Fall 2026 Remote Fellowship: Zambia Mining and Local Development

UC Berkeley’s Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites scholars to apply for a competitive research fellowship. CEGA will select one scholar from Zambia to participate in a remote (Zambia-based) quantitative research fellowship, to be completed during the Fall 2026 academic semester (August - December 2026). There is a possibility of extension to the Spring 2027 academic semester (January-May 2027), contingent on strong performance. 

Preference will be given to applicants currently based in Zambia who have research experience in development economics or related disciplines (see detailed eligibility criteria below). The fellowship will be focused on developing the research skills to evaluate the social and economic impacts of the Mingomba copper mine in Chililabombwe, Zambia—the world’s highest-grade undeveloped copper deposit—in collaboration with KoBold Metals. The fellow will work in close collaboration with Zambia-based Co-Investigator Dale Mudenda (University of Zambia), as well as PI Jonathan Weigel (UC Berkeley/CEGA), and Co-Investigators Edward Miguel (UC Berkeley/CEGA), and Anja Benshaul-Tolonen (Barnard/Columbia).

In Fall 2026, this fellow will join the project’s research team, attend weekly calls, assist with a literature review, data collection, data cleaning and other research activities. CEGA is recruiting an early career scholar, who is currently admitted to and/or enrolled in a PhD program at a Zambian University. Working within this existing study, the fellow will have a structured project and a supportive team to support professional development. 

There will be a performance review in December 2026, and contingent upon strong performance, CEGA will continue to offer further support for an additional 6 months. This support will entail extended work and new deliverables on this project, along with access to CEGA training, staff office hours, and continued mentorship. We will also provide mentorship support to utilize the project’s existing secondary data to pursue an independent research project and/or cultivate their own proposal based on personal research interests.

ELIGIBILITY 

Please carefully consult the criteria below. For the Fellowship, applicants must: 

• Be fluent in English. 
• Be based in Zambia. Preference will be given to Zambian nationals. 
• Are currently admitted and/or enrolled in a PhD program at a Zambian university in economics, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline. 
• Be able to dedicate approximately 15-20 hours per week for the CEGA Fellowship. 
• We will give preference to individuals who have existing research projects or experience in development economics or related disciplines.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is 5:00 PM GMT on May 31, 2026.