RESEARCH ECONOMIST 3 (Common)
Career Family: RESEARCH ECONOMIST
In New Jersey, Research Economist 3 is filled through the competitive process: candidates take a civil service exam and are hired off a ranked list, not picked at will.
It is the lowest-paid of the 4 Research Economist grades, a step below Research Economist 2, whose band tops out about $6,486 higher. Qualifying turns on a master's degree. The FY 2027 range lands between $91,628 and $134,900, and state payroll currently lists 3 people in the title, most of them at Treasury.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 2 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 2 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Research Economist 3 appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Treasury.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Treasury | 2 |
| Department of Community Affairs | 1 |
Where this title is used
Research Economist 3 is a common title, so it is used in both State and local service. The local side is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, which set their own pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule.
Check whether an employer is a civil service jurisdiction · How local civil service works
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Research Economist series
- Research Economist 3 — $91,628 – $134,900 (this title)
- Research Economist 2 — $95,955 – $141,386
- Research Economist 4 — $100,498 – $148,187
- Research Economist 1 — $105,267 – $155,359
Promoting to Research Economist 2 raises the top of the band by about $6,486. Its top salary lands around the 80th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 3 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $113,615. The agencies employing the most are:
- Treasury (2)
- Community Affairs (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the direction of a Research Economist 4 or other supervisory official in a state department or agency, plans, organizes and directs assigned research activities of a complex and technical nature; designs and conducts complex and/or sensitive economic research studies requiring comprehensive economic analysis, forecasting, and econometric modeling; utilizes advanced economic and statistical principles, practices, and techniques to identify trends, analyze data, and develop forecasts; formulates recommendations; may take the lead over a research team performing economic studies; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- Plans and conducts independent research to estimate, project, and forecast changes in employment, population, income, hours worked, supply and demand, industrial growth, and other indicators of economic activity
- Devises methods for collecting and processing economic and statistical data, and organizes and interprets such data
- Compiles economic and statistical data relative to the area of assignment; ensures the accuracy and integrity of the data
- Analyzes and interprets highly sensitive and/or non-routine data to evaluate economic factors; utilizes statistical software, and the application of modeling and trend analysis techniques
- Designs and conducts surveys utilizing sampling techniques and monitors experiments to obtain desired types of information
- Studies labor and cost theories, formulates methods and procedures explaining these principles, and establishes new sampling and other procedures designed to improve present techniques
- Takes the lead in designing projects which are components of a broader research effort, and assigns research staff to develop, conduct, and evaluate pilot projects and refine existing programs
- May serve in a lead worker capacity over a research team performing comprehensive economic studies
- Acts as an advisor or consultant to economic and statistical research personnel concerning methods and applications
- Initiates techniques for deriving cost factors and predicting probable success of research studies and/or program evaluations, according to research techniques and mathematical or computer formulations
- Prepares visual aide materials such as charts, graphs and diagrams to illustrate trends, forecasts, and the results of impact analysis
- Evaluates results of research, and prepares recommendations for implementing or rejecting proposed solutions or plans
- Performs complex mathematical and statistical calculations
- May respond to internal and external requests for information
- May be required to generate, assemble, retrieve from, manipulate, or format data bases for use in research, analysis, or report generation by use of computer packages such as Statistical Analysis System (SAS), or comparable software, and by use of formalized Job Control Language (JCL), or comparable machine instruction statements
- May be required to perform statistical, economic, or demographic analyses using computer packages such as Statistical Analysis System (SAS), CENSPAC, or comparable software, and by use of formalized Job Control Language (JCL), or comparable machine instruction statements
- Researches the economic impact of actual or proposed federal and state programs and legislation and/or activities proposed or undertaken by public and private organizations
- May assist in the development of new concepts for application of research and statistical techniques to answer a wide variety of questions or problems which affect the economy or any of its segments
- Designs and prepares reports showing economic trends, changes in employment, workforce distribution and demographics, industrial growth, or other similar measures of economic activity; prepares and delivers presentations and/or briefings based on highly complex analysis or potentially controversial topics about economic trends.
- Maintains records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units
Education
Possession of a Master's degree in Economics, Statistics, Industrial Relations, Public Administration, or Business Administration from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by twelve (12) graduate credit hours in Economics
Experience
Three (3) years of comprehensive, technical research and analysis experience in the field of economics or a closely allied field having a strong economics orientation and which shall have included satisfactory completion of at least one (1) independently conducted economic research project of professional quality.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of economic and statistical principles and theories and their specific application to research and planning
- Knowledge of methods used in establishing samples, devising comprehensive surveys and research projects, and making statistical analyses involving the application of statistical measures
- Knowledge of economic research techniques such as literature reviews, proposal writing, methods of statistical analysis (e.g. sample methods, risk analysis, cost-benefit analysis, etc.), and hypothesis testing
- Knowledge of mathematical and econometric modeling techniques
- Ability to design and conduct complex and/or sensitive economic research studies requiring comprehensive economic analysis, forecasting, and econometric modeling
- Ability to independently analyze and interpret economic and social data
- Ability to conduct special research programs and identify program needs, and to assist in evaluating program effectiveness
- Ability to apply and utilize advanced economic and statistical principles, practices, and techniques to identify trends, analyze data, and develop forecasts
- Ability to devise methods and procedures for collecting and processing data
- Ability to perform complex mathematical and statistical calculations
- Ability to interpret economic facts and trends, and forecast their impact on department/agency programs or needs
- Ability to provide assignment, guidance and instruction to staff
- Ability to serve in a lead worker capacity
- Ability to plan and coordinate statistical, research, and reporting work, analyze statistical problems, and develop appropriate work methods
- Ability to represent the agency at meetings or hearings
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with department/agency staff and with representatives of other public and private agencies
- Ability to develop reports showing economic trends, changes in employment, workforce distribution and demographics, industrial growth, or other similar measures of economic activity
- Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
A Doctorate's degree in Economics is required for promotion, or type of appointment to the next higher level, Research Economist 4
A Master's thesis or other reports related to the academic program will not be considered fulfillment of the research project requirement.
A Doctorate degree in Economics in an area which may include a majority of coursework related to economics may be substituted for indicated experience and research project.