Economist, Amazon Devices Demand Planning

About the role

The Decision Science team owns demand estimates and pricing recommendations of concept devices before customers know they exist. We support analyses on hardware and services ranging from Echo Frames to Kindle Paperwhite to Blink Video Camera subscriptions to the Amazon Smart Plug - all prior to launch.

Responsibilities

• Design, estimate, and scale Berry-Levinsohn-Pakes (BLP) random coefficients demand models to quantify consumer heterogeneity, own- and cross-price elasticities, and substitution patterns across large product markets.
• Implement and optimize numerical routines—including GMM estimation, contraction mappings, and simulation-based inversion—to solve structural demand systems at scale in Python.
• Develop and validate instrumental variables strategies to address price endogeneity in differentiated product markets, ensuring unbiased and robust demand parameter estimates.
• Build production-grade pipelines that ingest large-scale observational datasets, estimate consumer preferences, and generate product-level demand forecasts on recurring schedules.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product management, marketing, and operations to translate structural model outputs—such as willingness-to-pay and competitive diversion ratios—into actionable pricing and portfolio strategies.
• Advance the team's structural modeling capabilities by researching and deploying extensions to classical BLP frameworks (e.g., supply-side estimation, dynamic demand, micro-moments) and documenting approaches in clear technical reports.

Requirements

• PhD in economics or equivalent
• 2+ years of industry, consulting, government, or academic research experience
• Knowledge of at least one statistical software package such as R, Stata, Matlab, SAS
• Experience in prediction and forecasting in a research or industrial environment
• Experience with handling of large datasets

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications: PhD in economics or equivalent
• Preferred Qualifications: 2+ years of industry, consulting, government, or academic research experience; Knowledge of at least one statistical software package such as R, Stata, Matlab, SAS; Experience in prediction and forecasting in a research or industrial environment; Experience with handling of large datasets

Skills

• Knowledge of statistical software packages
• Experience with large datasets
• Experience with demand modeling and forecasting
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, prescription, life insurance, AD&D insurance, EAP, mental health support, and flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off
• Parental leave

Pay

Base salary range for this position is $136,000.00 - $184,000.00 USD annually

Schedule

Full-time