International Monetary Fund (IMF) 2022 Economist Program for Recent PhD Graduates

International Monetary Fund (IMF) 2022 Economist Program for Recent PhD Graduates

Application Deadline: 11th December 2021

The IMF is inviting applications for its 2022 Economist Program (EP), starting in September 2022, at its Washington D.C. headquarters.

The EP is a three-year program consisting of two 18-month assignments. It is aimed at talented, recent PhD graduates who are excited by the opportunity to gain operational experience and further develop their macroeconomics expertise while making a direct and meaningful contribution on a global stage to fostering monetary cooperation, securing financial stability, facilitating international trade, promoting sustainable economic growth, and reducing poverty.

Participants in the EP will apply their studies and research to policy work that impacts our 190 member countries and join a team of staff working to address the key global economic challenges. You will travel to countries where you will work closely with country authorities and carry out operational work related to the IMF’s mission. Depending on your assignments, EP program participants will gain broad experience in regional and country-specific issues, as well as in fiscal, monetary, the balance of payments, debt, or other related issues and contribute to our analytical work.

In combination with your work assignments, you will be able to participate in a range of training and development activities and will be mentored, guided, and supported by seasoned economists, all with a view of ensuring a satisfying and exciting start to your career at the IMF. 

Requirements

The IMF is seeking 30 top economists from around the world who:

• Have recently completed or are expected to complete a PhD within a year (or less) of joining in fields including macroeconomics, finance, public finance, monetary economics, international economics, trade, poverty issues, political economy, econometrics or related areas.
• Possess an excellent academic record.
• Have validated analytical, quantitative, and IT skills.
• Show an interest in, and aptitude for, working in an international organization and contributing to economic policy issues.
• National of one of our member countries.
• Below age 34 at the entry to the program on September 12, 2022.
• Have strong written and oral English skills.

Ideal candidates will also be:

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• Motivated by making significant contributions to the economic well-being of our members. 
• Able to demonstrate a sound understanding of macroeconomics (even if specialized in other areas during graduate school), able to utilize conceptual frameworks to commutate complex ideas, and be comfortable in navigating around the different sectors of an economy and the linkages between these sectors.
• Able to undertake a combination of operational, analytical, and research work.
• Versatile and flexible in learning about different areas while also possessing a strong field of relevant expertise.
• A natural collaborator motivated by exchanging information and ideas with others to reach common goals and making a substantial contribution to the team’s work.
• Cultural agility and emotional intelligence to engage effectively internally and externally, develop relationships, and build strong networks.
• Willingness to travel (can vary based on assignment but typically one-two mission per 18-month EP rotation)
• Proficient in, or be willing to learn, foreign languages. (Languages other than English are useful but not a requirement.)

Benefits

• During the three-year program, all EPs are expected to have participated in at least one mission to a country. Depending on your assignments and interests, you may participate in multiple country visits.
• As an EP, you will receive additional training and support along with oversight from a dedicated central team managing the program and senior economists in each EP department. You will also join a cohort of other EPs. This group will provide an important network to build your knowledge and exposure within the IMF, both during the three-year program and beyond.
• The EP is designed to provide you with an accelerated start to your career, beginning with a broad foundation of the IMF’s work, and taking advantage of the information available from a strong network of other EPs. Most EP graduates have chosen to stay at the IMF after graduation and many have progressed to senior roles in the organization. Those who have left, have gone on to a wide variety of prominent roles in central banks, governments, academia, and the financial sector.

Selection process:

• The IMF will conduct an initial screening based on your application form and supporting documentation. If you are successful in meeting our initial criteria, you will receive an invitation for a preliminary interview. 
• This may be during our university campus visits, at the American Economic Association (AEA) Annual Meeting, by phone, or by video. 
• Following a successful preliminary stage (preliminary interview + transcript + references) IMF will invite you for a virtual panel interview. 
• The preliminary and panel interview stage will take place through the end of the year and during January 2022, with the two steps overlapping. 

To learn more, visit www.imf.org