Economist

Department of Energy Headquarters•Washington, DC

About The Position

This Economist position is part of the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing. The role evaluates large-scale energy financing transactions by developing and testing complex financial and economic models, conducting credit-risk and downside analyses, and ensuring compliance with federal credit policies to protect the government’s financial interests. The office finances American energy and manufacturing projects that contribute to U.S. energy security, grid reliability, and lower costs for Americans. The Economist assesses whether projects can repay debt under varying market and stress conditions, evaluates risks in multi-billion-dollar project-finance and corporate-finance structures, and recommends financing terms and safeguards. The position also prepares written transaction analyses, briefs senior officials and interagency partners, and uses analytical techniques and software to support due diligence, risk analysis, and portfolio monitoring.

Requirements

U.S. Citizen or National.
Meet the basic education requirement: a degree in economics including at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus; or equivalent coursework plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Submit college transcripts from an accredited institution; foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
For GS-13: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12, including financial or economic modeling with sensitivity, scenario, or stress analysis; analyzing commercial, corporate-finance, or project-finance transactions; and applying lending policies, credit guidelines, or regulatory standards and documenting findings.
For GS-14: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-13, including evaluating complex, multi-billion-dollar finance transactions; modeling and stress-testing borrower or project viability and repayment capacity; and preparing credit evaluations or technical documentation under applicable credit rules and advising decision-makers on risk and compliance.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify Selective Service registration or exemption.
Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination following a background investigation.
May be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
At GS-14, submit an OGE-450 financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entering the position and annually.
Meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the announcement’s closing date.

Responsibilities

Create and test complex economic and financial models to assess project repayment under different market and stress conditions.
Analyze project-finance and corporate-finance structures to evaluate economic risk and recommend protective financing terms.
Recommend loan terms, conditions, and risk-mitigation measures to safeguard government investments.
Verify transactions’ compliance with federal lending laws, Treasury rules, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) credit regulations.
Prepare written reports and brief senior officials and interagency partners on transaction risks, findings, and recommendations.
Apply analytical techniques and software to improve due diligence, risk analysis, and portfolio monitoring.