Public Utilities Analyst/Economist II

About the role

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is the state agency responsible for overseeing investor-owned electric power, natural gas, and water companies in Massachusetts. It regulates the safety of bus companies, moving companies, transportation network companies, and oversees the safety of natural gas pipelines and the MBTA.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support on matters such as revenue requirements, cost of service, depreciation, taxes, cost of capital and return on equity, ratemaking and rate design, grid modernization, advanced metering infrastructure, electric vehicle infrastructure, net metering, utility owned solar and storage, the interconnection of renewable energy, storm cost recovery/storm funds, pension and post-retirement benefits other than pension, vegetation management, performance incentive mechanisms and performance based regulation, gas system enhancement programs, revenue decoupling, and various other topics as assigned.
• Analyze rate requests and finance petitions from utility companies; solve problems, devise techniques, and develop recommendations using existing precedent, guidelines, regulations, and policy goals.
• Methodically gather, assimilate, and analyze data and information in documents to identify gaps and inconsistencies, make appropriate inquiries, draw conclusions, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Give written and oral instructions in a precise and understandable manner.
• Work productively and effectively both in a team environment and individually with intermittent supervision.
• Issues data requests, cross-examine witnesses, draft memoranda and sections of DPU orders, and apply mathematical techniques of economic research.
• Respond to consumer, administrative, and utility inquiries.
• Collect, compile, and review economic data obtained from various sources, including other agencies and trade organizations, for economic analysis purposes.
• Maintain major work contacts with professional and technical personnel, utility organizations, agency personnel, as well as other local, state, and federal agencies.

Requirements

Minimum entrance requirements: Applicants must have at least (A) three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in the field of economics, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

• A Bachelor's degree with a major in economics may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required experience.
• A Graduate degree with a major in economics may be substituted for the required experience.
• A Bachelor's or higher degree with a major other than in economics may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required experience.

Qualifications

• First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
• Substitutions: I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in economics may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required experience.*
• II. A Graduate degree with a major in economics may be substituted for the required experience.*
• III. A Bachelor's or higher degree with a major other than in economics may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required experience.*

Special Requirements

None.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits are provided, including but not limited to:

• Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Reasonable Accommodations available upon request

Pay

$72,172.36 - $104,315.38 yearly

Schedule

Full-time, Day Shift

Application Instructions

Applicants must submit a cover letter as part of the application process and attach it “as relevant” to the requisition.