Data Analyst - Economics Unit

Who we are

We are an organisation that exists to drive progress. That's the “red thread” that connects everyone at The Economist Group (TEG). Our businesses share a devotion to innovation, independence and rigour in their fields of expertise. We empower people to understand and tackle the critical challenges and changes facing the world. Our analytical rigour, global expertise and evidence-based insights enable individuals and organisations to make sense of these shifts and chart a course through them.

We deliver analysis and insights in many formats to subscribers and clients in 170 countries through our four businesses, The Economist, Economist Impact, Economist Intelligence and Economist Education, which uphold our global reputation for excellence and integrity. 

The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) is a global leader in providing economic and political analysis, data, and forecasting. We are committed to helping businesses, governments, and academic institutions navigate complex challenges by delivering insightful, actionable intelligence. Our team of experts combines data science, economic analysis, and technology to create innovative solutions.

The EIU is recruiting for an entry-level position, within the quantitative economics team – an international team of data analysts, economists and econometricians – that is in charge of EIU’s key economic data products and the statistical/econometric model assets that power the forecast and analysis published in the EIU’s core offerings. 

How will you contribute? 

• Perform essential maintenance and quality assurances for the production of economic & industry data and forecasting models.
• Use the quality check analytics to identify issues with the country dashboards, and then liaise with the country editor/analyst to troubleshoot them and ensure the quality of the published data.
• Manage the data service desk, responding to queries directly related to the data and methodology from both internal and external clients

• Through this process, work to resolve data and modelling issues that arise outside of the publication schedule.

• Monitor changes in external data sources and work closely with the regional teams to enhance the quality of EIU data.
• Support development of new models and upgradation of existing models, as per business requirements, working under the supervision of senior and lead analysts.
• Support a diverse range of bespoke forecasting and quantitative research projects, in particular on data collection, data cleaning, analytics and econometric modelling tasks, working under the supervision of project leads.

The ideal skills for this role are:

Must have:

• An advanced degree in statistics, mathematics, applied econometrics, applied economics, business economics or a related quantitative field
• Strong understanding of macroeconomic, demographic, international finance and trade concepts and knowledge of key data series
• Strong secondary research skills and familiarity with global macroeconomic, financial and statistical databases like IMF-IFS, World Bank, OECD, Eurostat, UN, UNCTAD, ILO, BIS etc. 
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and econometrics modelling
• Proficiency in one of the programming language - R or Python
• Working knowledge of key R libraries like tidyverse and ggplot2 (if proficient in R) or key Python libraries like Pandas, Numpy and Matplotlib (if proficient in Python) 
• Familiarity with R-Markdown(if proficient in R) or Jupyter notebook (if proficient in Python) 
• Working knowledge of SQL to query databases
• Advanced Excel skills – experience with formula auditing, manipulating and cleaning large data sets in excel, knowledge of advanced functions like VLookup/HLookup, Match, Offset, Index, Indirect, Nested If-Then-Else and similar
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills
• Good presentation skills

Good to have:

• Familiarity with machine learning models or estimating econometric models with ML elements, like cross validations and bootstrapping would be good to have
• Familiarity in agile methodologies, JIRA for project management, shared codebases (Git), and collaborative workflows.
• Experience with AWS services, including S3 and Athena
• Understanding of Command Line Interface (CLI) for managing cloud or local environments

#LI-Hybrid 

What we offer

Benefits
We offer excellent benefits including an incentive programme, generous annual and parental leave policies, volunteering days and well-being support throughout the year, as well as free access to all Economist content. Country specific benefits are also offered.

Our Values
Our values are a collective set of beliefs and behaviours that strengthen The Economist Group's purpose and demonstrate where we want to be as an organisation. They reflect on our mission to pursue progress for individuals, organisations and the world.

Independence
We are not bound to any party or interest and encourage exploration and free-thinking. We champion freedom, both within our organisation and around the world.

Integrity
We are bold in our efforts to uncover the truth and stand up for what we believe in. We inspire trust through our rigour, fact-checking and transparency.

Excellence
We aspire to the highest standards in all we do. We are ambitious and inquisitive in our pursuit of continuous progress and innovation.

Inclusivity
We value diversity in thought and background and encourage healthy debate with a breadth of perspectives. We treat our colleagues and customers fairly and respectfully.

Openness
We foster a collaborative and empathetic culture conducive to the interests, wit and initiative of our colleagues. New ideas are our lifeblood.

The Economist Group values diversity. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our colleagues and potential colleagues regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, gender identity, race, colour, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital status or any other status.