MPP Research Assistant — Competition Policy Research

Applicants must be an MPP student at Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Job Title

Research Assistant (1 position)

Location

Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University

Supervisor

Matthew Chiasson, J.W. McConnell Visiting Scholar

Start Date

Late October 2026 (as soon as possible)

End Date

April 30, 2027

Hours

2-4 hours per week

Rate

$25.00/hour

Project Title

Eternal Vigilance, Principled Pragmatism: Mark Carney and Competition Policy (working title)

Position Summary

Matthew Chiasson, J.W. McConnell Visiting Scholar at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, is seeking one Research Assistant (RA) to support a research project examining Mark Carney’s contributions to, and thinking about, competition policy over approximately four decades. Drawing on an assembled collection of speeches, publications, interviews, testimony, and other primary sources from different stages of Carney’s career, the project aims to trace the evolution and underlying continuity of his views on competition, markets, economic institutions, and the role of government. The RA will help organize and analyze historical source material and produce research notes, source summaries, literature reviews, and other supporting materials for a research project whose ultimate format remains flexible.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and systematically catalogue a substantial collection of primary sources, including speeches, interviews, publications, and testimony.
• Identify and extract passages relating to competition, market structure, market dynamism, regulation, and the role of the state.
• Develop a chronology and thematic framework to trace how the relevant ideas evolved across different career stages.
• Conduct supplementary research in academic literature, economic policy history, and relevant public records.
• Prepare source summaries, annotated bibliographies, timelines, and short analytical memos.
• Help assess themes, tensions, and continuities across the material while distinguishing direct statements from interpretation.
• Assist with fact-checking, citation management, and editing of research outputs, as needed.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical research and writing skills in English; French is an asset.
• Interest in economic policy, intellectual history, political economy, economic thought, public institutions, or competition policy; competition policy knowledge is an asset, not a requirement.
• Comfort working with historical and contemporary primary sources and synthesizing large amounts of information.
• Careful attention to sourcing, nuance, accuracy, and competing interpretations.
• Ability to organize research systematically and work independently.
• Experience with academic databases, citation management, and responsible use of AI-supported research tools is an asset.
• Must be a current MPP student at the Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Hourly Salary: $25.00

Hours per Week: 4 (Part time)

Location: Sherbrooke 680

Supervisor: Professor

Position Start Date: 2026-10-26

Position End Date: 2027-04-30

Deadline to Apply: This position is covered by the Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE) collective agreement.

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, View email address on click.appcast.io.

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