Oliver Bargain is a Professor of Economics at the University of Bordeaux, and previously at Aix Marseille University, at University College Dublin, and at the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA, Bonn). He is a research fellow at different institutions including IZA (Bonn), LISER (Luxembourg) and UNU-WIDER.

He obtained his PhD at the Paris School of Economics (formerly DELTA) in 2004, under the supervision of François Bourguignon. His research covers topics in public, labor, development & international economics. He is a former (co)editor of the book series Research in Labor Economics (Emerald) and a former associate editor of the Journal of Economic Inequality.

He has conducted various consulting and advisory studies in France, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Chile, and for international organizations (World Bank, European Commission, OECD). He is a member of the Institut Universitaire de France and former member of the Council of Economic Advisors to the French PM.