Staff Economist, Economic Strategy

Staff Economist, Economic Strategy

Google is seeking a Staff Economist to join its Economic Strategy Team, focusing on data center and energy economic analysis. This role involves transforming Google's economic narrative by delivering economic intelligence, empowering data-driven decision-making, and quantifying the value of infrastructure investments.

About the Role

As part of Google's global infrastructure economic analysis unit, you will be responsible for delivering economic intelligence to proactively lead Google's Data Center and Energy economic narrative. You will empower data-driven decision-making and safeguard Google’s license to operate by quantifying, forecasting, and communicating the fundamental value of Data Center and Energy infrastructure investments to global markets and local communities. You will provide economic analysis throughout the entire data center life-cycle, optimizing site selection, strengthening positions, and ensuring accountability. Your work will ensure Google, local governments, and communities have a clear, data-backed understanding of the benefits brought by infrastructure projects, supporting responsible growth and community engagement.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute economic impact models (e.g., direct, indirect, and induced) for United States (US) data center investments to quantify job creation, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributions, and local tax generation.
• Evaluate the fiscal impacts of projects on local municipalities to support fair and sustainable development agreements.
• Develop novel frameworks to measure wider economic benefits, such as regional productivity gains, digital infrastructure resilience, and the "crowding-in" of high-tech industries.
• Manage a centralized economic data program; translate technical insights into persuasive white papers, presentations, and policy briefs for internal leadership and external stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Economics, Econometrics, Public Policy, Statistics, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7 years of experience in economic consulting, corporate economic strategy, public sector economic development, or think tanks, with a specific focus on US regional economics, economic impact analysis, fiscal impact analysis, or utility economics.
• Experience using economic modeling tools (e.g., IMPLAN, REMI) and statistical analysis software (e.g., R, Python, STATA, EViews, or MATLAB) to forecast regional economic outcomes.
• Experience conducting economic impact studies (EIA), cost-benefit analyses, and labor market assessments for infrastructure or industrial projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with tax policy analysis, including the evaluation of economic development incentives and fiscal impact modeling.
• Familiarity with real estate economics, including land valuation, site selection metrics, and construction supply chain analysis.
• Understanding of the US technology and energy sectors, including electricity pricing structures, grid infrastructure economics, and the interplay between energy policy and industrial development.

Key skills/competency

• Economic Impact Analysis
• Economic Modeling
• Data Analysis
• Fiscal Impact Analysis
• Economic Strategy
• US Regional Economics
• Infrastructure Economics
• Data Visualization
• Policy Analysis
• Stakeholder Communication