Economic Research Assistant

If it were a thing instead of an idea, the economy would be an antique armoire that you’re trying to haul across town from your old house to your new one: Because it’s so big and so heavy, you can’t do it alone; you’ve got to recruit some friends to help you move it.

As an Economic Research Assistant, you’re one of those friends, helping Economists “move” the economy by studying it.

Employed primarily by Economics Professors at colleges and universities, but also by government agencies, private research organizations, trade associations, nonprofits, think tanks, and lobbying firms, Economic Research Assistants manage the administrative functions of economic research projects. Your duties as Economic Research Assistant include: performing background research on economic issues and topics, such as supply and demand, inflation, wealth distribution, employment, and trade; collecting, recording, and analyzing economic data, culled from interviews, surveys, and public records; writing, proofreading, and editing economic reports, abstracts, and briefs for publication; and coordinating meetings, events, publicity, and promotions in support of planned or completed research projects.

Because economics is extremely mathematical, probably your most important duty is making — and double-checking — economic formulas, equations, and calculations in order to ensure the accuracy and integrity of research.

Although you’re very often a student who’s pursuing a Ph.D. in economics, you also might be an entry-level Economist, working your way into a position where you can one day design and execute your own research projects. For now, though, you’re an economics worker bee, doing data “labor” for your supervising Economist, who’ll use your work to comment about current economic trends or forecast future ones.