Principal Labor Economist
Job Summary
As a Principal Economist at UKG, you will serve as a senior thought leader guiding the evolution of workforce and labor market analytics. You will connect labor economics, macroeconomic trends, and financial systems to shape internal strategy and external market positioning. This role involves architecting advanced analytical frameworks, developing forecasting models, and translating complex economic insights into actionable strategies.
Responsibilities
- Establish and expand thought leadership in labor economics
- Lead complex, high-impact, cross-functional initiatives
- Develop advanced economic models and forecasting frameworks
- Partner with product and strategy teams to embed economic insights
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership
Required Skills
- Master's or PhD in Economics, Econometrics, or related discipline
- 7-10+ years of experience in economic analysis
- Deep expertise in labor economics and macroeconomic trends
- Experience with econometric models and forecasting frameworks
- Expertise in large, complex datasets and statistical techniques
Job Details
About the role As a Principal Economist, you will serve as a senior thought leader and trusted advisor, guiding the evolution of workforce and labor market analytics. You will connect labor economics, macroeconomic trends, and financial systems to shape both internal strategy and external market positioning.
This role requires a highly autonomous leader who thrives in ambiguity and operates at the intersection of data, strategy, and influence. You will architect advanced analytical frameworks, develop forecasting models, and translate complex economic insights into actionable strategies that impact executive decision-making and product innovation.
What you'll do:
- Establish and expand thought leadership in labor economics through publications, speaking engagements, and industry engagement
- Define and advance the strategic direction of workforce and labor market analytics aligned to long-term business objectives
- Lead complex, high-impact, cross-functional initiatives with significant visibility and strategic importance
- Develop advanced economic models, forecasting frameworks, and scenario analyses to guide strategic planning
- Integrate large-scale internal workforce data with external macroeconomic and financial indicators to produce differentiated insights
- Anticipate economic, regulatory, and market shifts, translating them into new analytical approaches and product opportunities
- Partner with product, strategy, and data science teams to embed economic insights into client-facing solutions
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, influencing decisions through data-driven recommendations
- Communicate complex economic concepts clearly to executive, technical, and external audiences
- Mentor and elevate team capability in advanced economic analysis, modeling, and methodology
About You
You are a recognized expert in labor economics with a strong understanding of financial systems and macroeconomic dynamics. You bring both intellectual rigor and strategic influence, with a proven ability to translate complex economic insights into business impact.
Basic Qualifications:
- Master's or PhD in Economics, Econometrics, or related discipline
- 7-10+ years of experience in economic analysis, including exposure to financial services (banking, asset management, fintech, or consulting)
- Deep expertise in labor economics and its intersection with macroeconomic and financial trends
- Strong experience developing advanced econometric models, forecasting frameworks, and analytical methodologies
- Expertise working with large, complex datasets and modern statistical/AI-driven techniques
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive outcomes across complex, cross-functional initiatives
- Proven external presence (publications, speaking engagements, industry involvement)
- Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to simplify and translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
- Experience embedding analytics into products or client-facing solutions