Associate

About ECOnorthwest

ECOnorthwest is a public policy consulting firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with offices in Seattle, Bend, Denver, and Los Angeles. For 50 years, policymakers and business leaders have trusted ECOnorthwest to inform the complex issues that shape communities. ECOnorthwest has worked with a diverse range of over 2,000 public, private, non-profit, and foundation clients in the United States and around the world to craft effective and feasible solutions. To answer the complex questions of our time, we integrate economic analysis with complementary disciplines to provide a more complete understanding of how policy choices affect peoples' lives.

Overall purpose of the position

ECOnorthwest is seeking a technically minded and intellectually curious Associate to support our applied economics work across a broad range of public- and private-sector projects. The Associate will conduct quantitative and qualitative research, contribute to economic and fiscal analyses, develop clear and defensible analytical methods, and communicate findings through reports, presentations, and other client deliverables. Projects may examine how policies, programs, investments, and major developments affect local and regional economies, public revenues and costs, workers, housing markets, businesses and industries, communities, land and natural resources, infrastructure, and public services.

The Associate will support projects in areas such as renewable energy, data centers and other large-scale infrastructure development, economic and community development, agriculture and natural resources, ecosystem services, land use, public finance, and workforce and housing. The ideal candidate enjoys working in a collaborative team environment, learning about unfamiliar topics, working with complex or incomplete information, and translating technical findings into useful insights for clients, policymakers, and communities. Prior experience in every subject area is not expected; curiosity, analytical rigor, strong writing, and a genuine interest in ECOnorthwest's applied consulting work are essential.

Associates are important members of ECOnorthwest project teams. They may structure analyses, lead a work stream within a larger project, delegate tasks to Research Analysts and Senior Research Analysts, or manage smaller projects under the direction of a Project Director or Project Manager. Associates prepare sections of client presentations and reports and may prepare complete deliverables for smaller projects with limited direction. They help manage project scope, schedule, and budget; interact directly with clients; and contribute to proposals and other business development activities. Associates commonly work on multiple projects and proposals simultaneously and must balance competing priorities while communicating proactively about workload, progress, and potential concerns. This position is expected to maintain a billable-hours ratio of 75 percent after five months.

Required competencies

Technical competencies

• Ability to conduct economic analyses using a variety of frameworks, such as economic impact analysis (e.g., input-output analysis using IMPLAN or similar models), fiscal impact analysis, industry and market analysis, workforce and labor market analysis, housing analysis, land-use and agricultural analysis, benefit-cost analysis, nonmarket valuation, and evaluation of public policies, programs, and investments. Direct experience in all frameworks not required, but familiarity with applied economic methods and their application across a variety of subjects desired.
• Strong spreadsheet and data-analysis skills, including the ability to organize and evaluate complex datasets, develop transparent calculations, identify inconsistencies, and independently check results.
• Ability to apply relevant qualitative, quantitative, statistical, and spatial methods and synthesize the results for client deliverables.
• Ability to integrate information from multiple sources, including government datasets, client-provided information, spatial data, plans and regulatory documents, academic and industry research, interviews, surveys, and other primary research.
• Ability to identify data limitations, evaluate the reasonableness of assumptions and results, and clearly distinguish evidence, interpretation, and uncertainty.
• Ability to translate technical methods and findings into clear narratives, tables, graphics, maps, and presentations for nontechnical audiences.
• Ability to understand the physical and operational characteristics of a proposed policy, program, investment, or development and determine how those characteristics affect the appropriate analytical approach.
• Ability to independently lead a technical analysis or work stream within a larger project through either: (1) specialized technical capabilities, such as input-output modeling, fiscal impact modeling, benefit-cost analysis, nonmarket valuation, statistical analysis, or spatial analysis; or (2) relevant subject-matter expertise, such as economic and community development, public finance, energy and infrastructure, agriculture and natural resources, or workforce and housing.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, relevant analytical and research frameworks, including appropriate datasets; database, spreadsheet, statistical, or spatial software; economic and planning principles; and quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Ability to select appropriate principles, methods, and tools based on the project question, available information, client needs, and intended audience.
• Understanding of how data limitations and research methods may overrepresent, underrepresent, or otherwise affect particular populations and communities.
• Ability and motivation to learn unfamiliar subject matter, incorporate new information into project work, and adapt analytical approaches as project needs evolve.
• In collaboration with project leadership, ability to understand and communicate the strategic, regulatory, and political context and potential implications of the work while maintaining ECOnorthwest's standards for objective, evidence-based analysis.

Project and team management skills

• In collaboration with a Project Director or Project Manager, anticipates project and team needs and proactively addresses sensitive issues with collegiality, sound judgment, and initiative.
• Consistently produces accurate, polished, and client-ready analyses and written deliverables while meeting deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Writes clearly and efficiently, responds constructively to editorial feedback, and revises technical material to improve its logic, accessibility, and usefulness to the intended audience.
• Seeks appropriate direction from project leadership while demonstrating increasing independence in project execution.
• Communicates early when information gaps, analytical challenges, workload constraints, or project decisions may affect the quality, schedule, scope, or budget for an assignment.
• Works collaboratively and respectfully in a team environment and contributes to effective and inclusive teamwork.
• Works effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including clients, agency staff, industry representatives, community members, and other technical professionals.
• Understands and applies project management practices, including developing scopes, monitoring budgets and schedules, delegating work, coordinating teams, and maintaining clear project records.
• Provides clear and constructive direction and feedback to junior staff and responds productively to feedback from colleagues and project leadership.
• Develops professional relationships and participates in networking, business development, and professional events, as appropriate.

Personal aptitudes/interpersonal skills

• Demonstrates genuine interest in ECOnorthwest's applied consulting work and in using economic and policy analysis to help clients and communities understand complex decisions.
• Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and a strong desire to learn on the job.
• Takes ownership of the accuracy, clarity, timeliness, and usefulness of their work.
• Enjoys investigating unfamiliar industries, technologies, policies, places, and analytical questions.
• Asks thoughtful questions and looks beyond the immediate assignment to understand the purpose of the analysis and how the results will be used.
• Is comfortable working with incomplete information and on questions that may not have a single established method or answer.
• Proactively contributes to a collegial, supportive, and inclusive work environment.
• Enables effective and inclusive teamwork among colleagues and project participants with varied backgrounds and areas of expertise.
• Demonstrates sound judgment, self-awareness, and the ability to self-assess and course-correct.
• Approaches new information and perspectives with an open mind and adapts as project needs change.
• Manages time and workload reliably, efficiently, and transparently.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications

• Degree in economics or applied economics (Master's generally preferred).
• At least three years of relevant professional experience in consulting, government, research, policy analysis, or a related setting (Master's may substitute for two years of experience).
• Experience with applied economic, fiscal, socioeconomic, workforce, housing, demographic, land-use, agricultural, environmental, or infrastructure analysis.
• Strong professional writing skills, including the ability to explain technical information clearly and concisely to nontechnical audiences.
• Strong spreadsheet and data-management skills and experience working with complex quantitative information.
• Understanding of economic methods, principles, and their application to real-world questions.
• Demonstrated ability to independently investigate unfamiliar questions, evaluate the quality of available information, and identify reasonable analytical approaches.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, incorporate feedback, and collaborate effectively with colleagues from different disciplinary backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

We do not expect candidates to bring experience in every area listed below. Relevant experience in one or more areas, combined with strong analytical and writing skills and an interest in learning, may be sufficient.

• Experience with consulting or other project-based work involving multiple clients, schedules, budgets, and deliverables.
• Knowledge of renewable energy, data centers, utilities, ecosystem services, economic and community development, agriculture and natural resources, public finance, land-use policy, or other major infrastructure and capital investments.
• Experience with input-output modeling, fiscal modeling, benefit-cost analysis, nonmarket valuation, statistical analysis, GIS, data visualization, databases, or reproducible analytical workflows.
• Experience conducting interviews, surveys, stakeholder engagement, or other forms of primary research.
• Experience preparing materials for clients, regulatory proceedings, public agencies, elected officials, community audiences, or other decision-makers.
• Knowledge of government plans, policies, and regulatory processes affecting economic development, taxation and public revenues, land use, utilities, infrastructure, housing, transportation, public services, or natural resources.
• Proficiency in R, Python, other coding tools, and/or GIS tools.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work for long periods at a computer.