Sam Ray-Chaudhuri

What first attracted you to the IFS?

Leaving university, I wanted to work somewhere where I could make use of the economics skills I learnt during my degree. At IFS I knew I would be able to apply economics tools to important policy questions. 

Which projects are you working on at the moment?

On one project we are estimating the impact of various policy reforms on the number of disability benefit claimants, which we hope will help us to understand the large rise seen since the pandemic. In another, we are aiming to quantify the extent of remote work in the UK, and explore its impacts on workers.

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

A typical day involves time spent writing code to analyse data, and meetings with co-authors to discuss findings. Communicating results is also a key part of the job, so I am often drafting reports or presentations aimed at a wider audience. At least once a week we have seminars where IFS staff or external academics present their research to get feedback from others. 

What do you particularly enjoy about the job?

I enjoy working with my colleagues to tackle important questions that don’t yet have a satisfactory answer. On a day-to-day basis, the work is engaging as you interpret the results you’ve produced, and devise solutions to the problems that inevitably arise when carrying out applied research. 

How has your career progressed so far?

I’ve benefitted greatly from the variety in my IFS work so far, both in terms of the type of work – from rapid policy responses to long-term academic work – and the broad array of policy areas I’ve looked at. Being encouraged to contribute intellectually to ongoing projects, and come up with ideas for new research, has also put me in good stead to lead projects in the future.

What have you learned from working here?

Working daily alongside top economists with years of experience working on UK fiscal policy means learning how to identify policy-relevant questions, carry out rigorous analysis, and then communicate those findings effectively to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. I’ve also developed my own interests in certain topics, which I look forward to pursuing in the future.  

How would you describe the working environment?

I feel very fortunate to work alongside so many passionate and talented colleagues at IFS. The culture is highly collegiate – everyone’s insights are valued, and junior staff are encouraged to take a high degree of ownership over their work.