Erik James

I am a PhD Candidate in Applied Economics at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. I am on the 2024-2025 job market and available for interviews. My research focuses on public economics,  labor/personnel economics, and urban economics.  

My job market paper studies the effect of public sector managers on public service provision using administrative data for Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF in Texas. My other work focuses on the administration of public benefit programs, the performance of public sector workers, the food retail environment, household nutrition, and food banks. 

Prior to graduate school, I worked at MIT / J-PAL North America and completed my BA in economics at the University of Chicago.

ecjames@wharton.upenn.edu