Economist - Energy Economics & Analysis

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is responsible for ensuring the UK has secure, affordable energy and for the UK’s role in domestic and international efforts to avoid dangerous climate change. The department supports the Secretary of State - The Rt. Hon. Edward Davey MP - and his Ministerial team to deliver the Government’s energy and climate change policies.  The Secretary of State has set three priorities:

• Driving investment in the UK’s energy infrastructure and supporting growth.
• Helping households and businesses take control of their energy bills.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the UK and internationally..

The Energy Economics and Analysis team provide advice & analytical support across a wide range of high-profile policy areas that are central to DECC's key objectives: analysis to support decisions on new nuclear generation (Hinkley Point C) and pioneering Carbon Capture & Storage plant; working to ensure that the policy framework is in place to support investment in the UK's electricity and gas distribution/transmission networks; analysis of retail and wholesale electricity and gas markets, at both the domestic and international level; helping to design pioneering schemes to help achieve Electricity Demand Reduction, as well as the design and delivery of the two main elements of Electricity Market Reform, which was the central element of the Energy Act 2013 - Contracts for Difference (to help with the UK's decarbonisation ambitions) and the Capacity Market (to help provide security of electricity supply).

You will need to build up excellent working relationships with policy colleagues and stakeholders, working closely with them to identify analytical requirements; use a range of analytical tools and techniques e.g. literature reviews, economic modelling and cost-benefit analysis; and ensure that your analysis is practical, targeted and clearly draws out conclusions for a policy audience. The exact nature of the work will vary depending on the successful candidate, but can be expected to include economic support for one or more of the following high-profile policy areas:

• Electricity Networks
• Energy Demand Reduction
• Electricity Market Reform
• Retail and Wholesale Electricity Markets
• Nuclear Energy economics
• FID Enabling
• Institutions

The successful candidate will:

• Analyse and handle data for the purposes of producing evidence for policy advice, quality-assuring economic models, challenge input data and assumptions and interpret output data for the purposes of providing supporting evidence.  
• Apply economic tools and techniques, and synthesise evidence from a range of sources.
• Provide effective and appropriate written and oral communication to colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds building effective working relationships with senior policy colleagues and other analytical professions. 
• Have at least a degree level 2:1 or equivalent qualification in economics, and have experience working as a professional economist.

For further information and to apply, please visit Civil Service Jobs.

The closing date is 4^th April 2014

DECC values equality and diversity in employment and welcomes applications from all sectors of society.