Joint Committee on Taxation, United States Congress

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

The Joint Committee on Taxation (“JCT”) invites economists to submit applications to join its staff of Quantitative Economists.

As a nonpartisan, joint committee of the United States Congress, JCT operates with an experienced professional staff of economists, attorneys, and accountants, who assist Members of the majority and minority parties with tax legislation in both the House of Representatives and Senate. The JCT staff is closely involved with every aspect of the tax legislative process, including assisting Congressional tax-writing committees and Members of Congress with development and analysis of legislative proposals, preparing official revenue estimates of all tax legislation considered by the Congress, drafting background reports for tax-related bills, and investigating various aspects of the Federal tax system. For more information on JCT’s work, see www.jct.gov.

Quantitative Economists at JCT include microeconomists, who develop economic models and apply econometric methods to analyze policy proposals at all stages of Congressional consideration, and macroeconomists, who use large quantitative general equilibrium models to analyze major tax legislation. Both roles work in a collegial environment on informal teams with other economists, tax attorneys, and accountants to contribute to the legislative process through data acquisition and analysis, model development and improvement, original research, and technical and nontechnical communication. Quantitative Economists’ work is routinely reflected in tax policies being considered by Congress.

JCT currently seeks applied microeconomists. Candidates must be prepared to conduct research, develop expertise in specific tax issues, and bring appropriate econometric techniques to large and small datasets to analyze and report the economic and administrative implications of proposed changes in Federal tax laws. Strong quantitative skills and an interest in policy design and implementation are valuable. Successful candidates will demonstrate an eagerness to impartially inform policymaking and an ability to meet deadlines in a consequential setting.

These are engaging and rewarding positions for economists interested in Federal policy and policy analysis. The breadth of current and potential Federal tax policy requires Quantitative Economists to work in diverse issue areas, from health, employment, and retirement, to business investment, energy, and the environment. Independent research spurred by economists’ Congressional work regularly appears in top academic publications.

Candidates must meet citizenship requirements for Federal employment (generally, have U.S. citizenship or have legal residency that permits timely acquisition of citizenship) and have a Ph.D. or equivalent, with training in public finance preferred. Salary is competitive, commensurate with experience, and complemented with excellent workplace benefits.