Research Assistants

Each year, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) hires a new cohort of Research Assistants (RAs) who gain real-world experience by working alongside PhD economists to assist with original economic research and provide critical support for policy analysis.

The RA position is a two-year program and most RAs leave the role well-suited to pursue a graduate degree, often in economics, or a number of different careers at the Board or with other organizations. While at the Board, RAs often become involved in a variety of other projects, including collaboration with various government agencies and Federal Reserve System Banks, and participate in efforts to provide economic and financial literacy instruction to local high school students. RAs are encouraged to attend academic research seminars and presentations given by Board economists and visiting scholars.

Want to learn more about the RA experience across the Federal Reserve System?

Visit fedeconjobs.org. While there, be sure to navigate to Opportunities ~> Washington, DC to learn more about our focus on policy and the national outlook, as well as the application, offer, and onboarding process.

Duties/Responsibilities

RAs at the entry level use standard statistical techniques and a general knowledge of microeconomic or macroeconomic theory to assist economists in their current reporting, research, modeling, forecasting, database maintenance, and regulatory casework.

• Carries out assignments in support of current analysis, research, forecasting, modeling efforts, or regulatory casework, or activities associated with the Federal Reserve's statistical program by using and/or modifying standard statistical and graphics software packages and by developing ad hoc computer programs of moderate complexity.
• Assumes responsibility for the preparation of and verification of data in the section's charts, tables, and other material used in memoranda and briefings to the Board, in the implementation of policy through open market operations, in data books or testimony for Board members, in casework, or in publications such as the Federal Reserve Bulletin.
• Assists economists in monitoring well-defined subject areas or project developments; drafts routine reporting memoranda and analytical memoranda of limited complexity.
• Performs literature searches and summaries.
• Handles routine requests for data or other information from the public, Federal Reserve Banks, or government agencies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics, statistics, math, finance, data science, computer science, public policy, or a rela