A senior economist specializes in economics and policies related to the financial field, such as banking, international regulations, and monetary policies. Your job duties as an economist include performing complex research on a given topic, guiding other people in your department, and developing policies and reports based off of your research. You may work for a think tank, private company, or government. Qualifications for a career as a senior economist include a bachelor’s degree in economics or a closely related subject and an advanced degree, such as a master’s or Ph.D. You also need excellent research and analytical skills and experience in finance.