Economist

The Economist Service is the premier service for economists in the Singapore public sector. By developing a core group of professional economists, the objective of the Economist Service is to sharpen economic analysis in the public sector in order to improve public policies.

Economists in the Economist Service undertake economic research and analysis in many Ministries and agencies across the public sector. These include the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. Through postings to diverse Ministries and agencies, the economists contribute their expertise to inform a wide range of public policies, from economic policies to fiscal, socio-economic, health, security and infrastructural policies.

Your responsibilities include the following areas:

• Surveillance & Forecasting
  - Keeping abreast of developments in the global/domestic economy, and analysing the impact of external developments on the domestic economy (e.g., reconfiguration of supply chains).
• Economic Research
  - Investigating topics relevant to public policies (e.g., impact of government policies/schemes on firm/individual-level outcomes).
• Policy Analyses
  - Supporting the planning and implementation of public policies (e.g., evaluating the impact of tourism projects).

Economists in the Economist Service generally begin their careers in the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry’s Economics Division. In the Economics Division, you will be exposed to a diverse range of issues, including economic growth, inflation and business costs, international trade, industrial strategy, corporate landscape and capabilities, labour market, and productivity and innovation. You will also develop expertise in data science-related areas of research and analysis.

• Degree / Masters / PhD in Economics and other quantitative disciplines such as Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Analytics, Engineering, or related disciplines.
• Strong passion for empirical research and extensive experience in solving complex problems using quantitative approaches.
• Strong quantitative skills (e.g., econometrics and data science) for forecasting, policy modelling and simulations, as well as impact evaluation studies.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to express complex ideas simply and logically.
• Proficiency with statistical/programming software (e.g., STATA, R, Python).

Working at METI places you at the heart of Singapore’s economic policy-making. We drive productivity-led growth, safeguard and expand our economic space, and build a future-ready economy where firms can thrive. Together, we create a Singapore which is a city of possibilities, a home to great firms, and a place where the world connects — with people at its heart.

When you join METI, you contribute to our mission of creating good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans, enabling them to improve their lives and secure a better future.