Elke Holst is presently Research Director Gender Studies and a senior economist with the DIW Berlin at the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), there also responsible for panel maintenance and public relations. She also edits the quarterly SOEPnewsletter for the SOEP users. She has worked for private companies, the government and at Frankfurt/M. University. She started working for the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) in 1987.

Elke Holst received her diploma in economics from the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University in Frankfurt/M. She obtained her doctoral degree from the department of Economics and Management (Dr. rer.oec.) at the Technical University Berlin (TU Berlin). Her dissertation focused on issues associated with 'the hidden labor force'. Habilitation at the University of Flensburg (subject of Economics), also appointed 'Privatdozentin (PD)' at the University of Flensburg.

Elke Holst was a visiting research scholar at Brandeis University/USA and at the University of California Santa Barbara. In January 2009 she worked as visiting scholar at Michelle Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University/USA and in July at University of Mass. in Boston/USA. Her current research interests include labor economics and gender economics. Major current topics are: women in management, gender (pay) gaps, working time, remittances.

She joined IZA as a Research Fellow in May 2010.