Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Economist, Windfall Research

at Windfall Trust

🏢 About Windfall Trust

Windfall Trust is a unique nonprofit dedicated to preparing society for the economic disruptions caused by transformative AI. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven organization at the forefront of AI policy and economic research, with a remote-first culture that values intellectual rigor and real-world impact.

About This Role

As Senior Economist, you will lead the development of Windfall's flagship research products, creating cross-country indices to measure AI's economic impact. Your work will directly inform policy recommendations and help governments and institutions build resilience against AI-driven labor market changes.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve analyzing labor market data from multiple countries, refining indicator weights in your index, and writing up findings for a policy brief. You'll likely have virtual meetings with the research team to debate methodologies and prepare presentations for external stakeholders, with dedicated time for deep work and collaboration.

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🎯 Who Windfall Trust Is Looking For

  • A PhD or Master's in economics with a strong focus on labor markets, fiscal policy, or welfare systems, and a track record of publishing research in these areas.
  • Proven experience designing and defending cross-country indices or complex quantitative frameworks, including indicator selection, normalization, and weighting.
  • Ability to translate high-level AI scenarios into concrete economic parameters, and to analyze labor market resilience using econometric or simulation models.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience representing research externally to diverse audiences, including policymakers.

📝 Tips for Applying to Windfall Trust

1

Highlight any specific experience you have with cross-country indices (e.g., Human Development Index, Gini coefficient) and explain how you've handled methodological challenges.

2

Demonstrate your ability to translate AI scenarios into economic models by providing a brief example or case study in your cover letter.

3

Show your familiarity with AI and its potential economic impacts—mention specific AI technologies or recent reports you've read.

4

Tailor your resume to emphasize quantitative skills, statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, Python), and any work with fiscal or welfare policy.

5

Since the role is remote, showcase your ability to work independently and manage projects with distributed teams, possibly citing past remote work experience.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Express genuine interest in Windfall's mission and explain how your expertise in economics can contribute to preparing society for AI disruption.", 'Highlight your experience with cross-country indices and provide a specific example of a methodology you designed or defended.', "Discuss your ability to convert complex scenarios into actionable economic insights, and how you've done this in past research.", 'Mention your communication skills and experience presenting research to non-academic audiences, which is crucial for external representation.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Windfall's website and any published reports or papers to understand their current research focus and methodologies.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the concept of 'transformative AI' and the economic literature on automation and job displacement.
  • → Look into existing cross-country indices like the Global Innovation Index or the OECD's Better Life Index to understand best practices.
  • → Check if Windfall has a blog or recent news mentions to understand their current projects and priorities.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through a cross-country index you've designed. How did you choose indicators and weights? How did you defend it against criticism?
2 How would you go about translating a specific AI scenario (e.g., automation of 30% of jobs) into economic parameters for a country?
3 What are the key challenges in assessing labor market resilience across countries, and how would you address them?
4 How do you approach cost policy responses to AI disruption? Give an example of a policy you'd analyze and the metrics you'd use.
5 How do you stay updated on AI developments and their economic implications? What recent trend do you find most concerning?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention AI or Windfall's specific mission.
  • Overemphasizing academic theory without practical application—show how your research has real-world implications.
  • Ignoring the remote aspect—make sure to address how you work independently and manage time zones.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Windfall Trust!

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