Chief Economist

**This position may be eligible for remote work for up to 2 days per week pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program. **

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is the nation’s leading municipal enforcement agency charged with delivering economic justice. DCWP leverages its authority to bring New Yorkers real economic relief and protect them from predatory, deceptive, and unfair practices that violate their rights as consumers and workers. This includes pioneering cutting-edge protections, such as the City’s Consumer Protection Law, Protected Time Off Law, Fair Workweek Law, and Delivery Worker Laws. Through licensing more than 45,000 businesses in over 45 industries, DCWP ensures fair competition and a level playing field for responsible small businesses that are integral to New York City’s vibrant communities. DCWP also provides essential services such as free tax preparation and financial counseling to ensure New Yorkers keep more of what they earn and can plan for their futures. DCWP is committed to making sure New York City is a fairer, more affordable place to live. For more information about DCWP and our work, visit DCWP at nyc.gov/dcwp, sign up for the newsletter, or follow us on social media sites, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
The Office of Labor Policy & Standards (“OLPS”) enforces the City’s worker protection laws, including the Protected Time Off Law, Fair Workweek scheduling laws that protect fast food and retail workers, and Delivery Worker Laws that protect delivery workers classified as independent contractors. We also administer the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA) program, which assists freelance workers who have experienced wage theft and other violations. We obtain monetary compensation for workers for violations and bring companies into compliance. OLPS also provides economic analysis in support of DCWP’s consumer protection mission. More information about our office is available at nyc.gov/workers.
OLPS is seeking a Chief Economist to lead a critical role within DCWP’s research and policy work. The Chief Economist will lead a growing team of economists in analyzing how New York City law, policy, and agency enforcement activities can be used to raise labor standards for low-wage and other vulnerable workers, protect consumers from unfair and deceptive acts or practices, and improve the affordability of life in New York City. Research may include a mix of original data collection as well as secondary data analysis, drawing on both descriptive and modern econometric methods. The Chief Economist will supervise their team in disseminating findings externally through publication directed to both technical and non-technical audiences and internally within the City government through reports, memoranda, and presentation. A critical area of immediate responsibility will be managing the economic analysis that will form the basis for DCWP’s statutorily-required rulemaking to set minimum pay for over 100,000 delivery workers and all subsequent fact-gathering and analysis to defend the rule from legal challenge, evaluate impacts, and recommend future regulatory changes.The Chief Economist is expected to work under administrative direction, with the widest latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative, and to supervise DCWP’s economics staff. The ideal candidate has a strong research background in economics or a related discipline, prior experience in New York City economic and social policy, excellent writing skills, and a commitment to protecting and enhancing New Yorkers’ rights as consumers and workers. Applicants with a background in labor economics or consumer economics are both welcomed to apply.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Modeling the prospective impacts of policy proposals originating from DCWP, City Hall, City Council, or other stakeholders;
- Evaluating the impacts of recent policy changes;
- Advising on worker and consumer protection policy priorities and policy designs;
- Measuring wages, prices, and other economic indicators concerning workers and consumers in New York City
- Producing publications, reports, memoranda, and other products that effectively communicate findings and recommendations to policymakers and the public;
- Compiling and maintaining administrative datasets relevant to DCWP’s economic analyses;
- Serving as an expert on the economic rationality of DCWP policies to defend them in litigation;
- Supervising staff in all of the above; and
- Coordinating work with other City agencies, consultants, and external stakeholders, as necessary.
To be considered, please provide a resume and cover letter describing why you are interested in the position and what you would contribute to the team. Include the Job ID for the posting in the header of your letter.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:
Probationary Period
Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.