Max Warner

What first attracted you to the IFS?

I was attracted to the IFS by the perhaps unique opportunity to work both on rigorous academic research and high-profile policy analysis. I joined IFS immediately after completing my undergraduate degree, and so the opportunity to pursue a part-time MSc at UCL was also very attractive.

Which projects are you working on at the moment?

I work in the healthcare sector at IFS, and so I have a number of projects related to health and social care in England. On the academic side, I am working on papers looking at the labour supply of doctors, the labour supply of care workers, and new projects on the performance and productivity of hospitals. On the policy side, I work on topics like NHS funding, productivity, and waiting lists. I also work more broadly on public spending and public sector productivity. This involves responding to fiscal events and government announcements, like Budgets, as well as writing reports on key issues – I am currently working on projects on defence spending and public sector productivity.

What kind of things do you do during a typical day at work?

Each day, week and month can be quite varied, depending on the mix of projects that I am working on. I spend some of my time managing the delivery of research projects and supporting and managing junior researchers. I also spend a lot of time writing, reading, thinking and programming on projects. Communicating my research – whether to internal or external people – is another important aspect of my role. Finally, I spend time developing new projects and thinking about how we can have the most impact across my areas of interest.

What do you particularly enjoy about the job?

Each day, week and month can be quite varied, depending on the mix of projects that I am working on. I spend some of my time managing the delivery of research projects and supporting and managing junior researchers. I also spend a lot of time writing, reading, thinking and programming on projects. Communicating my research – whether to internal or external people – is another important aspect of my role. Finally, I spend time developing new projects and thinking about how we can have the most impact across my areas of interest.

How has your career progressed so far?

I joined the IFS as a Research Economist almost five years ago, and have worked on a large number of projects over that time – publishing over 90 things! This year I was promoted to Senior Research Economist. Over time I have taken more responsibility for delivering and coming up with new projects, as well as more line management responsibilities. 

What have you learned from working here?

I have learnt a huge amount from working at the IFS. This includes specific skills, like programming and econometric methods, and specific policy knowledge on the NHS in England. But I have also gained more general skills. These include learning how to be a good researcher, and how to communicate research well.

How would you describe the working environment?

The working environment is friendly and supportive. My colleagues are deeply knowledgeable about their subject areas and passionate about their work. People are always happy to help others and offer their thoughts on research projects.