High Meadows Fellow, Economic Analysis Hub

Environmental Defense Fund•Washington, DC

2d•$60,000 - $60,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The EDF Economics team examines every environmental problem through an economic lens, working with communities, policymakers and other partners to use economic forces for good. The team strengthens the development of climate solutions that create jobs, build resilient communities and cut pollution in an effective, equitable way by working with cross functional teams at EDF in more than 10 countries. The Economic Analysis Hub is a new unit that conducts rapid analysis of climate economics questions to guide organizational priorities, inform decisionmakers, and address pressing policy needs. The High Meadows Fellow will serve as a core member of the Hub team, supporting analyses that shape the design of carbon pricing, clean energy transitions, and broader climate and environmental policies. The Hub also establishes partnerships with communities and businesses across the US, Europe, China, India, and Latin America. Reporting to an EDF Economist, the Fellow will develop highly marketable skills that prepare them for graduate programs in economics, public policy, or environmental studies, as well as careers in government, think tanks, or consulting. They will build a professional network spanning academia and policy, and produce tangible deliverables such as published work and policy briefs. The role offers immediate exposure to high-impact work, with contributions that can influence congressional testimony and international climate negotiations within months. By combining technical rigor with real-world policy application, this fellowship offers a rare opportunity to see how quantitative analysis directly shapes billion-dollar policy decisions.

Requirements

A recent Bachelor's degree in Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field.
Demonstrated interest in climate policy, environmental economics, and policy-relevant quantitative analysis.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills with coursework or experience in statistics, econometrics, or data analysis.
Demonstrated experience with data processing, cleaning, and visualization.
Proficiency in at least one programming language (Python, R, GAMS, STATA, or similar) or demonstrated ability to learn quickly.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills.
Eligibility to work in the U.S. is required for the duration of the fellowship.

Responsibilities

Conduct research on climate economics topics, including carbon pricing mechanisms, clean energy transitions, risk and resilience, and the economic impacts of environmental policies in response to requests from EDF program teams.
Collaborate with EDF program teams across climate, oceans, health, and ecosystems to provide economic analysis support.
Perform literature reviews on economic modeling methodologies, climate policy evaluations, and emerging topics in environmental economics to support Hub responses to internal and external inquiries.
Process and validate large-scale economic datasets (i.e. national accounts, energy systems, emissions inventories, etc.).
Conduct quality assurance on model inputs and create reproducible data pipelines to enable rapid policy response.
Support model validation and sensitivity analysis for 15-20 major policy projects annually.
Assess model performance and document methodological choices, and translate technical results into policy briefs for non-technical audiences.
Co-author at least one peer-reviewed papers or policy reports, and contribute substantive analysis to Hub publications.
Present findings at internal seminars and external conferences.
Participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals, so people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included and empowered to address environmental and organizational challenges in ways that align with EDF values.