Chicago

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Chicago

Our research supports the 7th District's ongoing analysis of the U.S. and global economy and monetary policy as well as issues related to bank regulation, the payments system, and financial markets.

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Our Focus

Our work helps fulfill the Bank’s core monetary policy mission through the production of cutting-edge research and public outreach. Economists and research analysts collaborate on current analysis as well as on ambitious research projects that are often published in leading academic journals.

Current Analysis

Research Assistants work with economists on time-critical analysis of current economic data for important policy work. The analysis includes estimation of forecasting models, gathering data for report, and evaluating current and past market developments.

Academic Research Projects

Research Assistants work with economists on time-critical analysis of current economic data for important policy work. The analysis includes estimation of forecasting models, gathering data for report, and evaluating current and past market developments.

Featured Research

 “Homeowners’ financial protection against natural disasters,”

Alejandro Drexler, Andrew Granato*, and Richard J. Rosen, 2019, Chicago Fed Letter, No. 409.

 

“Economic growth to decelerate in 2019 and then ease further in 2020 as auto sales downshift,”

William A. Strauss and Kelley Sarussi*, 2019, Chicago Fed Letter, No. 417.

 

 “Flooding and finances: Hurricane Harvey’s impact on consumer credit,”

Daniel Hartley, Eleni Packis*, and Ben Weintraut*, 2019, Chicago Fed Letter, No. 415.

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Begin Your Journey with Us

Our recruiting cycle for research assistants starts in September, with positions typically starting the following summer. We also begin posting internship opportunities in September.

Prepare

Review the minimum qualifications and requirements.

  • Qualifications

    A bachelor's degree or more, with an emphasis on economics, mathematics, and statistics.

    Familiarity with programming languages and statistical software packages.

    Prior research or classroom experience analyzing data.

    Ability to communicate clearly and work independently.

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Apply

Review your application carefully before submitting.

  • Remember

    Include in your application a cover letter, resume and transcript.

    Have your letters of recommendation submitted directly to ResearchAssistantLOR@Chi.frb.org.

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Interview

Be ready to schedule a phone and on-site appointment.

  • Let's Chat

    You will meet members from each of our teams to talk about your experience.

    You will have the opportunity to speak to current research assistants to understand the RA experience.

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Accept

Offers are extened for full-time positions.

  • It's Official!

    Upon accepting your offer, you will receive your start date (typically in July).

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Start

Your first week will be spend onboarding and learning.

  • Skills You Gain

    You will acquire a wide range of specialized and general programming skills in the course of their tenure.

    You will help provide high-quality timely input for monetary policymaking.

    You will learn about a variety of data sources, gauge their relative usefulness in answering time-critical questions, and design ways to access this information quickly and reliably.

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Work

After your first week, you'll feel ready to contribute.

  • Congratulations!

    You are ready to begin your journey as an RA.

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Denotes full-time position