STAFF ECONOMIST POSITION

Office of Tax Analysis, U.S. Treasury

The Treasury Department's Office of Tax Analysis (OTA) has staff openings for highly qualified economists who have a strong interest in the application of economic analysis to the formulation of public policy. OTA is interested in interviewing junior and senior faculty members, new Ph.D. graduates, and others with Ph.D. equivalent experience. Desired areas of specialization include public finance, microeconomics, health economics, labor economics, education economics, industrial organization, and econometrics. However, OTA will consider candidates with other specialties who have outstanding analytical and communications skills.

U.S. citizenship required. The Department of the Treasury is an equal opportunity employer.

Functions of the Office

The Office of Tax Analysis advises the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Congress on the economic and revenue effects of current and proposed Federal tax policies. These tax policies directly and indirectly affect a wide range of nontax public policies, including health, pensions, welfare, labor, education, housing, financial institutions, the environment and energy. OTA staff provide tax policy advice in several forms: Administration tax proposals; reports to the President and to the Congress; Congressional testimony for top Treasury officials; background analyses, briefing papers, and revenue effects of tax proposals; estimates of receipts and tax expenditures for the President's Budget; and participation in the negotiation of bilateral tax treaties. Analyses provided to policy makers cover the proposal's effect on incentives through changes in marginal tax rates; on the cost of capital; on the distribution of tax burdens by income class, industry, and other economic and demographic characteristics of taxpayers; and on other public policies.

OTA Organization
  • OTA has five divisions:
  • Business Taxation
  • Individual Taxation
  • International Taxation
  • Revenue Estimating
  • Economic Modeling and Computer Applications.
  • OTA is part of the Office of Tax Policy, which also includes legal staffs of the Tax Legislative Counsel, the International Tax Counsel, and the Benefits Tax Counsel.
  • Office of Tax Policy staff, (about 50 economists in OTA, 40 attorneys, and support staff) is under the direction of the Assistant Secretary (Tax Policy).

Stimulating Environment

OTA is an exciting and rewarding place to work. Staff economists have frequent contact with senior Treasury officials. OTA has a distinguished history, counting among its alumni a Nobel laureate, a Chairman and members of the Council of Economic Advisers, several Presidents of the American Economic Association, and other renowned public finance economists. The current staff members have a distinguished record of publications in economics journals, presentations at professional conferences, working papers, etc. The reports and other documents produced by the Office are highly regarded and have significant influence in the development of Federal tax policy.

Exceptional Research Opportunities

  • OTA provides exceptional opportunities for staff to conduct policy-oriented research.
  • One of the largest concentrations available anywhere of highly capable public finance economists focusing on similar or related issues.
  • Unique tax models and data are available to the staff.
  • Close working relationships with expert tax attorneys give staff economists special insight into the legal aspects of Federal tax policy.
  • Staff members are encouraged to publish their research findings in professional journals and in the OTA Papers series.

Tax Models and Data

  • OTA staff develop and maintain a number of detailed and sophisticated simulation models and large tax return and nontax databases.
  • Five major simulation models
  • individual income tax model
  • corporate tax model
  • corporate panel model
  • depreciation model
  • estate tax model.
  • In addition, OTA staff have developed a number of specialized models: banking, insurance, capital gains.
  • Tax return data are from studies conducted by the Statistics of Income Division in IRS, which are overseen by OTA staff.
  • Nontax data: Census' Current Population Survey and the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Consumer Finances.

U.S. citizenship required. The Department of the Treasury is an equal opportunity employer.