Senior Economist - Energy & Transportation

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that are referred to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system;

and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

The Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, is accelerating the transition to an efficient, resilient, and secure energy system through basic and applied research. We leverage a strong technical foundation in power and energy systems and advanced data analytics to drive innovation, transform markets, and shape energy policy.

The Energy Policy, Economics and Planning Group develops methods for analyzing economic impacts of energy system policies and regulations and defines new planning frameworks that speed the deployment of a modernized energy system. We work closely with subject matter experts across the broader Electricity Infrastructure & Buildings Division to support the Nation’s transition to an affordable, reliable, and secure energy system through innovative and actionable solutions.

We are looking for a Senior Economist (Economist IV) to lead advanced economic and policy research on U.S. energy and transportation systems, focusing on intermodal networks and infrastructure investment. The role supports federal, state, regional, and industry partners in developing evidence-based strategies to enhance system performance, economic efficiency, supply chain resilience, and transportation sector investments. The position requires deep expertise in transportation economics, systems analysis, and applied policy research, and involves leadership of multidisciplinary teams across engineering, planning, and analytics domains.

The position requires knowledge, or the ability to rapidly develop expertise, in the following areas:

• Lead development of economic models evaluating system-level performance, freight network behavior, rail system usage, transportation infrastructure investments, and modal interactions.
• Conduct cost‑benefit analysis, life‑cycle economic evaluations, scenario modeling, and long‑range forecasting for transportation and energy system alternatives.
• Apply advanced econometric and spatial statistics methods to support energy investment, planning, and decision‑making.
• Integrate transportation modeling with related energy or infrastructure analyses (e.g., demand forecasting, infrastructure utilization, grid‑transport interactions).
• Evaluate the economic implications of new technologies, operational practices, and infrastructure investments.
• Manage scope, schedule, sponsor engagement, and high‑quality deliverables.
• Mentor early‑career staff and contribute to capability development in economics, economic modeling, and analytical methods.

This position requires strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with federal and state agencies, regional energy organizations, trade groups, and utilities. The role also involves engaging with DOE scientists and engineers, national laboratories, consultants, academics, manufacturers, trade organizations, utilities, and…