Economist
🔍 Lewis And Clark, Montana, United States
- 📅
- 26140686 Requisition #
- 📅
- 15 hours ago Post Date
Note: Employees for the State of Montana must reside within Montana. All applications and required application documents must be submitted through the MT Careers site at: https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobdetail.ftl?job=26140686&tz=GMT-06%3A00&tzname=America%2FDenver
Step into a role where your work directly shapes Montana’s future. Join a team of economists who turn complex labor market data into clear stories that drive real decisions about jobs, training, and community investment. Help leaders tackle urgent challenges like healthcare workforce shortages and emerging industry needs, and see your analysis show up in policies, funding choices, and programs that matter. If you are ready to use your skills to make a visible difference for people and communities across Montana, we want you to apply.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity.
It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
As an Economist in the Data & Operations Bureau, you will turn labor market and economic data into insights that help Montana invest in its people, communities, and industries, with a special focus on healthcare jobs and careers. You will lead research and analysis that inform real decisions about workforce policy, grants, and economic development, giving leaders clear information they can use. In this role, you will design and complete original labor market studies, improve the way data is organized and shared, and turn complex findings into straightforward information that people can act on. If you like working with data, solving problems, and collaborating with others to answer real‑world questions, you will see your work directly shape important choices across Montana’s workforce system.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:
- Work directly with program staff, healthcare partners, and community and economic development teams while you learn how Montana’s labor market really works and help answer their toughest questions.
- Build your skills in statistics, econometrics, and data tools by creating models, forecasts, and evaluations that are used in day‑to‑day decision‑making.
- Grow your communication skills by creating reports, dashboards, and presentations that explain technical ideas in clear, simple language for people who do not work with data every day.
- Build a strong portfolio of applied research that shows how your work has influenced programs, funding decisions, and workforce initiatives on the ground.
- This full‑time role offers the chance to support communities across Montana while enjoying the state’s outdoor recreation, strong sense of community, and high quality of life.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Lead economic research by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting labor market and industry data, including trends and forecasts that affect Montana’s jobs and economy.
- Design and manage labor market projects that combine data from many sources and provide a detailed look at Montana’s workforce, especially healthcare supply, demand, and related needs.
- Plan and carry out evaluations that look at how well workforce programs are working, set clear measures of success, and recommend practical ways to improve results.
- Help shape and coordinate data systems across agencies and partners so information is collected in consistent ways and can be used for strong reporting and evaluation.
- Turn complex analyses into clear, useful takeaways for leaders, policymakers, and community partners through reports, briefings, and presentations that focus on what matters most.
- Build and maintain dashboards and similar tools that give users quick, up‑to‑date views of labor market conditions, program performance, and workforce initiatives.
- Use advanced statistical and econometric methods to make sense of complex or incomplete data, answer specialized questions, and explain what different trends or scenarios might mean.
- Work closely with other economists, internal teams, and outside partners to define projects, choose methods, review results, and ensure that labor market information is accurate and reliable.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
- Economic and labor market analysis: Use core economic concepts to analyze labor market and industry data and turn the results into clear, practical insights for programs, policy, and business decisions.
- Advanced statistical and modeling skills: Apply regression, forecasting, and econometric tools to large, complex datasets and produce results that are accurate and well supported.
- Data management and programming: Work confidently with large datasets using tools such as SAS, SQL, VBA, Python, R, or similar languages to clean, combine, and prepare data for analysis and visualization.
- Data visualization and communication: Share technical information clearly with both technical and non‑technical audiences through written reports, presentations, and tools such as Tableau or similar platforms.
- Collaboration and teamwork: Build strong working relationships with staff and partners, listen to different perspectives, and coordinate efforts to share data and align evaluation and reporting.
- Problem solving and project management: Handle multiple projects at the same time, set priorities when timelines are tight, and adjust your approach as new data or questions come in while keeping people updated.
- Stakeholder‑focused service: Work with a service mindset, seek feedback from internal and external partners, and adjust your analyses and products so they better meet user needs and support good decisions.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience)
- Demonstrated proficiency in conducting economic, labor market, or closely related research, including collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data, interpreting findings, and producing clear written reports or visualizations.
- Strong proficiency using statistical or programming tools such as SAS, SQL, VBA, Python, R, or similar to manipulate, merge, and analyze large datasets in applied research, evaluation, or analytics settings.
- Thorough experience designing or contributing to evaluations of programs, policies, or grants, including building measures, analyzing results, and offering evidence-based recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to explain complex analytical concepts in clear written and verbal communication, such as through presentations, policy briefs, or other products tailored to diverse audiences.
- Proven track record working on collaborative, multi-stakeholder projects, such as cross-agency data efforts, workforce initiatives, or grant projects that require coordination, shared standards, and joint problem solving.
- A degree in economics, mathematics, statistics, data science, public policy, or a closely related field may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.
HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY:
A complete state application is not required; however, you will need to initiate the application and attach the resume, cover letter or other required documents at time of application to be considered for this position. Resume will auto fill the application, but the application will not be scored or reviewed.
Failure to attach the cover letter and resume will result in your application being considered incomplete and will not be considered further. Materials submitted but not requested will not be considered in the selection process.
Tip: When attaching your resume, cover letter or other required documents you must mark the attachments as “RELEVANT” or we will be unable to view your documents.
Required application materials:
- Cover Letter - Your Cover Letter should explain how your experience and education meet the identified required skills and competencies, with examples that demonstrate your qualifications.
- Resume - include all work experience you have held that would help you qualify for this position, including duties, dates of employment.
Only online applications will be accepted. By applying online, you can receive updates and monitor the status of your application.
All documents for Veteran or Disability preference must be received or date stamped by the closing date. You will receive an application confirmation email with instructions on acceptable preference documents and how to submit such documents.
If you need an accommodation with the application process, please contact the HR office.
BENEFITS:
Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here.
See our other incredible benefits here. These are some of our benefits just to name a few:
- Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
- 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
- Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
- Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
- Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP - click here to learn more.
- Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan - click here to learn more.
- Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73% - 9.07% of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available. – Click here to learn more.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness- click here to learn more!
- Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
- State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.
This position may be eligible for a statutory $1.00 an hour base pay increase effective on July 1, 2026.
*This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)
E-Verify: This agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the E-Verify website found here, https://www.e-verify.gov/
