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The Economic Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City seeks to hire a new or experienced Ph.D. economist with research interests in the macro-financial dimensions of payment systems—including payment and settlement infrastructure, stablecoins and digital assets, wholesale and interbank settlement, and the role of payments in monetary policy transmission and financial stability. The Bank offers excellent resources and support to economists, including a collaborative work environment, high-quality research assistants, a high-performance computing environment, and an in-house Federal Statistical Research Data Center (KC FSRDC). 

JEL Classifications: E42 – Payment Systems; E58 – Central Banks and Their Policies; G21 – Banks; Depository Institutions; G23 – Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments 
 
Keywords: Payment Systems and Financial Market Infrastructure, Wholesale and Interbank Settlement, Monetary Policy Implementation, Digital Assets and Stablecoins 

Key Activities 

• Provides policy advice to the Bank's President, Board of Directors, and senior Bank management on payment systems, banking, and monetary policy issues, current economic and financial conditions, staff outlook, and regional conditions. 

• Conducts research on the macro-financial dimensions of payment systems and related monetary/financial topics, presents research at conferences, and publishes in top general and field journals in economics and finance. 

• Writes articles for Bank publications—including the Economic Review, The Macro Bulletin, The Main Street Economist, the Research Working Paper series, and Payments System Research Briefings—based on original research on complex, policy-relevant topics. 

• Presents research and Bank perspectives on payment systems and the economic outlook to banking, business, and professional audiences; demonstrates an ability to translate technical research for non-academic audiences. 

• Provides feedback on colleagues' research informally at conferences and seminars, and formally through referee reports. 

• Participates in training and mentoring of junior staff, directing work and explaining economic concepts and analytical techniques. 

• Actively participates in department activities and policy discussions, contributing to the department's intellectual environment. 

• Performs most assignments independently, with guidance from the supervising officer or Director of Research as needed. 

• Uses superior knowledge of economic theory, econometrics, and payment systems to produce rigorous research and sound policy briefings. 

• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications 

• Doctorate in Economics or Finance. 

• Research focus or strong demonstrated interest in the macro-financial aspects of payment systems (e.g., market infrastructure, stablecoins, digital assets, wholesale settlement, monetary policy transmission). 

• Superior knowledge of economic theory, econometrics, and statistics; state-of-the-art training comparable to top Ph.D.-granting departments. 

• Strong potential to publish in leading journals and become a recognized leader in the field. 

• Superior computer, statistical, and programming skills. 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical research to policymakers and general audiences. 
    

Please attach the following with your application: 

• CV

• Recent research papers 

• Experienced candidates - the names and contact information of at least three references.  

• New or recent Ph.D. candidates - three letters of recommendation. 

• Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Note: You will not be able to attach documents after application submission.  

Additional Information

How We Work:

• On-site, full-time with 5 days per month remote work flexibility.

• Location(s): Kansas City, MO

• Remote Eligible: No

• Relocation Assistance: Yes

Salary:

• $132,200 – $171,100 / Economist
• $167,900 – $217,300 / Senior Economist

• The listed salary is applicable to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Final offers are determined by factors including the candidate’s qualifications, internal alignment considerations, district assignment, and geographic location.  

Citizenship Requirements: This position requires access to confidential supervisory information and/or Federal Open Market Committee information, access to which is limited to "Protected Individuals" as defined by regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

• Protected Individuals include, but are not limited to, U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent resident aliens (also known as "green card holders") who are eligible for and seeking United States citizenship within the requisite timeframes and have at least three or more years residency from the date of legal entry to the United States.

• Candidates who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents may be eligible for the information access required for this position and sponsorship for a work visa, and subsequently for permanent residence, if they sign a declaration of intent to become a U.S. citizen and meet other eligibility requirements.

• In addition, all candidates must undergo applicable background checks and comply with all applicable information handling rules, and all non-U.S. citizens must sign a declaration of intent to become a U.S. Citizen and pursue a path to citizenship.

Screening Requirements: This position has additional screening requirements due to the information accessed while performing the job. These additional screenings would be initiated at the time of offer acceptance and can take up to a couple of months to be completed. You can begin work before the screening is completed; however, continued employment is contingent on acceptable screening results. The areas screened may include education/employment verification, criminal history, credit history, and reference checks

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