Join the Economist Service

Join the Economist Service

Are you intellectually curious, analytical and creative? Do you want to support evidence-based policy formulation to improve the lives of Singaporeans? Are you skilled in quantitative analysis and able to communicate your ideas clearly to economists and non-economists alike? If so, we encourage you to consider a career with the Economist Service!

Competitive Salary
The Economist Service scheme offers a competitive remuneration package, with salaries benchmarked to the private sector.

Career Progression
Economist Service officers benefit from a well-defined career pathway and systematic job rotation opportunities.  New officers typically begin their careers in the Economics Division (ECD) at the Ministry of Trade & Industry (MTI), the parent Ministry of the Economist Service. 

After two to three years in ECD, officers may be rotated to other government agencies or MTI divisions to gain exposure to a broader range of policy issues and deepen their expertise in particular fields of economics.

Learning and Development
Besides on-the-job training, Economist Service officers are encouraged to participate in external courses, workshops and conferences to deepen their economic knowledge and professional expertise. Officers may attend local and overseas summer schools and conferences to learn new empirical techniques and keep abreast of the latest economic research and policy initiatives.

Over the years, Economist Service officers have participated in various academic conferences, including those organised by the American Economic Association and the Royal Economic Society, as well as industry-related conferences.

Economist Service officers who perform well may be offered scholarships to pursue full-time Master's or PhD degrees at top local and overseas universities.

Professional Recognition
Economist Service officers gain visibility by sharing their research and policy insights with Ministers, senior government officials, and cross-ministry audiences. Their work contributes to policy development in areas such as economic surveillance, fiscal and manpower policy, infrastructure planning, healthcare financing, and social support schemes. These platforms enable officers to demonstrate the practical value of economic analysis, inform policy decisions, and build professional credibility within the public sector.

Our Selection Criteria

We recruit graduates from local and overseas universities through a rigorous selection process. We also welcome applications from mid-career applicants.

Fresh Graduates
If you are interested in joining the Economist Service, you can start applying during your final year of university.

You should meet the following criteria:

• A strong degree in Economics, Econometrics or related disciplines such as Data Analytics

• Quantitative skills, particularly empirical econometrics and/or data analytics

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to express complex ideas simply and logically

Mid-Career Professionals
You are welcome to apply if you are an experienced professional economist or are keen to make a career switch.

You must have at least a Bachelor's degree in Economics.

Mid-career professionals who have successfully joined the Economist Service come from a wide range of backgrounds, including:

• Academic faculty members from local and overseas universities

• Analysts from leading global and local banks

• Public sector officers from Ministries and statutory boards

Our Selection Process
We consider applications as and when they are received.

If you are shortlisted, you can expect:

• A written test covering Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and Econometrics

• An interview with a panel of senior Economist Service officers

Please download our MTI Economist Service Brochure [PDF, 7.5 MB] to learn more about the Economist Service and the opportunities available.

Please send any queries to MTI_ES@mti.gov.sg.

The Economist Service Scholarship

Launched in 2011, the Economist Service Scholarship aims to attract students who are passionate about Economics to become public sector economists.

You may apply for the undergraduate scholarship if you plan to pursue undergraduate studies in Economics at a local or overseas university. You may also apply for the mid-term scholarship if you are currently an undergraduate who is majoring in Economics.

As an Economist Service scholar, you may be sponsored for a Master's degree after completing your undergraduate studies.

Scholarship details

Course of Study
The scholarship is for undergraduate studies in Economics or Econometrics.

Double degrees or majors with a focus in Economics or Econometrics, with additional coursework in related disciplines such as Computer Science, Data Analytics, Mathematics, and Statistics may also be considered.

Place of Study
Local and reputable overseas universities.

Terms of Scholarship
The scholarship terms are:

• Tuition fees and other approved charges

• Maintenance and other allowances

• Return economy class airfare (if relevant)

• Possible sponsorship of Master’s degree

Length of Bond
The length of bond will be:

• 4 years for local studies

• 6 years for overseas studies

Eligibility Criteria
Candidates should meet the following criteria:

• Be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents (intending to take up Singapore citizenship)

• Have good results for either GCE 'A' levels, International Baccalaureate or NUS High School Diploma (for those applying for undergraduate scholarship)

• Have outstanding undergraduate results (for those applying for the mid-term scholarship; applicable for Year 1 to penultimate year students)

• Have good Co-Curricular Activities records

• Have strong leadership qualities

• Have a keen interest in the application of Economics to the analysis of public policies

Apply
Apply through the Public Service Commission (PSC) gateway portal, and indicate “Economist Service” as your first choice of service.

Economist Service Research Assistant Programme

Introduction
The Economist Service Research Assistant (ESRA) Programme offers internships for students to participate in applied research, expand their professional networks, and learn more about the Economist Service.

ESRA participants typically work on an empirical research project under the supervision of Economist Service officers in MTI or other government agencies.  While projects are usually assigned by Economist Service officers, we are open to considering ideas from ESRA participants.  

ESRA participants will receive training and mentorship on conducting rigorous analyses, applying economic theories and principles to public policy issues, and developing clear policy recommendations.  At the end of the programme, they will have the opportunity to present their research findings to the Chief Economist and/or other senior Economist Service officers.

Internship Period
Although internships are typically offered during the summer cycle from May to September, applications for other start dates may also be considered. Interns may be supervised by Economist Service officers in MTI or other government agencies.

We expect interns to commit at least ten weeks to ensure a meaningful and enriching internship experience.

Requirements
All ESRA applicants should have a strong interest in applying Economics to public policy. We accept applications from pre-university, undergraduate and graduate students.  We are especially interested in applicants who demonstrate a strong interest in Economics and, preferably, have prior experience undertaking quantitative or Economics-related research. Candidates with the following skills will have an advantage:

• Familiarity with statistical/ mathematical tools or general-purpose programming languages (e.g., Stata, R, Python);

• Familiarity with general techniques used for programme evaluation and causal inference (e.g., instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity designs); and

• Familiarity with basic data science techniques (e.g., machine learning) and/ or web-scraping.

As places are limited, priority will be given to penultimate-year university students.

Apply
Submit your application here. A cover letter is not required.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Applications for the summer cycle should reach us before March, while applications for off-cycle internships should reach us at least 1.5 months before the proposed start date.

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview with Economist Service officers.