Senior Economist

Ecolab•Naperville, IL

4d•$96,700 - $145,100

About The Position

As the Senior Economist, you will support Ecolab’s Data Centers and Microelectronics division by translating macroeconomic, high-tech industry, customer, and end-market signals into actionable insights that inform strategic planning, investment prioritization, commercial focus, and growth opportunities. This position will help the business anticipate demand trends across data center infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, advanced electronics, water-intensive operations, energy availability, sustainability requirements, and regional investment patterns.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in economics, finance, business, or a related field.
Minimum 5 years of experience in: business economics, economic forecasting, equity research, market analysis, or a closely related field.
Minimum 2 years of experience in manufacturing end-market analysis and/or macroeconomic analysis.
Authorization to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Strong intellectual curiosity and critical-thinking capability.
Effective communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

Analyze and forecast demand drivers for Ecolab’s Data Centers and Microelectronics division, including hyperscale data center investment, AI infrastructure buildout, semiconductor capacity expansion, advanced manufacturing, and electronics supply chain trends.
Translate macroeconomic indicators, capital spending trends, customer investment cycles, and regional infrastructure constraints into business insights that support annual planning, long-range strategy, and market prioritization.
Develop and maintain forecasting models that connect external market signals to Ecolab growth opportunities in water management, process optimization, energy efficiency, sustainability, and operational resilience.
Produce executive-ready reports and presentations that help senior leaders understand market momentum, risks, customer needs, and implications for the Data Centers and Microelectronics portfolio.
Partner with commercial, strategy, finance, marketing, technology, and supply chain leaders to inform decisions on segment focus, customer targeting, geographic expansion, innovation priorities, and resource allocation.
Assess the impact of major external trends, including AI-driven computing growth, chip demand, reshoring and regionalization, water scarcity, power availability, environmental regulation, and customer sustainability commitments.
Support business development and strategic growth initiatives by evaluating market attractiveness, competitive dynamics, customer investment plans, and potential partnership or acquisition opportunities relevant to data centers and microelectronics.