Economist

About the role

SemiAnalysis is seeking an Economist to connect our proprietary semiconductor, supply chain, and datacenter datasets with the broader macroeconomic picture. This role will lead the firm’s research on the economics of artificial intelligence, including AI infrastructure investment, productivity growth, labor market effects, economic diffusion, and the contribution of datacenter development to GDP.

Responsibilities

• Author flagship, long-form research on the macroeconomics of AI, including AI and datacenter capital expenditure cycles, productivity and economic growth effects, GDP contribution from AI infrastructure development, labor market and employment impacts, and the economics and pace of AI adoption and diffusion
• Build quantitative models and forecasting infrastructure that translate complex data into actionable economic insights
• Develop LLM-driven research and estimation pipelines that convert unstructured information into structured economic datasets and time series
• Translate SemiAnalysis’s bottom-up datasets into top-down macroeconomic estimates
• Conduct econometric analysis and develop forecasts that can be used by investors, corporations, policymakers, and research institutions
• Engage with leading academic and policy debates involving transformative AI and long-term economic growth, AI-driven productivity measurement, explosive growth scenarios, technological diffusion, and innovation economics
• Represent SemiAnalysis’s economic research and perspectives through client discussions, podcasts, conferences, interviews, and public writing
• Work closely with analysts covering semiconductors, datacenters, energy, networking, and AI systems to produce integrated research

Requirements

• Bachelors' Degree in Economics or equivalent professional research experience
• Strong research background in one or more of the following areas: macroeconomics, labor economics, innovation economics, productivity, economic growth, industrial organization
• Demonstrated ability to produce rigorous economic analysis using real-world and imperfect datasets
• Strong empirical, econometric, and quantitative modelling skills
• Proficiency in Python or another relevant programming language, with the ability to independently build data pipelines, models, and forecasting tools
• Ability to collect, clean, structure, and analyze large amounts of messy or unstructured information
• Strong written communication skills, with experience producing research for audiences beyond a narrow academic specialization
• Evidence of widely read research, long-form journalism, essays, publications, or other analytical writing
• Genuine and informed interest in the economics of AI, including familiarity with transformative AI, productivity, automation, and technological growth debates
• Ability to work in a fast-paced research environment where accuracy, originality, and speed are equally important

Preferred Skills

• Experience integrating large language models into quantitative research workflows
• Previous experience at a central bank, government or policy institution, sell-side economics research team, investment research firm, economics-focused publication
• Familiarity with semiconductor manufacturing, AI accelerators, datacenter infrastructure, energy markets, or networking systems
• Experience translating technical or industry-specific datasets into broader economic indicators and forecasts
• Strong public communication skills, including experience speaking with clients, appearing on podcasts, presenting research, or engaging with the media
• Ability to form independent views and challenge established economic assumptions using new evidence

Growth Areas

This role offers the opportunity to define and build SemiAnalysis’s economics research coverage from the ground up, become a leading public voice on the macroeconomic consequences of artificial intelligence, develop proprietary economic indicators, expand into new research areas, build advanced forecasting and research infrastructure, and grow into a leadership position overseeing economics research, forecasting, and broader macroeconomic coverage within SemiAnalysis.