Energy Economics Researcher - Postdoctoral Fellow

Overview Job Title: Energy Economics Researcher - Postdoctoral Fellow Department: Bureau of Economic Geology Location: PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS Hours: 40 per week • Exempt Start Date: Immediately Duration: Initially one year, renewable up to three years depending on funding, project needs, and performance. General Notes The Center of Energy Economics (CEE) is a key research unit within BEG that advances understanding of energy economics, market analysis, and financial valuation across energy value chains. The CEE supports research addressing traditional and emerging energy systems, including oil and gas, low-carbon solutions (hydrogen and CCS), and renewable technologies. The Center provides comprehensive economic assessments spanning upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors to enable a holistic view of energy markets and transitions. Purpose The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to research on the economic and technological aspects of energy transitions and support two complementary directions: Upstream oil and gas production modeling (supply-side focus) Large load site selection and energy/resource strategy (demand-side focus), including data center-related energy and infrastructure analysis The position involves developing production models, analyzing drivers in unconventional oil and gas plays, and contributing to multidisciplinary research on energy demand growth, infrastructure constraints, and siting strategies for large energy-consuming facilities. It includes techno-economic analyses of low-carbon energy solutions (e.g., hydrogen, CCS/CCUS, geothermal), data mining, market research, and modeling to assess value chains and perform financial analyses (NPV modeling). The postdoc will contribute to independent research, publish in peer-reviewed journals, present findings to stakeholders, support Industry Affiliate (IA) programs and broader funding activities, and assist with proposal development. These activities help develop skills for a future research-track career. Responsibilities Analyze productivity drivers in unconventional oil and gas plays and develop production outlook models for various commodity-price scenarios. Research large load growth (e.g., data centers), including energy demand characterization, siting considerations, and infrastructure/resource constraints (power, water, land, connectivity). Develop analytical frameworks to evaluate trade-offs in site selection and energy/resource strategies for large-scale energy consumers. Conduct market research and data collection for demand, production, and transportation of hydrogen and other low-carbon energy solutions. Review and summarize relevant literature in the energy space. Create data analysis frameworks and develop economic models to support ongoing research. Conduct independent research and contribute to grant proposals. Present findings to Industry Affiliates (IA) and other stakeholders at IA meetings and short courses. Publish findings in BEG Reports of Investigation, peer-reviewed journals, and informal reports. Utilize high-performance computing techniques in simulation studies supporting research efforts. Required Qualifications PhD in engineering, economics, or a related field obtained within 3 years of hire. Experience with energy markets or energy technology research. Expertise in working with large datasets and developing quantitative models. Programming experience in Python, R, or VBA. Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint. Experience in techno-economic analysis and Net Present Value (NPV) modeling. Experience or interest in large-scale energy demand analysis, infrastructure planning, or site selection (e.g., data centers or industrial loads) is a plus. Preferred Qualifications The ideal candidate will have a PhD in petroleum engineering, energy economics, data science, or industrial engineering, with a strong data science and upstream economic modeling background. Energy sector experience, particularly in the oil and gas value chain, is desirable. Familiarity with energy-transition topics such as hydrogen, carbon management, and emission tracking is beneficial. The candidate should have experience applying advanced statistical or econometric methods to energy systems modeling and ideally have prior grant-proposal development experience. Salary Salary Range: $65,000 Working Conditions May work around standard office conditions. Occasional weekend, overtime, and evening work to meet deadlines. Required Materials Resume/CV 3 work references with contact information Letter of interest Employment Eligibility and Compliance Employment Eligibility: You must meet all required qualifications and be able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Retirement Plan Eligibility: The retirement plan is the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to hours and duration. Optional Retirement Program (ORP) may be available depending on position terms. Background Checks: A criminal history background check will be required for finalists. Equal Opportunity Employer: The University of Texas at Austin is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate on any protected characteristic in employment, educational programs, or activities. Pay Transparency: UT Austin will not discriminate against applicants who inquire about pay; however, certain disclosures are restricted as required by policy. Employment Eligibility Verification: If hired, you will need to complete the I-9 form and provide appropriate identity documents by the third day of employment. E-Verify: UT Austin uses E-Verify for new hires. Company ID: 854197. For more information, see the E-Verify and Right to Work posters linked here. Compliance: Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Clery Act. The university provides security and safety information and compliance resources as required by policy. #J-18808-Ljbffr