Job Summary:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work with a multi-disciplinary group of experts on the economic and policy aspects of residential building retrofitting. The role involves econometric evaluation, data analysis, and collaboration with scientists to enhance the understanding of energy program delivery.
Responsibilities:
• Interacting with a team of experts at ORNL on projects evaluating the U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program and its efficacy in delivering the intended residential energy cost and other household direct benefits.
• Data collection, processing/curation, and analysis.
• Development and implementation of econometric analysis (e.g., difference-in-differences).
• Contributions to reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Collaborate with ORNL scientists involved in these efforts, to gain expertise in the economic analysis of energy program delivery relevant to the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Ph.D. in Energy Economics or related Applied Economics discipline with a strong quantitative focus.
• Demonstrable knowledge of applied econometrics and statistical evaluation methods, such as: Difference-in-Differences (DiD), Fixed-effects panel models, Matching methods (PSM, CEM, nearest-neighbor), Regression-based normalization, Longitudinal and cross-sectional data analysis.
• Experience working with large administrative or program datasets.
• Proficiency in statistical programming and data analysis tools: R, Python, Stata, or SAS; SQL/database management preferred.
• Ability to clean, harmonize, and analyze complex datasets from multiple sources.
• Experience developing reproducible analytical workflows and documentation.
• Demonstrable specialized communication skills: Proficient technical and scientific writing, Publication record in peer-reviewed journals or technical reports.
• Ability to present findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work independently and interact with a multi-disciplinary group.
Preferred:
• Familiarity with federal data governance, privacy protection, and anonymization practices.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, state agencies, utilities, or national laboratories.
• Experience with policy evaluation and analysis using economic models.
• Experience with visualization and interactive application development in R and Python.
• Author or co-author of peer-reviewed literature publications.
Company:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory holds a range of R&D assignments, from fundamental nuclear physics to applied R&D on advanced energy systems. Founded in 1943, the company is headquartered in Oak Ridge, USA, with a team of 5001-10000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.