LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university

LSE Department of Geography and Environment

Research Assistant (“Pre-Doc”) – Energy and Environmental Economics

Salary from £36,513 to £41,565 pa inclusive of London allowance

This is a fixed term appointment for 12 months with extension possible subject to Funding.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university.

We are seeking a full-time Research Assistant (“pre-doc”) to work closely with Dr. Stephen Jarvis on a research project at the intersection of environmental economics and energy markets. The successful candidate will play an integral role in supporting data-driven, policy-relevant research examining energy markets and a range of associated social and environmental challenges. This role is ideal for candidates planning to apply to top PhD programmes and looking for hands-on research experience on high-impact questions in energy and environmental economics.

Key Responsibilities for the role include:

• Data collection, cleaning, and merging from large-scale microdata sources (e.g., electricity grid operational data, environmental emissions data, vehicle registrations, company accounts).
• Conduct data analysis using econometric and statistical tools (R and/or Python).
• Develop and conduct optimisation modelling (e.g. electricity market and grid dispatch).
• Assist in literature reviews and summarising academic research.
• Contribute to writing research papers and policy reports.
• Participate in meetings with collaborators and present research findings when appropriate.
• Support administrative and organisational aspects of research projects, as needed.

Essential Criteria

• Undergraduate or Master’s degree in Economics or another quantitative discipline, to be completed or close to completion by post start date.
• Advanced programming skills in R and/or Python.
• Willingness to learn unfamiliar tools as needed (e.g. GitHub, APIs, dispatch models).
• Familiarity with econometric techniques, especially panel data methods.
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage time across multiple research tasks.

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

The expected start date is flexible but ideally from Autumn 2026. The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of extension based on funding.

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

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 geog.dept@lse.ac.uk.  

The closing date for receipt of applications is 27 March 2026 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.