Maxfield Hubych

Maxfield Hubych is a Senior Finance and Operations Associate with J-PAL Global. J-PAL Global provides research and policy expertise in each of J-PAL’s eleven sectors: Agriculture; Crime, Violence, and Conflict; Education; Environment, Energy, and Climate Change; Finance; Firms; Gender; Health; Labor Markets; Political Economy and Governance, and Social Protection. 

He identifies curiosity as a key element in doing his job well. “Everything you learn can help you improve your work and service to others,” he says.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Santa Fe, with a double major in Philosophy and Literature.

Describe your roles and responsibilities.

I’m responsible for the financial and operational management for J-PAL’s Learning for All Initiative, which aims to improve student learning outcomes by addressing foundational literacy and numeracy, pedagogy, holistic skills, and barriers to equity and inclusion, particularly for girls. Day to day, this means helping our researchers through the steps of receiving funding from MIT, monitoring their research progress at a portfolio level, and helping my team provide progress reports to our lab’s donors.

How long have you worked at MIT? 

I joined J-PAL and MIT in November 2024, so nearly two years. Before that, I helped manage large budgets for USAID contracts in Washington DC. 

What’s the best thing about your job?

For me, it’s the people I work with. My colleagues are brilliant and thoughtful and they are committed to research that changes policy and makes a real difference in the lives of the poor. 

What advice would you offer someone interested in doing what you do?

I would say to be curious about anything you come across that’s connected to your job. From familiarizing yourself with the research itself to understanding the ins and outs of MIT’s policies. If you see me riding my bike around town, say hello! If I’m not exploring the Boston area, I’m probably reading voraciously or writing poetry.