Economic Data Analyst

About the Firm

R.F. Wilkins Consultants, Inc. is a New York-based Business Development and Management Consulting firm.  We partner with non-profits, small businesses, government agencies, and corporations to meet their development and expansion needs. Services under our umbrella include fundraising and capital sourcing, project management and technical assistance, marketing and branding, stakeholder engagement, and compliance.  We are a growing and nimble firm working strategically to meet our clients’ goals.  We have a close-knit team working in a fast-paced environment.  Our staff are our greatest asset, and we encourage flexible work and continuous growth opportunities.

About the Role

Our client, a large government agency, is seeking a skilled Economic Data Analyst to conduct economic research, collect and analyze data, identify trends, and write research reports. The successful candidate will have experience conducting economic analysis in the transportation sector, a working knowledge of relevant programming languages and statistical packages, and excellent communication skills.

In this role, you would join our team at R.F. Wilkins and enjoy all the support and resources made available to our staff while being fully dedicated to the client's transportation programs.  This is the ideal opportunity for an experienced economic data analyst who is seeking to learn and grow, take on a complex challenge, and work within a large government agency while benefiting from the teamwork, camaraderie, and support that we provide as a small consultancy of like-minded professionals dedicated to the development and growth of each of our team members.  The Economic Data Analyst reports directly to the Project Director and works closely day-to-day with agency project sponsors. 

Responsibilities

• Access data sources that provide economic, demographic, and transportation data, such as Census, USDOT, BLS, and FRED
• Organize data following best practices, and present it clearly in Excel for knowledge transfer
• Identify relevant trends in economic, demographic, and transportation data to inform analyses like inflation analysis of a capital plan, remote work trends, etc.
• Contextualize results based on comparable analyses or data sources
• Determine appropriate metrics to convey trends related to relevant current and emerging transportation and economic issues
• Automate data extraction using programming languages, including R and Python
• Examine market and industry behavior through targeted qualitative and quantitative research
• Perform literature reviews, and communicate results clearly
• Monitor and present commentary on economic releases
• Review and summarize reports to inform project decisions and outcomes
• Clearly and concisely communicate ideas in written reports, presentations, and correspondence

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, statistics or a related field; Master’s degree strongly preferred
• 3 years of work experience in the economics, transportation, or statistical space
• Proficiency using Microsoft Excel, PowerBI, Word, PowerPoint, and Access
• Experience with analytical packages (R, Python, EViews, Stata, etc.)
• Demonstrated knowledge in statistics or econometrics
• Ability to work at the office three days a week
• Demonstrated experience conducting quantitative, statistical, and qualitative analyses in the transportation sector
• Familiarity with key areas such as transportation activity analysis, benefit-cost analysis, economic impact analysis, and econometric forecasting
• Proven ability to work on multiple projects efficiently and independently
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, effective in both individual and team settings, especially in a hybrid work environment
• Capacity to adapt and perform a wide range of tasks as needed