How to apply for Senior Economist, Effects of Transformative AI

About Future of Life Foundation

The Future of Life Foundation identifies promising ideas for new organizations, causes those entities to be founded, and incubates them. The goal is to steer transformative technology toward benefiting life and away from extreme large-scale risks. This role sits at the center of that effort by analyzing how advanced AI could reshape economies.

About the role

You will develop economic models analyzing how advanced AI systems could create systemic risks, labor displacement, and power concentration. You will build scenarios for economic disruptions from rapid AI advancement, including deflation, labor displacement, and market concentration. You will also identify early warning indicators for financial system shocks, economic instability, and deteriorating living standards.

A typical day

A typical day might involve building or refining an economic model of AI-driven labor displacement, then writing a short brief that translates the model's output for policymakers. You could also spend time reviewing new research on AI and financial stability, or meeting with colleagues to discuss which scenarios are most relevant for the foundation's incubation work. Since the role is remote, much of the day is spent working independently and communicating through written documents and video calls.

Who Future of Life Foundation is looking for

• PhD in Economics with a focus on labor economics and international economics.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals or equivalent research outputs.
• Experience building economic models that connect productivity changes to inequality, instability, or market concentration.
• Ability to translate complex economic analyses into actionable insights for policymakers and multilateral institutions, and to communicate complex concepts to non-specialists.

Tips for this application

• In your cover letter or research statement, describe one specific economic model you built that analyzed labor displacement or market concentration. Explain the data, method, and what it revealed about systemic risk.
• Connect your work to the foundation's focus on transformative AI. For example, if you have studied automation, show how your findings could apply to advanced AI systems.
• Provide a writing sample that communicates economic concepts to a non-specialist audience, such as a policy brief or op-ed. The role requires translating analysis for policymakers.
• List your publications and working papers with links. The foundation values a strong publication record, so make it easy for them to assess your research output.
• If you have experience with early warning indicators or financial stability analysis, highlight it. This is a specific requirement and not all economists have it.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your PhD in Economics and your specific expertise in labor and international economics, as required.', 'A concrete example of an economic model you developed that analyzed systemic risks, labor displacement, or power concentration.', 'Your ability to communicate complex economic concepts to non-specialists, with evidence such as policy briefs, presentations, or media contributions.', 'Why you want to work on the economic effects of transformative AI at a foundation that incubates new organizations, rather than in academia or government.']

Research before applying

• Read the Future of Life Foundation's website to understand their approach to incubating organizations and steering transformative technology.
• Review the foundation's published reports or blog posts on AI risk, economics, or technology governance.
• Look up the background of the foundation's leadership and advisors to understand their research priorities.
• Search for existing economic literature on AI and labor markets, such as work by economists on automation and task displacement, to prepare for technical discussions.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you model the economic effects of a rapid, AI-driven productivity shock on labor markets and inequality?
• What early warning indicators would you propose for financial system shocks caused by advanced AI?
• How do you translate complex economic models into actionable insights for policymakers and multilateral institutions?
• What are the main channels through which advanced AI could lead to deflation or market concentration?
• How would you design a research agenda on transformative AI economics for a foundation that incubates new organizations?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic cover letter that does not mention transformative AI, systemic risk, or the foundation's incubation model.
• Focusing only on academic publications without showing how your research connects to policy or real-world economic disruptions.
• Ignoring the requirement for expertise in labor and international economics, or failing to provide evidence of communicating to non-specialists.