Agricultural Economist

Are you passionate about the economics of our food system, and do you have a strong affinity with food and agriculture (F&A) and solid quantitative skills? Are you energized by forecasting and analyzing macro-economic developments and indicators like agricultural GDP, food market growth, and food system stress testing at a global scale? Then Rabobank is looking for you.

You and your job

As agricultural economist, you will work in one of the most dynamic international departments of Rabobank: RaboResearch. You understand macro-economic research and economic analysis in the context of food and agribusiness. You are passionate about quantitative analysis and translating outcomes into key indicators and insights to identify risks and opportunities for the bank. You are motivated to go in deep, for example to develop methodologies to disentangle agricultural sector outcomes and allocate these to various agricultural sub-sectors. You are passionate about the complexity and diversity of the global food system.

Inspirational practical examples

• Develop and assess short and long-term (2050) economic projections for agricultural sub-sectors, including arable crops, livestock, and vegetables/fruits, in various countries and regions internationally.
• Coordinate input collection and evaluation for short-medium term F&A sectors market vulnerability analyses and regularly review, improve, or simplify the process.
• Together with sector experts, develop and update economic outlooks for the agricultural sector in regions where the bank is active.
• Work together with RaboResearch analysts to develop publications and presentations.

“I get energized by working with colleagues in a global team that share a passion for the agricultural sector and the food chain, for example by building a dashboard for today’s and the future economic situation in food supply chains.”

Harry Smit, Senior Specialist Food & Agriculture, Food Systems Research.

Growing enough food to feed 10 billion people in 2050 in a just and sustainable way is perhaps the key challenge of the 21st century. Rabobank aims to play its role in shaping this sustainable food future by informing strategic stakeholders and clients. That’s where you come in: you set up new agricultural indicators, improve existing indicators, interpret the results, and make sure that you get the relevant data and input from our wide network of analysts.

“It is a privilege to work with a team of colleagues with such a broad and diverse set of expertise, backgrounds and skills, collaborating to deliver insights to support clients and the bank in growing a better, more sustainable, world together. Will you join us to develop and improve economic insights for our global food & agribusiness?”

Marjan van Riel, Head Food Systems Research, RaboResearch.

Your 140+ colleagues in RaboResearch around the globe, and 10 colleagues within Food Systems Research, can't wait to meet you. Now it's your turn to make them stronger in bringing a macro-economic perspective and smart statistical modelling expertise to the table. Help us connect the dots strategically between various disciplines, including economic developments, trade dynamics, F&A specifics, and volatility drivers beyond supply-demand effects. Working together is the way we work: as one creative and energetic team at Rabobank.

You and your talent

• A Master’s degree in economics, with proven quantitative and forecasting skills, or econometrics.
• A proven strong affinity with agriculture and food systems dynamics.
• 4+ years of relevant work experience in macroeconomic research; if you have a PhD, 2 years additional to your PhD years.
• Strong verbal and presentation skills to share insights in a simple, practical, and engaging way with stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary teams with different backgrounds and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills.
• Fluent in English in both writing and speaking.
• Proficiency in, or willingness to learn, Dutch is an asset.