2026 UK Placement Programme (London / Oxford / Belfast)

2026 UK Placement Programme (London / Oxford / Belfast)

Department: Placement Programme

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London, UK

Description

Oxford Economics is the world’s foremost independent economic advisory firm. We have a fantastic opportunity for hard-working economics / finance students to join our team in the United Kingdom on a one year industrial placement. Positions are available on the following teams: Macro Forecasting & Analysis, Cities & Regions, Global Industry, Scenarios & Macro Modelling, Data Team, Macro Consulting, Economic Impact, Economic Footprint & Sustainability, and Tourism Economics.

Successful candidates will gain experience within areas related to their degree subject. Students will work closely with our experienced team of economists and take on responsibility for analysis, country forecasting and econometrics. By joining our teams, you will achieve an in-depth practical knowledge related to your degree subject.

Placement positions are available in the following areas of the business:

Using the Oxford Economics Global Economic Model, the macro forecasting and analysis team produces forecasts for GDP, inflation, interest rates and hundreds of other indicators for more than 200 countries updated twice a month. The team also produces written analysis on the implications of the latest economic data and policy news, and in-depth research on the critical issues that will shape the performance of economies and financial markets. Positions are available within the Macro Strategy and Emerging Markets, Real Estate, and Eurozone teams, situated in our award winning Macro and Investor Services division. You should have a particular interest in macroeconomics, quantitative analysis and financial markets. More detail on the positions can be found below.

National-level economic analysis provides only a partial guide to the dynamics unfolding in the world’s major urban centres. Our unique suite of forecasting services covers over 8,000 cities and regions across the world, providing regularly updated data, forecasts and analysis for each location. Our city consultants also work in the areas of urban and regional development, bespoke model building and location benchmarking. As a placement student in the cities team, you will assist in producing these regional forecasts, as well as supporting our economists in developing the quality of our services. This could include contributing to written reports or exploring novel approaches to data estimation, such as using satellite imagery to estimate regional activity. Over the course of the year, students will gain a deeper understanding of regional economics and how city performance differs from the macroeconomy, developing technical skills across the MS Office suite, Eviews and the mapping software QGIS in the process.

Our team comprises economists who are focused on particular sectors, such as energy generation and renewables, across the countries that we cover. The role of the placement student on our team is to provide support to the economists, forecast their own industries and contribute to monthly and quarterly reports. As the year progresses, placement students are given more interesting work, including forecasting some small macroeconomic countries so long as they perform well in producing work and supporting the economists with work that has a high attention to detail. The placement student is assigned a sector to forecast every quarter and they contribute with write-ups about their sector in our monthly and quarterly publications. Our commodities team is also supported on a monthly basis by the placement student. The industry team is involved in a number of regular and bespoke consultancy projects for a range of large industrial firms and trade associations and our placement student is typically required to help with report writing and analysis, for example, previous placement students made a significant contribution in supporting our economists for our flagship Global Construction reports and were cited within the publication while others have been able to write the front page piece of our monthly documents.

Our London team focuses on designing scenarios and building macroeconomic models that help clients assess the impact of major global risks, from inflation and geopolitical tensions to climate change. Using Oxford Economics’ Global Economic Model, the team supports our Global Scenarios and Climate Services while also delivering bespoke projects such as bank stress tests. This work blends economic insight with technical modelling to provide clients with robust, data-driven answers. As a placement student in the Scenarios and Macro Modelling team, you will gain broad exposure to economic consulting and modelling work. Most of the team’s projects involve working with the Oxford Economics Global Economic Model (GEM), the most widely used commercial large-scale macroeconomic model in the world, to develop bespoke scenarios. You will be given more responsibility as you develop your skills and knowledge. By the end of the year students will typically be able to support the production of macroeconomic scenarios. Scenarios are a necessary tool to help clients understand the potential economic impacts of real-world events, and through this, you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and application of economics to real world questions.

Our Belfast team specialises in applied macroeconomic consulting and research, helping clients navigate uncertainty and make strategic decisions. Alongside tailored scenario projects, the team produces thought-leadership analysis on topical global issues, positioning clients at the forefront of industry and policy debates. The team’s placement student will assist with the production of research, taking more responsibility as the year progresses. Research topics which placement students have contributed to or led on in the past have included: producing cross-country indicators of financial conditions; assessing countries’ fiscal positions post-COVID; and the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on countries’ terms of trade. Students also have the chance to produce country economic forecasts and write associated reports, alongside responsibilities in recurring weekly and monthly projects.

We show the social, environmental, and economic impact of our clients’ activities and help communicate these to key stakeholders. Our work ranges from in-depth modelling and quantification of the effects of economic policy changes for governments to detailed quantification of the footprint of companies on particular communities. As part of this role, you will have the opportunity to assist all members of the team on a wide range of projects. The tasks undertaken will vary according to the nature of projects.

Our London-based Economic Footprint & Sustainability team supports clients in addressing the economic and policy challenges of climate change and the transition to net zero. The team applies Oxford Economics’ modelling tools and sector expertise to assess the costs, opportunities, and wider implications of sustainability policies, environmental regulation, and decarbonisation strategies. Their work helps businesses, governments, and financial institutions understand the economic trade-offs of climate action and develop evidence-based strategies for a sustainable future. In this role, you will support team members across various projects, with your responsibilities adapting to the specific requirements of each project.

Tourism Economics is an Oxford Economics company dedicated to forecasting and analytical consulting in the tourism sector. We combine an understanding of the travel sector with proven economic tools to answer the most important questions facing our clients. Our work ranges from tracking, modelling and forecasting travel sector performance, to quantifying the economic impact of visitors, events and destination marketing, to conducting policy and market analysis and bespoke research. We provide quarterly updated global forecasts to clients which cover 185 countries and over 300 cities, consistent with the economic outlook for origins and destinations. This position offers the chance to collaborate with the entire team on diverse projects, with tasks changing depending on the project’s scope and objectives.

You will provide support for the development and maintenance of systems to create our economic datasets. As the year progresses, there will be the opportunity for successful candidates to gain experience within areas related to their degree subject. Our students work closely with our experienced team of economists and take on some responsibility for analysis, country forecasting and econometrics. Our students have undertaken various projects in the past such as setting up economic models from scratch, working on data projects with economists and automating procedures. This role requires a close attention to detail.

Training Opportunities

Placement Students will have the opportunity to partake in a diverse range of training opportunities, including formal training sessions designed to support you in reaching your professional and personal development goals. You will be supported by comprehensive training on the unique technical and business skills needed to handle economics projects, forecasts, and research.

Other training helps you to hone your communication, project management, presentation, and advanced econometric and Excel skills. This training will be delivered via short courses, on-the-job training, and a group project.

Your first few weeks at Oxford Economics will include a carefully curated schedule of training with leading economists, HR professionals, marketing, and program alumni. You will learn more about the work of all of the teams across Oxford Economics and get practical training on topics such as:

• Using the Oxford Economics Global Economic Model
• Haver, Power BI and Tableau
• Econometrics applications
• Data tools
• Writing skills

The Working Environment

Although a large global organisation with more than 700 staff in total, we strive to retain the best features of our original start-up environment. We cultivate entrepreneurial thinking by supporting staff to pursue opportunities and map their own career paths. This means an informal but hard-working culture. We offer a hybrid working model for our graduates, with three days in the office and two days from home.

With more than 20 offices around the world, you will have the opportunity to explore your interests on a global scale. As well as working hard, we encourage employees to volunteer in the community. There are regular social events and staff parties, and more informal lunchtime and evening activities, often organised by individuals.

Requirements

Oxford Economics’ Industrial Placement program is for high-achieving University students with studying economics who want to apply their understanding of economics to real world issues. You must be able to put together logical economic arguments and explain them convincingly to economists and non-economists alike. You will need to be a fast learner with strong analytical skills and keen attention to detail. You should be comfortable meeting tight deadlines and working under your own initiative.

Successful candidates are highly numerate and have excellent technical skills. They work well with others, take responsibility for the quality and timeliness of their work, and demonstrate a creative approach to problem-solving. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is essential, as is fluency in English.

We welcome applications from those who meet the following requirements:

• studying Economics or other related degree.
• able to undertake a 1-year industrial placement year working full time.
• a good grasp of economic theory.
• expected grade of 2:1 or above.
• experience with economic data and analysis and coursework.
• excellent written and verbal communication.
• a good eye for detail.
• proactive problem-solving approach.
• strong knowledge of Excel.
• experience with manipulation of data sets using software such as Access/Stata/Eviews/R/Python would be a plus.

Please submit a CV and covering letter in the application window.

In your covering letter please 1) list the three teams you would prefer to be assigned to for your placement year, and 2) whether you prefer to be based in London, Belfast, or Oxford.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting from Wednesday 24th September 2025, so we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible for consideration. We acknowledge all applications and will contact you by email if we wish to proceed with your candidacy.

Oxford Economics is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by the law.