Senior Economist (Data Science)

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

1. Organizational Context

a. Organizational Setting

The position is located in the Composite Indicator Research Section (CIRS) of the Department for Economics and Data Analytics (DEDA). This WIPO department studies how intellectual property (IP), innovation and intangible assets drive economic growth, and uses data science to map global innovation trends and technology diffusion. As part of this work, CIRS delivers flagship products such as the Global Innovation Index (GII) and supports the development and use of composite and other innovation indicators to advance innovation measurement. Published annually, the GII evaluates nearly 140 economies using around 80 indicators and identifies the world’s top innovation clusters. It is a core function that supports WIPO Member States by providing high-quality data and economic insights to inform evidence-based policymaking aimed at strengthening innovation ecosystems and IP policies and practices. Over 80% of WIPO Member States use the GII to monitor performance, strengthen innovation metrics, and shape national policy.

b. Purpose Statement

The Senior Economist (Data Science), reporting to the head of section, drives the Global Innovation Index (GII) as a strategic platform, strengthening global innovation measurement, benchmarking, and policy by providing Member States - across nearly 140 economies - with a credible and comparable basis for innovation decision-making. Through the production and continuous development of the GII and its components, the role transforms data into actionable insights that enable governments to enhance innovation indicators, innovation performance and policy.

c. Work Relations

The incumbent closely collaborates with other DEDA and IES sections and cooperates with national government agencies, national and international statistical bodies, and other inter-governmental organizations with a view to improving IP and innovation ecosystems and coordinating the various WIPO IES and other services on offer to this effect.

2. Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a. Maximize the quality of GII World Innovation Cluster and Innovation Economy Rankings:
Manage the full process of GII data collection and audit, coordinating across data providers, building new data partnerships and enforcing robust quality controls to deliver the report reliably and on time, the foundation of the credible, comparable rankings that governments act on.
Lead the analysis and author chapters of the GII, and provide substantive inputs to its other components, turning complex data into clear findings that policymakers, business and the media act on.

b. Building the GII infrastructure of the future leveraging technology and AI:
Enhance the availability, accuracy and strategic use of innovation data by conceptualizing and overseeing a modern GII data infrastructure - leveraging automation, advanced AI tools and robust data management processes - to strengthen data quality, improve the performance and reliability of measurement systems, and enable the continuous development of timely and credible innovation indicators.

c. Innovation measurement framework and methodology:
Contribute to the conceptual frameworks and methods underlying innovation indicators, defining the measurement scope, indicator selection and analysis, including via the GII Innovation Ecosystems & Data Explorer and its GII Economy and GII Innovation Cluster Profiles, so the GII measures what matters for policy and stays methodologically sound.
Conduct research to guide new approaches aimed at closing gaps in measuring innovation and creativity, with a special focus on the development of big and micro-data, and the production of scalable, comparable, high-quality indicators to enhance global innovation benchmarking, inform decision-making, and strengthen the organization’s leadership in innovation and IP measurement and policy.
Anticipate emerging innovation and develop the next generation of GII indicators - across innovation finance, innovation linkages, emerging technology areas, and the outputs and real-world impact of innovation - drawing on big data and new sources for timelier measurement that complements lagged official statistics, so the GII stays ahead of the trends it measures.

d. Member state engagement:
Provide technical advice to Member States on building composite indices, including at the subnational level, and promote the use of the GII to improve the comparability and methodological consistency of innovation metrics across countries, while strengthening national technical capacities in data analysis and index development, in particular in low- and middle-income economies.

Strengthen evidence-based policymaking by advising Member States - at national and subnational levels - on improving their innovation performance, while supporting GII National Task Forces worldwide to translate GII evidence into concrete improvements in innovation policy and measurement.

e. Contribution to growth:
Share insights with other areas of the organization to support evidence based policy-making, and in conjunction with the WIPO News and Media Division, shape the messaging and dissemination of the GII results to maximize their impact across regions and the media, build strategic partnerships, and actively promote accession to WIPO treaties and greater use of WIPO Global IP Services, including PCT, Madrid and the Hague.

f. Perform other related duties as required.

3. Requirements

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in economics, data science, statistics, or related fields with developed quantitative and analytical skills in economics and/or data science. A first-level university degree plus two years of relevant professional experience in addition to the required experience mentioned below may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Education (Desirable)

PhD in economics, data science, statistics, or related fields.

Experience (Essential)

At least seven years of professional experience in the field of economics and data analytics, the production and development of data and in providing advice on measurement and policy.
Experience in indicator development, advanced data analytics, statistical methodologies and classifications, advanced database management, AI, and managing teams of internal and external data scientists and data providers.
Experience with external cloud management systems and relational databases (e.g. MariaDB, SQL).
Experience in working in an international setting, including interacting with high-level stakeholders, data providers, and academics.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience with innovation economics, innovation indicators and innovation policy.
Experience in advising senior policy makers on improving innovation ecosystems and metrics.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

Language (Desirable)

Good knowledge of one or more other UN official languages, in particular Spanish.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Advanced knowledge of specialized software and information technology tools for data science, database management, and coding (in particular R and possibly Python) in the context of the production of composite indicators.
Excellent analytical, organizational, drafting and project management skills.
Good command of data visualization tools.
Ability to handle heavy workloads and to manage related prioritization.
Ability to supervise and guide economists, data analysts and manage teams.
Ability to coordinate database and IT requirements with external and internal solutions and suppliers.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders internally and externally and influence decision-making through the credible and effective use of data and best practices.
Ability to maintain effective partnerships, when collaborating with public and private third-party data providers and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Ability to apply advanced AI tools, including to foster advanced data collection, auditing and indicator creation.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Good understanding of the economics of innovation, the analysis of innovation ecosystems and related policy options.
Advanced knowledge of state-of-the-art approaches for the measurement of innovation.
Familiarity with measuring creativity and creative outputs.

4. Organizational Competencies

1. Communicating effectively.

2. Showing team spirit.

3. Demonstrating integrity.

4. Valuing diversity.

5. Producing results.

6. Showing service orientation.

7. Seeing the big picture.

8. Seeking change and innovation.

9. Developing yourself and others.

5. Information

Mobility: WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization. Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and/or to another duty station.

Annual salary:

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment. Please note that this estimate is for information only. The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice. The figures quoted below are based on the June 2026 rate of 86.8%

P4

Annual salary

$77,326

Post adjustment

$67,119

Total Salary

$144,445

Currency USD

Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations.

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

Additional Information

* Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance. No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for the list of unrepresented Member States and the list of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

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By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of your identification and the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO recognizes higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list maintained by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed here: http://www.whed.net/. Some higher educational qualifications may not be listed in WHED, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening. Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

Additional background checks may be required.