Postdoctoral Research Associate - Applied Economist/Energy/Natural Resources

Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Oak Ridge, TN

Full-time - Entry Level

Oak Ridge, TN

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Environmental Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Environmental Risk and Energy Analysis Group. This role involves working collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to analyze the economics and policy aspects of sustainable energy, focusing on metrics such as costs, benefits, equity, land use change, and carbon reduction potentials. The candidate will engage in data collection, model development, and contribute to scholarly publications, gaining expertise in energy-environmental economic analysis relevant to the U.S. Department of Energy's mission.

Responsibilities

• Interact with a team of scientists and engineers on projects evaluating sustainable energy metrics.
• Conduct data collection, processing, and quality assurance.
• Develop and simulate energy system models, data science methods, and econometric models.
• Contribute to reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Collaborate with ORNL scientists to gain expertise in economic analysis of energy-environmental issues.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Energy/Environmental/Natural Resource Economics or related Applied Economics discipline with a strong quantitative focus.
• Experience with quantitative optimization models using software such as GAMS and Python.
• Econometric modeling skills using statistical software (e.g., Limdep, Stata, EViews or R).
• Strong programming skills with R and Python.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills demonstrated through a record of presentations, publications, or job market papers.
• Ability to work independently and interact with a multi-disciplinary group.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with policy evaluation and analysis using economic models.
• Experience with computable general equilibrium models using GAMS and/or GTAP.
• Experience with visualization and interactive application development in R and Python.
• Experience with parallel computing.
• Author or co-author of peer-reviewed literature publications.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Prescription Drug Plan
• Vision Plan
• Contributory Pension Plan
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Generous Vacation and Holidays
• Parental Leave
• Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection
• Wellness Programs
• Educational Assistance
• Relocation Assistance