The primary mission of the St. Louis Fed Research Division is to provide high-quality, timely advice to the Bank’s president about monetary policy and banking issues. Producing and communicating important economic research in areas such as macroeconomics, international economics, and regional economics are also crucial components of the Division’s responsibilities.
Working with the Division’s economists, research associates (RAs) at the St. Louis Fed play an integral role in achieving these objectives. To learn more about the position and apply visit https://research.stlouisfed.org/RAjobs.
Iris Arbogast
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2020
University/College: Carleton College
Major: Economics
PhD Program: University of Chicago - NSF grant awardee
Iris says: "After interning in the research department at the St. Louis Fed, I knew I wanted to return as a research associate. As research associates, we're given the resources and time to learn to be better economists at a top-tier macroeconomics research institution. The programming, statistics, and economics knowledge that I've gained will be invaluable in economics graduate school. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, I've felt very well-supported by the bank and our group of research associates."
Jason Dunn
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2021
University/College: Colby College
Major: Economics and History
Jason says: "The St. Louis Fed RA position provides me with the ideal experience between my undergraduate and future graduate education. Exposure to the full extent of the research process is integral in understanding the nature of economics and my interest in the field. The job also complements the theoretical learning in undergrad with more technical programming, which is essential in carrying out ideas effectively and efficiently. Most of all, being surrounded by individuals with significant levels of intellectual curiosity continues to motivate me every day in the pursuit of knowledge."
John (Jack) Fuller
Started at the St. Louis Fed: June 2022
University/College: Arizona State University (undergrad) and Saint Louis University (masters)
Major: Economics and Geography
Jack says: “After moving east to St. Louis for my masters, I knew I wanted to continue to build on what I learned from my time back in the desert. This position allows me to not only improve my technical skills, but also widen my perspective in economics from a talented group of economists and fellow research associates. It has overall been a rewarding experience and I am excited to come to work each day and to continue to improve my research capabilities while working with a great group of people."
Praew Grittayaphong
Started at the St. Louis Fed: June 2020
University/College: Vassar College
Major: Economics and Mathematics
PhD Program: University of Michigan
Praew says: "Working at the St. Louis Fed provides a unique opportunity for me to engage in economic research on a wide range of topics. The RA position has allowed me to work closely with experienced economists, helped me strengthen my economic intuition and technical skills, and motivated me to keep learning and taking on new challenges. As someone who hopes to pursue a graduate program in economics in the future, the resources provided at the Bank are very invaluable."
Elisabeth Harding
Started at the St. Louis Fed: February 2022
University/College: Pepperdine University and Trinity College Dublin
Major: Economics and International Politics
Elisabeth says: "Coming out of my graduate program, I was looking for a workplace in which I could continue to develop my research skills. But most importantly, I wanted to be part of an organization that cares about the professional and intellectual growth of their employees. The RA position does just that. At the St. Louis Fed, I am given opportunities to strengthen my programming and statistical analysis skills to complement my theoretical training, and I am surrounded by experienced economists and talented Research Associates that challenge me and feed my intellectual curiosity."
Maggie Isaacson
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2020
University/College: University of Virginia
Major: Economics and Mathematics
PhD Program: University of Pennsylvania - NSF grant awardee
Maggie says: "When picking a place to work after graduation, I was looking for somewhere with opportunities to learn, develop my skills, and apply everything I learned throughout my undergraduate career. The St. Louis Fed provided everything I was looking for, along with a great place to work every day. I’m excited to know the other RAs in the cohort and many experienced economists who can help me in my journey."
Samuel Jordan-Wood
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2021
University/College: University of Minnesota
Major: Economics
Sam says: "Coming out of undergraduate I knew I wanted to be a researcher, because it provides a unique opportunity to spend your day thinking about interesting topics and trying to solve problems. Working at the Federal Reserve gives you the chance to do research with extremely intelligent economists and coworkers. The St. Louis Fed is one of the few that pairs you directly with economists, facilitating strong relationships. You learn more about coding, data, economics, math, and statistics every day. If you are curious about the world, this is the perfect environment."
Jesse LaBelle
Started at the St. Louis Fed: June 2020
University/College: Southern Methodist University
Major: Economics
PhD Program: Northwestern University - NSF grant awardee
Jesse says: "I applied for the position of Research Associate at the St. Louis Fed to get some real world experience in the economics profession. I also knew it would be invaluable preparation—for either a PhD in economics, should I decide to go that route, or any job I decide to pursue in the future. This position will sharpen my analytical and programming skills beyond what other positions offer. I am excited for all the opportunities, both at the bank and outside the bank."
Amy Smaldone
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2021
University/College: Rutgers University
Major: Economics and Mathematics
Amy says: "After graduating college, I knew I wanted to continue to explore economic research and working here at the St Louis Fed gives me that chance. Here, I am able to continue to develop my analytical and programming skills, all the while collaborating with and learning from economists and other RAs. This is a fantastic experience that I am grateful to have."
Ashley Stewart
Started at the St. Louis Fed: July 2022
University/College: Sewanee: The University of the South
Major: Economics with a minor in Mathematics
Ashley says: “Upon graduation, I knew I wanted to immerse myself in economic research and felt the St. Louis Fed would be the perfect environment for that. As a research associate, I work closely with other capable RAs as well as experienced economists who help strengthen my programming and statistical analysis skills and deepen my economic knowledge. Every day at the St. Louis Fed is an opportunity to learn something new and take on a different challenge.”
Trần Khánh Ngân (Ngân Trần)
Started at the St. Louis Fed: February 2022
University/College: Mount Holyoke College
Major: Economics with a minor in Mathematics
Ngân says: "My education in the liberal arts at Mount Holyoke fostered my sense of curiosity and taught me the importance of asking good questions. I wanted to nurture my curiosity beyond graduation, which is why I decided to come back as a fulltime RA after interning in the Research Department. So far, I have had the opportunity to get immersed in every step of the academic research process, from forming research questions to collecting and analyzing data, to writing and editing. I am excited to continue learning and growing as a researcher."
Olivia Wilkinson
Started at the St. Louis Fed: April 2020
University/College: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Major: Economics
PhD Program: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Olivia says: "I decided to apply for this position at the St. Louis Fed because I knew it would be an invaluable learning experience and fantastic preparation for pursuing a PhD in Economics. So far I have already been able to sharpen my analytical and programming skills and learn new things about the Economic research process. I look forward to gaining even more on-the-job experience as well as the opportunity to take graduate courses at some of the universities here in St. Louis."
