Senior Analyst, Economics and Policy Analysis

Location

Remote US-Home or Hybrid (Boulder or Washington, D.C. preferred).

Duration

This is a 2-year fixed-term position with full benefits and the possibility of extension.

Application Instructions

Please include a cover letter indicating your interest in this role. Also, please submit a 2-3 page writing sample that illustrates the application of an economic theory or framework to a real-world problem. You may submit an excerpt from existing work (such as a paper, thesis chapter, or policy memo).

Your sample should:

• Clearly identify the real-world problem or question you’re addressing
• Show how a specific economic theory or framework helps explain or analyze it.

You may not use AI to craft or assist with the analysis or writing. We are most interested in seeing how you reason through a problem and communicate your analysis. If you’re submitting an excerpt, please include one or two sentences of context so we can follow it without the full document. If the sample was co-authored, please note your specific contribution.

EDF’s Economics Team Overview

The Economics Team is the nexus of economics at EDF, ensuring that the economic thinking that is the backbone for all EDF policy positions is based on the best available research and information. To be most effective in this role, the Office of the Chief Economist provides support for other teams throughout EDF and fosters relationships with economists outside the organization.

Overall Function

The Senior Analyst, Economics & Policy Analysis will be a key member of the Economics Team through a two-year fixed-term contract. In the first year, this position will support research and analysis focused on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, with an emphasis on advancing EDF’s Global Methane Initiative priorities. In the second year, the role will transition to support the Economic Analysis Hub (Hub) team, contributing to analysis for other initiatives across EDF. This position will report to the Director, Economics & Policy, or to the Director, Economic Analysis Hub.

In the first year, this Senior Analyst, Economics & Policy Analysis will support EDF’s cross-programmatic Global Methane Initiative by providing critical research and analysis to reduce methane emissions in North America and other major oil and gas producing regions. This Senior Analyst will support research to understand why wells become orphaned and critically assess policies designed to reduce the burden of orphan and idle wells. In addition, the senior analyst will be involved in efforts to seek reforms in law, regulation, and/or business practice through a set of strategic corporate partnerships, direct engagement with policymakers, and mobilizing investors and public sentiment in favor of change. Finally, the senior analyst will also support efforts to inform EDF’s Global Methane advocacy goals through the lens of economic principles, and by coordinating our work with an external network of researchers and economists.

In the second year, the role will transition to serve as a member of the Economic Analysis Hub (Hub) team, a unit at EDF that conducts rapid analysis of climate economics questions to inform organizational priorities, decision makers, and policy needs. While the Senior Analyst will leverage their expertise on oil and gas methane in this role, their role on the Hub will expand their responsibilities to include work on other topics as needed. This role offers exposure to other high-impact work, with contributions that can influence congressional testimony and international climate negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Under general supervision, take a lead role in responding to rapid-turnaround analytical requests from the Economics, Global Methane, and Hub teams, translating technical findings into clear insights for policy and advocacy needs.
• Build and maintain knowledge on a variety of topics related to EDF’s Global Methane work, including oil and gas methane regulations and policy design, energy policy developments in key jurisdictions with a focus on North America, well-level oil and gas production trends, orphaned and idle wells, the social cost of methane.
• As the role transitions to the Economic Analysis Hub, conduct research on climate economics topics, including carbon pricing mechanisms, clean energy transitions, risk and resilience, and the economic impacts of environmental policies in response to requests from EDF program teams.
• Perform literature reviews on methane emissions, oil and gas policy design, economic modeling methodologies, climate policy evaluations, and emerging topics in environmental economics.
• Process and validate large-scale oil and gas datasets (e.g., Enverus) and economic datasets (e.g. national accounts, energy systems, emissions inventories, etc.).
• Assess and document model inputs, assumptions, performance, and methodological choices, and develop reproducible data pipelines to support transparency, quality assurance, reproducibility, and rapid policy response.
• Author and co-author written materials including public comments, white papers, memos, and policy briefs; clearly summarize research for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Represent EDF to external audiences in both formal settings (e.g., conference presentations) and informal settings (e.g., check-in meetings with external partners).
• Engage with stakeholders and academic partners including responding to inquiries and soliciting subject matter expertise.
• Participates in advancing EDF Organizational Effectiveness and Culture (OEC) Goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who have demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous research and analysis in the area of environmental policy, economics, or a closely related field. Candidates must have exceptional problem-solving skills, work independently, and be able to ensure consistency and quality of research products. Candidates should also have:

• A Master's-level degree in economics, environment and energy policy, or a closely related field or at least two years’ relevant experience.
• Knowledge of climate change and energy systems and ability to apply economic principles and methods to these systems.
• High degree of proficiency in data analysis software, including R and/or Python.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; including the ability to prepare written materials for a variety of audiences and present research to internal and external audiences.
• Ability to perform complex research and analysis in support of highly visible work
• Experience taking initiative and working independently to manage research projects and participate in research efforts, and in ensuring consistency and quality of research products.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Ability to support a multi-disciplinary team, using independent judgment required to plan, prioritize, and organize a diversified workload.
• Experience with project management and creating workplans that bring together deliverables, timelines and contributors.
• Consistent willingness to take initiative, lead projects, and multi-task under tight deadlines.