Overview

Consulting Associate (European Competition practice) – London, UK location. This entry-level position is for applicants with a postgraduate qualification in economics. You will work closely with senior consultants, scholars and industry experts on project teams and have the opportunity to contribute to high-profile European competition cases.

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial, and strategic expertise to major law firms, corporations, and governments. Since 1965, CRA experts have combined rigorous research, methodology and experience to address our clients’ challenges. The European Competition practice provides economic advice on competition policy and regulation, supporting mergers and acquisitions, abuse of dominance, cartels, restrictive agreements, market investigations, disputes, intellectual property or state aid, and advising regulatory authorities in similar matters. We have contributed to shaping European competition policy across sectors such as aerospace, software, manufacturing and transportation.

We seek candidates for our London, UK location.

Position Overview

The Consulting Associate position is the entry-level role for applicants with a postgraduate qualification in economics. Associates work with senior consultants and experts on project teams and will have the opportunity to work on significant competition cases in Europe, providing conceptual and practical input to projects. A typical Consulting Associate would:

• Identify potential issues and conduct analyses to illustrate economic arguments.
• Assemble evidence from data and research to support expert opinions and recommendations.
• Program, build models and/or perform regression analyses in statistical software (e.g., Stata, Python, R), including large data projects with cloud computing.
• Develop and present client deliverables, including expert reports and white papers summarising opinions and recommendations using relevant data.
• Interact with clients and communicate complex economic concepts to non-experts.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of analyses and opinions.
• Participate in practice-building activities (training, recruiting, publication, expertise sharing, etc.).

Qualifications

• First degree in economics with a postgraduate qualification (MSc/MPhil) in economics from a well-regarded institution, graduating between December 2024 and August 2025.
• Strong foundation in microeconomics; specialization in industrial economics preferred.
• Numerate with comfort in data manipulation; econometric techniques desirable.
• Curious, analytical thinkers with creative approaches to non-standard problems.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to learn new skills and programming languages.
• Demonstrated initiative and leadership.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration abilities.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
• Clear interest in consulting demonstrated through coursework, work experience or CRA recruiting events.

As much of our work occurs in offices, minimal travel is required.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please submit the following:

• CV/Resume – include current address, personal email and telephone number.
• Covering letter – describe your interest in the European Competition practice and how this role matches your goals.
• Academic results from all relevant degrees.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Career Growth and Benefits

• CRA’s robust skills development programs, including 100 hours of training annually, with opportunities for research, analysis, technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars and career mentoring.
• Comprehensive total rewards program including benefits, wellness programs, and in-house immigration support for foreign nationals and international travelers.

Work Location and Diversity Commitment

We offer a flexible work environment with in-office collaboration and periodic remote work. Typical in-office days are 3 to 4 days per week, with travel to another CRA office or client site as needed. Our offices remain open for those who choose to be in the office. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to inclusive hiring and a diverse workforce.

The statements in this job description describe the general nature and level of work and are not an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required.