Research Scientist - Economist

Job ID: 200059839Posted: 2026-10-07Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $102,100 - $202,200 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 3 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Research, Applied, & Data SciencesDiscipline: Research SciencesCompany: MicrosoftOverviewSenior Researcher This position is in the Office of the Chief Economist at Microsoft’s Seattle-area headquarters. We are not like other industry jobs: we value both excellence in academic research and internal impact. Our group sits within Monetization and Business Planning. This is an ideal job for economists who value an opportunity to do academic research that makes a large impact in the real world.ResponsibilitiesResearch economists work closely with Corporate Vice President, Chief Economist, Michael Schwarz, and the team of economists and data scientists on high-impact projects in a supportive research environment. Topic areas include advertising effectiveness, media economics, market design, electricity, cloud marketplaces, search auctions, optimal pricing contracts, retail product competition, scalable demand estimation, structural demand estimation, machine learning for both prediction and causal inference, optimal capacity investment, economics of subscriptions, and other applied theory. Successful candidates should drive their own agenda as well as work with the broader team. Candidates with the following backgrounds have historically done well in this environment: empirical IO, applied micro, econometrics, and quantitative marketing. QualificationsRequired/minimum qualificationsMaster's Degree in relevant field AND 1+ year(s) related economic research experience OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 2+ years related economic research experience OR equivalent experience.Additional or preferred qualificationsDoctorate in relevant field OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 5+ years related research experience OR equivalent experience.Proficiency in R or Python, including common tools for data manipulation (e.g., dplyr, pandas, polars), graphing, and causal inferenceKnowledge of standard econometric methods in "small data" (e.g., difference in differences, matching, synthetic control) and "big data" setting (e.g., double machine learning)Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor.Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.Experience with Spark or other tools for processing big dataExperience developing custom empirical models and methods for pricing and/or market design Research Sciences IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $102,100 - $202,200 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $133,800 - $219,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.