Senior Economist

Who We Are

Join a team that puts its People First! As a member of First American’s family of companies, Data & Analytics is a national provider of property-centric information, analytics, risk management and valuation solutions. First American maintains and curates the industry’s largest property and ownership dataset with over 7 billion document images. Our major platforms and products include: DataTree®, FraudGuard®, RegsData™, TaxSource™ and ACI®. The First American Data & Analytics division boasts more than 20 patents and remains at the forefront of innovation - leveraging technology and data to deliver best-in-class decisioning solutions. Fueled by our industry-leading data and using our technology and proprietary process, our solutions provide lenders, real estate and title companies with actionable insights - enabling them to make better, increasingly automated, decisions. With offices in all major metropolitan areas, including California and New York, DNA teams work collaboratively from across the country. Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for eleven consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com.

What We Do

In 2026, First American was named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine for the eleventh consecutive year. At First American Data & Analytics, we build on that People First culture by using proprietary property, title, transaction, mortgage, and market data to deliver insights that help customers better understand real estate markets.

The Senior Economist will play a key role in advancing First American Data & Analytics’ economic research, market intelligence, and thought leadership capabilities through data-driven analysis, insight development, and external communication. This role will help transform First American’s proprietary data assets into actionable market intelligence, scalable analytical frameworks, and compelling market-facing insights that support customers, business stakeholders, and broader industry engagement.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical and quantitative skills with intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to translate complex data into clear, meaningful insights for both technical and non-technical audiences. The role requires a balance of rigorous economic research, practical business insight, and effective communication.

This role will collaborate closely with the Office of the Chief Economist as well as Data & Analytics, Product, Marketing, Communications, and business leadership teams to support aligned research priorities, insight generation, and market education initiatives.

What You'll Do:

• Develop and maintain high-quality analytical datasets, economic indicators, dashboards, and reporting frameworks using First American’s proprietary data assets.
• Conduct economic, housing, mortgage, property, transaction, and broader real estate market analysis to identify trends, risks, opportunities, and emerging market dynamics.
• Apply critical thinking and quantitative analysis to transform complex data into actionable insights, research content, and market intelligence.
• Identify, validate, document, and operationalize vetted datasets and methodologies that support scalable and repeatable research and reporting.
• Support the development of predictive models, forecasting frameworks, and analytical tools related to housing, mortgage, transaction, and broader economic trends.
• Partner cross-functionally with data, analytics, product, marketing, communications, and business teams to improve data quality, usability, consistency, and insight development across research initiatives.
• Develop research briefs, market commentary, presentations, dashboards, and customer-facing analytical content that support market education, customer engagement, and strategic initiatives.
• Contribute to webinars, presentations, conference materials, media support content, or other thought leadership initiatives as appropriate.
• Create clear business definitions, metrics, reporting logic, and analytical documentation to support consistency across dashboards, reports, presentations, and market insights.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify opportunities for differentiated insights using First American’s proprietary data assets across residential, commercial, and broader property market segments.
• Present research findings and market insights to internal and external stakeholders as needed.

What You'll Bring:

• Master’s in Economics, Finance, Computer Science, Statistics, Data Science (PhD preferred), or an equivalent discipline with 2–3 years of related work experience; or BS/BA with 4+ years of related post-graduate work experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in economic analysis, applied research, market insights, or data-driven analytics, preferably within real estate or related markets.
• Strong understanding of real estate markets, including property data, mortgage and transaction activity, and broader macroeconomic drivers across residential and commercial markets.
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and market intelligence.
• Experience working with large and complex datasets using tools such as SQL, Python, R, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, or similar analytical and visualization platforms.
• Knowledge of statistical methods, economic forecasting, time series analysis, and predictive modeling techniques.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience developing research content, presentations, reports, dashboards, market commentary, or customer-facing insights.
• Comfortable presenting insights in meetings, webinars, customer discussions, or industry forums as needed.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across analytics, product, research, marketing, and business teams in a fast-paced and matrixed environment.
• Strong attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.

Pay Range: $129,300.00 - $172,300.00 AnnuallyThis hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location.

First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act).

First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements.

What We Offer

By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First culture is inclusive for all employees - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term.Based on eligibility, First American offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO/paid sick leave and other great benefits like an employee stock purchase plan.

Originally posted on Himalayas