Internship | Research Assistant, Entrepreneurship & Society | Jan - March 2026

Founded in 1881, HEC Paris is one of Europe's leading business schools. HEC Paris’s goal is to make a positive impact on business and society via its ‘Think, Teach, Act’ tripartite approach, contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world. With 160 research professors from across the world generating and imparting unique knowledge to over 4,500 students from 135 countries, the HEC Paris campus is a fully-fledged laboratory devoted to innovation and exchange that is open to the diversity of the world and the challenges it faces.

In 2010, HEC Paris joined Qatar Foundation to bring world-class management education programs and research to Doha and the region. Through its offering of degree, non-degree, and corporate programs, HEC Paris, Doha contributes to corporate competitiveness in the global economy, fully aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 and supporting the transformation of Qatar into a sustainable, competitive, and knowledge-based economy. In addition to offering degree programs, the school partners with corporate clients in Qatar and the region to design and deliver customized executive programs addressing current business and organizational challenges.

HEC Paris is an exceptional workplace, located in state-of-the-art premises in downtown Msheireb, at the heart of Doha. Joining HEC Paris, Doha is a unique opportunity to be part of a close-knit community of talented individuals united around five core values: Curiosity, Excellence, Diversity, Responsibility and Entrepreneurial Spirit.

https://www.qatar.exed.hec.edu/

The Research Assistant – Entrepreneurship & Society will support two projects examining how entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems drive global development and social impact. The first explores how entrepreneurship is embedded in international development through IGOs, NGOs, governments, and corporations, while the second analyzes how accelerator participation influences the growth and sustainability of EdTech ventures worldwide. The role involves literature reviews, quantitative data analysis, and web-based data collection, offering hands-on experience in entrepreneurship research, development policy, and innovation ecosystems.

• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews on entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, and development policy.
• Collect, clean, and organize large datasets from multiple sources, including startup and accelerator databases.
• Perform exploratory data analysis using software such as Stata, R, or Python.
• Design and execute web scraping or web census methods to compile information on accelerators, startups, and ecosystem actors.
• Assist in quantitative and qualitative research, preparing summaries, visualizations, and preliminary findings.
• Support in academic writing, drafting sections of reports, working papers, or presentations.
• Collaborate with the principal investigators and other team members, maintaining data accuracy, documentation, and project timelines. Write extended abstracts of peer-reviewed articles as requested on relevant topics as part of the literature review process;
• Contribute to additional ongoing research initiatives as needed.

• Education & Background:
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or currently enrolled) in International Development, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Sociology, Management Studies, or a related field
• Technical Skills:
  • Proficiency in MS Excel and experience managing large datasets.
  • Working knowledge of Stata, R, or Python for data cleaning and analysis.
  • Familiarity with web scraping, data wrangling, or database management is an advantage.
• Research Skills:
  • Strong ability to conduct literature synthesis and summarize academic and policy research.
  • Excellent written communication and academic writing skills.
• Soft Skills:
  • Detail-oriented, organized, and self-motivated.
  • Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a research environment.
  • Interest in entrepreneurship, innovation, and the role of technology in social and economic development.

Disclaimer

This description is only a summary of the typical functions of the internship, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible internship responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the intern might differ from those outlined in this description, and other duties, as assigned, may be part of the internship.

Important: eligible candidates must have current resident status in Qatar. International applications will not be considered for this role.

Internship Eligibility

• Eligible candidates must be based in Qatar and possess valid documents (e.g. QID) for the entire duration of the internship.
• Eligible candidates must be available to commit to 20 working hours per week
• Office attendance is mandatory (not open to remote work)