Principal Researcher, AI Economic Preparedness

The role

The Principal Researcher will own the analytical core of country programs examining how advanced AI affects development models. You will develop assessment methodologies, review analysis, and drive the development of research tools like the Observatory and Policy Atlas.

What you will do

• Develop Windfall’s country assessment methodology.
• Review analysis before it reaches governments, partners and funders.
• Set standards for data sourcing, estimation and the treatment of uncertainty.
• Develop starting hypotheses for each country regarding AI effects on economy, labor market and public finances.
• Source and analyze data from World Bank, IMF, ILO, and national statistical offices.
• Produce country briefs, scenario designs, workshop reports and comparative findings.
• Drive the development of research tools including AI exposure dashboards and public opinion surveys.
• Guide and mentor researchers and analysts working across country engagements.
• Represent Windfall’s research with academic economists, multilateral research departments and national statistical offices.

Required qualifications

• Typically 8+ years of experience in economic research, policy research or government advisory, or a PhD in economics or a closely related field with substantial applied experience
• Deep grounding in development economics, such as labor markets, informality, structural transformation, trade or public finance
• Demonstrated quantitative skill in designing and executing empirical analysis with country-level or firm-level data
• Experience guiding the research of others, whether as a team lead, a project director or a reviewer of analytical work
• Clear, rigorous writing for senior government and multilateral audiences
• Experience working with governments, think tanks or international organizations
• Collaborative, reliable working style suited to a small team spread across time zones
• Judgment to run several workstreams with little oversight
• A serious interest in how advanced AI could reshape economies, jobs and public finances

Nice to have

• Research that has been peer-reviewed, officially adopted or publicly scrutinized
• Experience at a multilateral or development organization, a central bank or finance ministry research unit, or in strategy consulting
• A background in foresight or scenario planning
• Working knowledge of Python, R or Stata and of AI coding tools such as Claude Code
• Experience convening expert networks or working groups
• Experience in, or a working language of, one or more of the regions Windfall works in

About the company

Windfall Trust is a policy research organization preparing governments and institutions for AI-driven economic disruption. The mission is to ensure that the economic benefits of advanced AI are broadly shared.