Applicants for research assistant positions in the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs generally have training in econometrics, statistics, or both, as well as a facility with statistical packages such as SAS, LIMDEP, or Stata. Most positions also require training in microeconomics through the intermediate theory level. In addition, study in areas such as consumer economics, consumer behavior, policy analysis, money and banking, and finance is useful.
A major responsibility of the Board of Governors is the development and administration of regulations that implement federal laws governing consumer credit. Among these laws are the Truth in Lending Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, and the Truth in Savings Act.
This section of the division helps fulfill the Board's responsibilities for consumer protection through means other than legislation and regulation. The section's work focuses on financial services and pursues consumer protection through voluntary industry compliance and consumer education. The section thus directs its efforts to both sides of the marketplace--sellers and lenders as well as consumers. Its goal is to have educated consumers making choices in the financial marketplace based on sound information and a clear understanding of how to use that information to meet their personal needs.
Research assistants in the Consumer Education and Research Section conduct statistical analyses on a variety of consumer issues such as credit, electronic banking, and consumer behavior patterns and may be asked to present studies at conferences and seminars.
