MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy’s Golub Senior Distinguished Fellow Peter R. Fisher is accepting applications for a Course Development Assistant beginning in October for his Spring course The Arrhythmia of Finance. Opportunity to continue in new position as TA for the course beginning in the Spring semester based on interest and performance. See detailed descriptions for both below.
Assistant to MIT GCFP Fellow expectations/responsibilities:
Oct-Dec. 2025 – Help instructor design and then construct and maintain Canvas site (course materials; assignment submission and feedback processes); liaise with Library Services for permissions; goal is to post the entire course in Canvas by early Dec.; 10 hrs. per week for 8 weeks, meet with instructor weekly. Student must have the legal ability and capacity to work an hourly appointment.
Ideal candidate and opportunity:
Sloan graduate student (PhD preferred); interest in being fin pro or in understanding fin markets; some knowledge and experience in basics of economics, statistics, corporate finance, markets; knowledge of Canvas; interest in learning (both for self and the process) and in opportunity to learn from scar tissue of 40-years of experience in senior positions at the Fed, Treasury and BlackRock.
About the course:
2026 SP (Spring 2026) 15.S10 000: SSIM: The Arrhythmia of Finance
Professor Peter R. Fisher
Purpose is for students to develop and practice analytic skills (principally non-quantitative) to help them think clearly about the value of financial assets and underlying sources of volatility, focusing on balance sheets and risk. Organized around understanding (1) the role of chance, distinguishing probability from uncertainty; (2) the central but elusive idea of risk, distinguished from volatility; (3) intrinsic or economic value distinguished from accounting value and market value; (4) sources of volatility mismatches within balance sheets; and (5) how the conventions of finance are entwined with uncertainty.
Rationale: In 35 years of hiring and training MBAs, and finance and statistics graduates, at the Federal Reserve, Treasury and BlackRock, few understood the central role of balance sheet mismatches and of uncertainty in financial market behavior. The course (previously taught at Tuck/Dartmouth 2014-2021) attempts to address this shortcoming and give students a vocabulary and framework to navigate the practical challenges of being a financial or investment professional.
Spring TA expectations/responsibilities:
Jan-May 2026 – Act as liaison with students to help instructor create engaging learning environment; attend class (Tu/Th) +10 minutes before/after; track, monitor, and help enforce expectation of 100% class attendance and zero electronic device policy in class, following up with students; maintain canvas site and announcements; help instructor create and post short weekly out-of-class video lectures; help instructor grade class participation and assignments during term; help manage in class rituals and norms, rotating seat assignments and student teams of four; manage grading spread sheet; help manage guest speakers; average 8 hrs. per week for 14 weeks; meet with instructor at least weekly. (Can re-underwrite 2026 time commitment at year end 2025.)
TO APPLY:
Send brief statement of interest, resume and informal Sloan transcript to deirdre@mit.edu by no later than Tuesday, September 30 at 5pm (with preference given to candidates who submit by Friday, 9/19).
