Economist

OpenAI • San Francisco, CA

6d • $266,000 - $385,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly technical Economist to join the OpenAI Economic Research team studying the real-world economic impacts of AI. This role is designed for economists with up to 5 years of professional experience post-Ph.D. who are interested in using novel, large-scale datasets to study how AI is reshaping economic systems. We are looking for candidates with deep expertise in at least one core domain relevant to AI’s economic impact, and an interest in contributing to a broader research agenda spanning labor markets, firm behavior, market dynamics, and macroeconomic change. This is an individual contributor role where the candidate will organize and execute on their own data-oriented projects. You will work at the intersection of economic research, data science, and public policy to produce rigorous empirical work that informs decision-makers across the public, industry, and government.

Requirements

• A PhD in Economics or a related quantitative field.
• 3–5 years of relevant work experience (industry or policy research).
• Strong background in econometrics and applied microeconomics
• Demonstrated experience working with large or complex datasets, with demonstrated proficiency in SQL.
• Proficiency in statistical programming (e.g., Python, R).
• Research related to labor economics, industrial organization, macroeconomics, or technological change.
• Experience working with platform, labor market, or firm-level data.
• Familiarity with causal inference, machine learning methods, or structural modeling.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute empirical research using large-scale observational or experimental data.
• Apply causal inference and/or structural modeling techniques to study AI-driven economic change.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate research questions into testable frameworks and applicable takeaways across policy, product, and our organization.
• Produce policy-relevant outputs, including academic papers, technical reports, and briefings.
• Contribute to the development of new measurement approaches for AI’s economic impact.
• Use AI across your responsibilities to scale your research impact.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree