Labor Economist

AIR is currently seeking an Economist to join our growing Workforce Development program area. Ideal candidates should possess (or are expecting) their PhD with a concentration in labor economics, public economics, economics of education or a related discipline. Candidates will have the opportunities to work in the areas of postsecondary education, job training and unemployment support, employment and public policy, and other relevant fields.  We seek dynamic leaders who will thrive in a fast-paced yet collegial environment, working as part of a growing team with ambitious aspirations and evolving needs. Join us in our mission to improve equitable opportunity and economic outcomes for disadvantaged populations and communities.

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. 

About AIR:

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.

AIR’s commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment. At AIR, we define diversity broadly, considering everyone’s unique life and community experiences. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives, abilities/disabilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, ages, genders, gender identities and expressions, education backgrounds, and life stories drives innovation and employee engagement. Learn more about AIR's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and hear from our staff by clicking here .

The responsibilities for the position include:

• Identifying and implementing appropriate empirical approaches to answer policy-relevant research questions.
• Developing conceptual frameworks and study designs that guide the execution of research projects.
• Collecting, managing, and working with large-scale data files for research, including administrative data sets and complex surveys commonly for research on labor, training, and education topics.
• Applying appropriate quantitative data analysis techniques, including methods appropriate for experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive research.
• Organizing and documenting research procedures and analytic results.
• Preparing research reports and journal articles, and presenting findings to clients, professional associations and the public.
• Assisting with development and writing of new research proposals in response to specific requests from funders or for investigator-initiated grant opportunities.
• Mentoring research analysts, sharing approaches to solving concrete problems, and providing feedback on the work of others.
• Managing or leading projects or research tasks, with assumption of greater responsibility over time.
• Serving as primary contact with funders for analytical or statistical expertise.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Ph.D. in economics with expertise in labor economics or a related field of microeconomics, with demonstrated proficiency in applied econometrics or statistics.
• Knowledge or experience with the analysis of large-scale data files, and the design of experiments and quasi-experiments.
• Prior quantitative research experience on policy-relevant topics using methods such as propensity scores, regression discontinuity, fixed effects, differences-in-differences, and/or instrumental variables.

 Skills:

• Capacity to work effectively as part of a research teams in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Able to apply advanced statistical methods, and able to effectively engage with non-technical audiences about these methods.
• Highly proficient in Stata, R, or a related programming language, and open to learning new statistical tools as required by different projects.
• Strong communication skills to support publication and presentation of research results for both academic and policy audiences.
• Ability to collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment.

Disclosures:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks.

AIR’s Total Rewards Program , is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers an anticipated annual salary of $120,000 - $140,000. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment .

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer:

AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example jdoe@air.org is correct and jdoe@aircareers.org is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to [email protected] .

If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov . You can also report it to your state attorney general . Find out more about how to avoid scams at ftc.gov/scams .