Labor economist Alan Krueger is set to take a top role in the Obama administration.
    
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Kruger will head the White House Council of Economic Advisors. 

"As one of this country's leading economists, Alan has been a key voice on a vast array of economic issues for more than two decades," President Obama said in a statement Monday. 

"Alan understands the difficult challenges our country faces," he added. "And I have confidence that he will help us meet those challenges as one of the leaders on my economic team."

Kruger will be replacing Austan Goolsbee, who left the administration earlier this month.

The news comes as the White House is scrambling for ways to boost the nations flailing economy.

Despite the $800 billion stimulus program President Obama managed to push through Congress during the early days of his presidency, the unemployment rate remains high at 9.1 percent. 

"When you come out of a recession, especially one as deep as we were in, you can't just go back to do what you were doing before," Goolsbee told MSNBC on Monday, adding that another stimulus program was probably not a good idea.

President Obama is set to unveil a new jobs and debt plan after Labor Day.