Data & Operations Bureau

As an Economist in the Data & Operations Bureau, you will turn labor market and economic data into insights that help Montana invest in its people, communities, and industries, with a special focus on healthcare jobs and careers. You will lead research and analysis that inform real decisions about workforce policy, grants, and economic development, giving leaders clear information they can use. In this role, you will design and complete original labor market studies, improve the way data is organized and shared, and turn complex findings into straightforward information that people can act on. If you like working with data, solving problems, and collaborating with others to answer real-world questions, you will see your work directly shape important choices across Montana's workforce system., * Work directly with program staff, healthcare partners, and community and economic development teams while you learn how Montana's labor market really works and help answer their toughest questions.

• Build your skills in statistics, econometrics, and data tools by creating models, forecasts, and evaluations that are used in day-to-day decision-making.
• Grow your communication skills by creating reports, dashboards, and presentations that explain technical ideas in clear, simple language for people who do not work with data every day.
• Build a strong portfolio of applied research that shows how your work has influenced programs, funding decisions, and workforce initiatives on the ground.
• This full-time role offers the chance to support communities across Montana while enjoying the state's outdoor recreation, strong sense of community, and high quality of life., * Lead economic research by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting labor market and industry data, including trends and forecasts that affect Montana's jobs and economy.
• Design and manage labor market projects that combine data from many sources and provide a detailed look at Montana's workforce, especially healthcare supply, demand, and related needs.
• Plan and carry out evaluations that look at how well workforce programs are working, set clear measures of success, and recommend practical ways to improve results.
• Help shape and coordinate data systems across agencies and partners so information is collected in consistent ways and can be used for strong reporting and evaluation.
• Turn complex analyses into clear, useful takeaways for leaders, policymakers, and community partners through reports, briefings, and presentations that focus on what matters most.
• Build and maintain dashboards and similar tools that give users quick, up-to-date views of labor market conditions, program performance, and workforce initiatives.
• Use advanced statistical and econometric methods to make sense of complex or incomplete data, answer specialized questions, and explain what different trends or scenarios might mean.
• Work closely with other economists, internal teams, and outside partners to define projects, choose methods, review results, and ensure that labor market information is accurate and reliable., * Economic and labor market analysis: Use core economic concepts to analyze labor market and industry data and turn the results into clear, practical insights for programs, policy, and business decisions.
• Advanced statistical and modeling skills: Apply regression, forecasting, and econometric tools to large, complex datasets and produce results that are accurate and well supported.
• Data management and programming: Work confidently with large datasets using tools such as SAS, SQL, VBA, Python, R, or similar languages to clean, combine, and prepare data for analysis and visualization.
• Data visualization and communication: Share technical information clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences through written reports, presentations, and tools such as Tableau or similar platforms.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Build strong working relationships with staff and partners, listen to different perspectives, and coordinate efforts to share data and align evaluation and reporting.
• Problem solving and project management: Handle multiple projects at the same time, set priorities when timelines are tight, and adjust your approach as new data or questions come in while keeping people updated.
• Stakeholder-focused service: Work with a service mindset, seek feedback from internal and external partners, and adjust your analyses and products so they better meet user needs and support good decisions.

• Demonstrated proficiency in conducting economic, labor market, or closely related research, including collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data, interpreting findings, and producing clear written reports or visualizations.
• Strong proficiency using statistical or programming tools such as SAS, SQL, VBA, Python, R, or similar to manipulate, merge, and analyze large datasets in applied research, evaluation, or analytics settings.
• Thorough experience designing or contributing to evaluations of programs, policies, or grants, including building measures, analyzing results, and offering evidence-based recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to explain complex analytical concepts in clear written and verbal communication, such as through presentations, policy briefs, or other products tailored to diverse audiences.
• Proven track record working on collaborative, multi-stakeholder projects, such as cross-agency data efforts, workforce initiatives, or grant projects that require coordination, shared standards, and joint problem solving.
• A degree in economics, mathematics, statistics, data science, public policy, or a closely related field may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here.

See our other incredible benefits here. These are some of our benefits just to name a few:

• Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
• 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
• Military leave: You'll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
• Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.

Note: Employees for the State of Montana must reside within Montana. All applications and required application documents must be submitted through the MT Careers site at: https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobdetail.ftl?job=26140686&tz=GMT-06:00&tzname=America/Denver Step into a role where your work directly shapes Montana's future. Join a team of economists who turn complex labor market data into clear stories that drive real decisions about jobs, training, and community investment. Help leaders tackle urgent challenges like healthcare workforce shortages and emerging industry needs, and see your analysis show up in policies, funding choices, and programs that matter. If you are ready to use your skills to make a visible difference for people and communities across Montana, we want you to apply., It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.