Research Economist

Novogradac & Company LLP; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 88,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote and hybrid opportunities

401(k) with firm profit-sharing

Discretionary annual bonuses

Job summary

Novogradac & Company LLP in the United States seeks a Research Economist to conduct economic analysis, build models, and support policy research across affordable housing, community development, historic preservation, and clean energy tax incentives. You will translate complex data into actionable insights for billable engagements and publications.

The role requires a Ph.D. in economics or related field with 1–3 years of applicable experience, strong analytical and writing skills, and the

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in economics, public policy, law or related field plus 1-3 years of work experience in one or more of the firm’s practice areas.
• Strong understanding of the economic underpinnings of place-based public-private partnerships and the tax incentives associated with the firm’s practice areas.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to publish in academic or policy-related publications.

Responsibilities

• Support billable engagements by performing economic analysis and research tasks.
• Lead data analysis and model development to estimate housing tax incentives and related effects.
• Publish research findings in relevant publications to inform policy decisions.
• Attend hearings and policy events and report findings to the department and partners.
• Develop and maintain housing, community development, historic preservation and clean energy data.

Skills

Economic analysis

Model development

Policy research

Strong writing

Education

Ph.D. in economics or related field

M.A. in economics (optional)

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Position Summary

Position Summary The Research Economist will play a key role in conducting economic analysis, developing models, and supporting policy research related to affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and clean energy tax incentives. This role will assist with billable engagements, analyze federal and state data, and publish research findings to inform policy decisions. Additionally, the Research Economist will support working groups, monitor industry trends, and respond to economic articles, reports and policy briefs addressing Novogradac’s practice areas. With strong analytical and research expertise, this position will translate complex data into actionable insights.

Key Contributions and Responsibilities

• Support billable engagements by performing economic analysis and research tasks.
• Provide support for working groups by responding to requests for assistance from lead working group partners and preparing materials as needed.
• Analyze Novogradac’s Qualified Opportunity Fund survey data and contribute to reporting on the results.
• Lead the monthly ACTION Data and Research Subcommittee meetings as the Novogradac representative, including preparing agendas, analyzing key housing research and other related tasks.
• Analyze key data from relevant federal agencies that affect the tax incentives for the company’s practice areas and publish research articles and papers in relevant publications supporting those areas.
• Review and publish responses to economic reports, papers, think tank policy briefs and other similar academic analyses criticizing or commenting on affordable housing, community development, and renewable/clean energy tax initiatives.
• Develop and maintain models to estimate unit financing of housing tax legislation, how much private investment would be incentivized by community development tax legislation, and other related economic analyses of tax legislation involving the firm’s practice areas.
• Develop and maintain housing, community development, historic preservation and clean energy data, including exploring the possibility of setting up a paywalled data access portal for clients.
• Attend, both in person and online, hearings, policy and research events, listen to webinars, keep abreast of various relevant data releases, and report findings back to the department, working groups, lead partners and other interested parties in the company.

Background and Skills

Ph.D. in economics, public policy, law or related field plus 1-3 years of work experience in one or more of the firm’s practice areas of affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable/clean energy. We may consider an exception to a Ph.D. with an advanced degree in economics, public policy, law or related field and 4-6 years of experience in one or more of the firm’s practice areas.

• Strong understanding of the economic underpinnings of place-based public-private partnerships and the tax incentives associated with affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable/clean energy.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills with a demonstrated ability to be published in relevant academic or policy-related publications, especially in one or more of the company’s practice areas of affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable/clean energy.
• Ability to influence policymakers and advocate effectively for company and industry policy priorities.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, interpretive, and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to research excellence and integrity.
• Ability to deliver persuasive and articulate presentations to diverse audiences.
• Capacity to work independently and meet deadlines and effectively manage a variety of tasks and firm priorities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced skills in Excel and PowerPoint for data analysis and presentation development.
• Experience with any of the following is helpful but not mandatory:
  • Affordable Housing
  • Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)
  • Opportunity Zones (OZ)
  • Renewable Energy Tax Credits (RETC)
  • Historical Tax Credits (HTC)
  • Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC)
  • Real Estate
  • Developers
  • Partnerships
  • Housing Authority (HA)
  • Public Housing Authority
  • Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI)
  • Community Development Entity Certification Applications (CDE)
  • Property Compliance
  • Nonprofit
  • Single Audit
  • Uniform Guidance
  • A-133
  • Forecasting
  • Cost Segregation
  • Year 15 Exit
  • Tax‑exempt bond and HOME programs

Why work with us?

Our firm is committed to providing our people with opportunities to excel professionally. We believe in the importance of a welcoming work culture and quality work-life integration to support our staff as we grow together. We are proud to offer:

• Increased number of paid holidays per year
• Competitive salaries with continuous review of market conditions
• Flexible working hours and work arrangements
• Remote and hybrid opportunities
• Expanding Social Impact department for a healthy, happy, inclusive and productive workplace
• Strong growth opportunities
• Competitive benefits package 401(k) package with firm profit-sharing
• Discretionary annual bonuses for eligible positions & CPA bonus plan
• Strong emphasis on quality work-life integration
• Dress for your day policy
• Resources of a national firm
• Compensation: $88,000 - $134,000 depending on experience.

Commitment to Inclusion

Novogradac is committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process, making reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities or special needs throughout the application process. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply, as we believe that unique perspectives strengthen our ability to achieve excellence. At Novogradac, we offer a variety of Employee Resource Groups and Affinity Groups to provide all employees with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and support one another in the workplace. Novogradac & Company LLP offers a progressive work environment, competitive pay and an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, life/disability insurance, commuter flex accounts and a 401(k). Novogradac and Company LLP is an equal opportunity employer. Novogradac’s culture is centered on education, acceptance, innovation and opportunity. We value diversity and respect the different perspectives that each of our employees bring to Novogradac no matter their age, race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. We are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace for our entire workforce.

About the Company

Get to know us better! We’re Novogradac, a national certified public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in 1989, the allied group of Novogradac companies has grown to more than 900 employees and partners with more than 25 offices throughout the country. Novogradac is one of the nation’s top 40 certified public accounting and consulting firms and is a recognized leader in real estate and community development. Novogradac provides publicly and privately held national enterprises with a full spectrum of audit, tax, valuation, expert witness and litigation support, property compliance and general consulting services and works extensively in the affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy fields.