1. Internship Topic
Fiscal Policy for Inclusive Development
2. Summary of Job Description
The intern will conduct policy-relevant empirical research and data-related tasks to explore how fiscal policy can promote inclusive and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. The project will leverage a novel database, recently assembled by ADB’s Economic Research and Impact Evaluation (ERDI) Department. The database tracks discretionary fiscal policy interventions in several Asia-Pacific countries using a narrative approach, thus improving on earlier approaches, which may mistakenly classify episodes where fiscal variables simply react to output as policy interventions.
The research project may address questions such as:
• How do fiscal consolidations/expansions impact output and related economic variables?
• How can fiscal policy foster equality and inclusivity?
• Does the composition of a fiscal package matter for its impact on the economy?
• How does the potential response of monetary policy shape the impact of fiscal policy?
• How do fiscal policy interventions impact consumer and business confidence?
• What are the key ingredients for a successful fiscal consolidation?
The intern would work on one of these, or a related, research question and address it using a combination of country-level data, with the potential to incorporate regional-level data to improve identification.
3. Period of Assignment
Duration: 11 weeks
Timing: June 2025 onwards
4. Location
ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines
5. Expected Outcomes
• Presentation of methodology, data and key findings in an ERDI seminar;
• Research paper to be published as working paper in the ADB Economics Working Paper Series.
6. Education Requirements
Currently enrolled in Ph.D. program in Macroeconomics at an advanced stage. Specialization in fiscal policy is preferred.
7. Relevant Experience and Other Requirements
• Passion for policy-relevant economic research
• Solid skills in gathering, structuring and processing data
• Mastery of state-of-the-art econometric techniques
• Proficiency in econometric software such as STATA or R
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Ability to carry out economic research demonstrated through published working papers
Closing Date
Friday, February 28, 2025 11:59 p.m. (2359 Manila Time, 0800 GMT)
