[Hiring] Entry-level Economist @RTI International

Role Description

RTI International seeks an entry-level economist to support environmental and natural resource economic research within the Center for Water, Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Solutions. The successful candidate will work with economists, engineers, and analysts to assess the economic and environmental effects of public policies, programs, and technologies.

The position will support research and modeling for federal and state government clients, with an emphasis on:

• Agricultural and forestry markets
• Land use
• Energy
• Industry
• Air pollution impacts
• Emissions mitigation

Under the guidance of senior staff, the economist will:

• Prepare and maintain datasets
• Assist with model updates and applications
• Analyze results
• Contribute to technical documentation

The role offers opportunities to develop skills in applied economic modeling and reproducible research. This position is contingent upon successful project award.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in economics, environmental or natural resource economics, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or a related field
• 1 year of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Relevant coursework, academic research, internships, and applied projects may demonstrate the technical skills described

Requirements

• Experience collecting, organizing, cleaning, and analyzing data through coursework, research, internships, or employment
• Ability to combine datasets, identify inconsistencies or missing information, and prepare data for analysis
• Experience using Excel or other analytical software to summarize data, examine patterns, and prepare tables and graphics
• Ability to check results for accuracy and clearly document data sources and analytical steps
• Willingness to learn new software and analytical methods with guidance from senior staff
• Demonstrated interest in environmental, agricultural, forestry, energy, or natural resource economics and public policy
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work well with others, manage assigned priorities, and complete defined tasks with guidance
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Ability to obtain appropriate security clearances as required by applicable contracts
• Legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship for employment visa status

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or project experience in agricultural, forestry, environmental, natural resource, or energy economics
• Familiarity with R, Python, Stata, SAS, GAMS, or similar analytical software
• Exposure to mathematical optimization, including linear programming, through coursework or applied projects
• Familiarity with partial or general equilibrium models, emissions projections, or marginal abatement cost analysis
• Experience using Git or GitHub, writing reusable analytical scripts, or developing reproducible reports and visualizations in R Markdown, Quarto, R Shiny, Tableau, or similar tools
• Experience working with geospatial data or public datasets such as USDA agricultural statistics, Forest Inventory and Analysis data, EPA emissions inventories, or energy statistics

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Generous paid time off policy
• Merit-based annual increases
• Bonus opportunities
• Robust recognition program
• Competitive range of insurance plans (health, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability)
• Access to a retirement savings program (401(k) plan)
• Paid parental leave for all parents
• Financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments
• Financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities
• Employee assistance program
• Numerous offerings to support a healthy work-life balance

Hiring Salary Range

$63,000 - $77,000