award, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, titled ‘Reputational Poverty Traps’ and the Reproduction of Social Inequality in South Asia and the World.

This post will involve developing mathematical and agent-based models of reputation dynamics on evolving social networks. This will be done in close collaboration with Dr Power, as well as researchers who have conducted experimental and ethnographic research in communities in South Asia and elsewhere around the world. The research officer will develop computational models that translate and quantify this empirical evidence (of social connections, reputational evaluations, and cooperative decision-making) to explore possible mechanisms fuelling social inequality. These models will likely draw on (evolutionary) game theory to posit a range of decisions and strategies and explore their individual and collective outcomes. The exact form that the models take will be driven in large part by the research officer.

The successful candidate will:

• have successfully completed or be close to completing a PhD in a relevant discipline by the post-start date
• have experience in creating mathematical and/or agent-based models of social dynamics
• have experience with database management, version control, and programming in R and/or Python
• have a commitment to collaborative, open, interdisciplinary research

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.

The expected start date for this role is September 2025.

For further information about the post, please see the how to apply document, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please go to www.jobs.lse.ac.uk. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email Dr Eleanor Power at e.a.power@lse.ac.uk.  

The closing date for receipt of applications is 4 May 2025 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.