SF Fed Research Associate

Position: 2027 SF Fed Research Associate
Company Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Are you a motivated college graduate looking for a chance to make a difference? The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is hiring Research Associates to join our Economic Research team. We welcome applications for multiple positions that start in the Summer of 2027.We are the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco — public servants with a mission to advance the nation’s monetary, financial, and payment systems to build a stronger economy for all Americans.

As part of the nation’s central bank, we are committed to understanding and serving the vibrant, expansive communities of the Twelfth District, which covers the nine western states of the U.S. That means we seek and appreciate new perspectives and build opportunities to learn and grow. At the SF Fed, we approach our work with integrity and a commitment to service.

The Economic Research department is a center for innovative thinking about all aspects of the domestic and global economy. We conduct high-caliber research and provide in-depth and independent analysis to support monetary policy, supervision, and public information. We strive to conduct frontier research that informs policy. We cover a broad set of topics:
Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, International, Finance, and Macro Analysis and Economic Geography.

About the Opportunity:

Research Associates use analytical and computer programming skills in the areas of economics, finance, and statistics to support academic research and monetary policy work by staff economists.

Research Associates can conduct research with multiple staff economists across all sections, providing exposure to different areas of economics and a wide range of methods.

Research Associates have co-authored San Francisco Fed Economic Letters with staff economists.

The position requires a two-year commitment and is ideal for those considering graduate studies, particularly in economics or finance.

Since 2020, our Research Associates have joined PhD programs at Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Michigan, NYU, Northwestern, Boston University, Maryland, UT Austin, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, and UC Irvine, among others. Eight of those were awarded National Science Foundation Fellowships. They have also gone to complete their graduate studies at top law, business, and public policy programs or join other prestigious research and policy institutions.

The San Francisco Fed offers a tuition assistance program, which allows Research Associates to take several graduate and undergraduate classes in economics, mathematics, statistics, and other areas at the University of California, Berkeley, and at Stanford University.

All positions are in-office, based in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area. You would be joining a large, dynamic cohort of Research Associates who share and cultivate an environment of support, teamwork, and collegiality.

What We're Looking For:

Superior academic record with a minimum of an undergraduate degree, or equivalent, completed by July 2027 and includes a strong quantitative background in econometrics, statistics, math, and/or computer programming.

A demonstrated interest in economics or finance.

Excellent writing and communication skills.

Experience/proficiency with R, Stata, MATLAB, or Python; other computer programming experience a plus.

Previous work experience as a Research Assistant also a plus, but not necessary.

This position requires access to confidential FOMC and or/supervisory information, which is limited to "Protected Individuals" as defined in the U.S. federal immigration law. Protected Individuals include, but are not limited to, U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents who either are not yet eligible to apply for naturalization or who have applied for naturalization within the requisite timeframe. Individuals who need immigration sponsorship now or in the future are not eligible for this position, including students in F-1 or J-1 status.

How to Apply:

Applications must include the following (in .pdf format) to be considered:
1. a resume
2. a cover letter
3. an undergraduate transcript (unofficial is acceptable)4. a writing…