Economist jobs

Help answer difficult questions that matter. Working alongside economists and scientists, you'll contribute to major research projects, develop new methods and datasets and provide evidence that shapes policy on natural resource management.

Why YOU are important to us and what impact will you have on the ABARES Division and the departments’ goal.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) is the research arm of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). We are a collaborative team of economists and scientists who enjoy tackling difficult problems. We care about analytical quality and evidence, welcome robust discussion and constructive feedback, and learn from one another. We also recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

This is where you play an important role.
The Fisheries and Forestry Economics Team is hiring a natural resource economist to help improve the economic evidence base for fisheries management. In the next year, we are extending ABARES' Economic Condition Index methodology across Commonwealth-managed fisheries and developing new approaches to estimate economic performance where conventional survey data are unavailable (NER in Commonwealth Fisheries). We are also integrating biological, catch, cost and market information to generate more timely indicators of profitability and sustainability. Longer term, we are developing new methods to measure productivity and economic performance across Australian fisheries and aquaculture industries.

Natural resource economists can work across both the Fisheries and the Forestry Economics teams as needed. The Forestry Economics Team has a quantitative analytical program focussed on using administrative data to replace industry surveys for reporting and analysis. An ongoing BLADE project is investigating performance of the processing sector (mills) and will be extended to implement a productivity analysis through 2027. The Forestry Economics Team works closely with the Land and Water Economics Team on the spatial intertemporal optimisation model of land use change (SAFE), modelling land use change for plantation forestry and other land-based sequestration. ABARES in-house economic model of the Australian forestry sector (Forest Resource Use Model – FORUM) will also be reviewed in 2027.

The duties of the role may include some or all of the following:

• Research – Conduct literature reviews to understand existing methods and evidence. Develop analytical approaches. Gather and analyse data.
• Coding – Learn to write code to process data, implement analytical methods and facilitate reporting. Undertake quality assurance through code review and testing. Use version control systems and document code to support collaboration and reproducibility.
• Collaboration – Work collaboratively across the team and ABARES. Provide advice and assistance to support the development and performance of other team members.
• Stakeholder engagement – Liaise with colleagues, government departments, industry bodies and other stakeholders about model development and to share research findings and related advice.
• Report writing – Help draft technical research reports and related material such as non-technical summaries for policy makers.

Please note that this recruitment process will initially be used to fill one ongoing vacancy and that the role may be able to be performed from either of the locations on the Job Description. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the division where the duties are of a similar nature.

Who we are looking for
The role requires professional experience working as an economist as well as tertiary qualification in economics (or a related discipline). We're looking for smart, conscientious people who combine strong economic theory and analytical skills with intellectual curiosity, sound judgement and the ability to work effectively with others. At an APS 6 level, we’re seeking people with technical expertise who can take responsibility for discrete tasks within a wider work program and work collaboratively with others to deliver high-quality data and analysis. The role requires an interest in, and ability to develop strong insights into, natural resources, particularly fisheries.

Mandatory Qualifications
A tertiary degree in economics or a related discipline.

VetPaths
The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support.