Economist

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking a highly technical Economist to join the Economic Research team in San Francisco. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Economics, 3-5 years of relevant experience, and a strong background in econometrics, applied microeconomics, and SQL proficiency.

This role involves designing empirical research, collaborating on projects, and producing impactful outputs in the context of an AI-driven economy. Candidates will work with large-scale datasets to study economic impacts and inform policy.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in industry or policy research.
• Experience with large or complex datasets.
• Familiarity with machine learning methods is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design empirical research using large-scale data.
• Collaborate across teams to apply research to policy.
• Produce academic papers and technical reports.

Skills

Econometrics

Statistical programming (Python, R)

Causal inference

SQL proficiency

Education

PhD in Economics or related field

Tools

Large datasets

Microeconomics knowledge

Job description

Our economics team is continuously working to improve our understanding of an AI-driven economy.

About the Role

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.

Research Areas of Interest

• Economic Measurement of AI Impact (e.g., adoption trajectories, labor market transitions, productivity growth, and forecasting/scenario modeling for AI-driven economic change)
• Macroeconomic Implications of AI (e.g., productivity, technology diffusion, economic growth)
• AI and the Labor Market (e.g., employment, wages, job search, task-level impacts, skill acquisition)

Applicants are not expected to have experience across all domains. We aim to build a team with complementary strengths across these areas.

In this role, you will:

• 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.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• 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.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.