Petroleum Economist 2 (PCN 043268)

State of Alaska•Anchorage or Juneau, AK

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Revenue, Tax Division is recruiting for a Petroleum Economist 2. This position analyzes Alaska’s oil & gas tax and production data by compiling, validating, and interpreting monthly and annual tax returns. It involves building, updating, evaluating, and operating advanced revenue models that forecast petroleum revenue. The role also includes conducting economic research, producing analytical products, supporting legislative analysis and fiscal policy development, and collaborating with industry and government stakeholders. The department's mission is to collect and invest funds for public purposes to benefit Alaskans, with the Tax Division promoting tax compliance, delivering accurate information, and providing revenue forecasting. The Economic Research Group plays a key role in producing rigorous, data-driven analysis that informs policymakers and strengthens Alaska’s long-term fiscal planning. This role directly supports Alaska’s ability to understand resource trends, shape sound tax policy, and evaluate the economic impacts of the state’s most critical industries. The culture prioritizes accuracy, integrity, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to producing objective, high-quality work that serves Alaskans.

Requirements

Competency in Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, tax law and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Competency in Influencing/Negotiating: Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take; gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.
Competency in Petroleum Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the exploration, development, extraction, recovery, processing, and conservation of fluid minerals, geothermal resources, organic compounds, or natural gas resources.
Competency in Research: Knowledge of the scientific principles, methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
Competency in Technical Expertise: Effectively applies technical knowledge to solve a range of problems; develops technical solutions to new or highly complex problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches; is sought out as an expert to provide advice or solutions in the technical area.
Completion of a postsecondary education program with a major emphasis in a discipline of economics, accounting, public or business administration, petroleum engineering, industrial engineering, or a closely related field.
Progressively responsible professional experience in the collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of economic, scientific, social science, or similar data.
Demonstrated quantitative aptitude.
Experience working with large datasets and complex economic models.
Proven ability to consistently produce accurate, error-free analytical work under tight deadlines.
Disclosure of prior state employment.
Copies of (2) most recent performance evaluations, or a written statement explaining why they were not available, or two letters of professional reference.
Copy of transcripts, if using education to meet minimum qualifications.
Background check and fingerprinting will be required.
Work experience not already documented in your application must include employer name, job title, dates of employment, and whether full- or part-time.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity in oil and gas operations, petroleum economics, or tax policy.

Responsibilities

Analyze Alaska’s oil & gas tax and production data by compiling, validating, and interpreting monthly and annual tax returns, including payments, production volumes, lease expenditures, and credits, while using specialized software, collaborating with auditors and technical experts, and delivering accurate, error-free quantitative work that informs statewide fiscal decisions.
Build, update, evaluate, and operate advanced revenue models that forecast petroleum revenue such as production tax, royalty estimates, oil and gas prices, natural gas commercialization scenarios, netback costs, and hypothetical field developments, using Excel, @RISK, and other statistical or probabilistic tools.
Conduct economic research and produce high-quality analytical products by applying economic theory, analyzing imperfect or complex datasets, and developing clear white papers, executive briefings, tables, graphs, and presentations that communicate findings on petroleum revenue and related policy issues.
Support legislative analysis and fiscal policy development by preparing revenue estimates, fiscal notes, and technical materials for proposed legislation, responding to data requests from policymakers, and contributing to committee hearings and discussions on oil and gas revenue issues.
Collaborate with industry and government stakeholders, including auditors, IT specialists, oil companies, consultants, and other agencies, to gather data, validate assumptions, understand oil and gas operations, and ensure high-precision, defensible modeling and analysis for both short-deadline tasks and long-term projects.