Postdoctoral Fellow in Business

Harvard University

Position Title

Postdoctoral Fellow, Digital, Data, and Design Institute – Laboratory for Innovation Science

School: Harvard Business School
Department/Area: Digital, Data, and Design (D³) Institute / Laboratory for Innovation Science

Position Description

The Digital Data and Design (D³) Institute at Harvard is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow for academic year 2026–2027 to work on research activities with the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard (LISH).

D³ launched in summer 2022, working on research at the intersection of academia and practice. Business, the global economy, and societies face dramatic upheaval due to rapid technological change driven by digitization, AI and machine learning applications, and a new emphasis on design and innovation for stakeholder value creation.

Research Focus:

Postdoctoral Fellows at D³ will conduct research at the intersection of innovation, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence. Research areas include:

  • Digital transformation of business and operating models

  • Organizational and workforce transformation

  • Entrepreneurial problem-solving and venture development

  • Innovation contests and crowdsourcing

Research is conducted through collaborations with organizations including BCG, Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, MIT Solve, Harvard Medical School, and NASA, providing opportunities to study real-world challenges across corporate innovation, scientific research, and technology development contexts.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will work under the supervision of faculty Principal Investigators Professors Karim Lakhani and Jacqueline Lane and Dr. Ramona Pop, Director of LISH. The position involves empirical research using field experiments, large-scale data analysis, and computational methods.

Candidate Profiles

We seek candidates with strong quantitative and computational research skills in one of the following areas:

  1. Economics: PhD in Economics or Strategy with expertise in causal inference, econometrics, experimental design, industrial organization, or applied microeconomics. Experience with field experiments, quasi-experimental methods, and/or structural modeling preferred.

  2. Sociology: PhD in Sociology or Organizational Behavior with expertise in computational social science, organizational theory, social networks, science and technology studies, or economic sociology. Strong quantitative skills and experience with large-scale data analysis required.

  3. Computer Science/HCI: PhD in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Science, or related computational fields with expertise in machine learning, natural language processing, human-AI interaction, or computational social science. Experience applying ML/AI methods to organizational or social science questions preferred.

All candidates should demonstrate advanced knowledge of quantitative research methodologies and data science techniques to manage, extrapolate, and analyze research data, as well as a strong publication record or potential for high-impact research.

Note: There are no teaching requirements for these positions.

Basic Qualifications

  • Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Business, Social Science, Management, Strategy, Economics, Psychology, or other related quantitative and/or social science domains.

  • If Ph.D. obtained in the past 12 months, applicants must provide a certificate of completion or a letter from the institution’s Registrar confirming all degree requirements have been completed and stating the degree conferral date. No exceptions.

Application Instructions

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. Apply via the Harvard system. Do not contact lab faculty directly. Questions: d3@harvard.edu

Required Documents:

  1. Curriculum Vitae

  2. Statement of Research

  3. Two representative publications

  4. Two letters of recommendation

Optional Documents:

  • Transcript

Candidates may be asked to undergo an assessment as part of the interview process.

Position Details

  • Term position: July 2026 – June 30, 2027 (flexible start; possible renewal for an additional year based on funding and performance)

  • Location: Hybrid role; onsite at Boston, MA campus required, specific schedule to be determined

  • Interviews: Virtual (phone/Zoom) for selected candidates

Salary: $75,000 annually

Contact Information

Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field Road
Boston, MA 02163
Email: kdestadler@hbs.edu

EEO/Non-Discrimination Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives.

Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic is prohibited.

Apply