Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented economist to serve as a Labor Market Economist. Responsibilities include: preparing and disseminating concise interpretation and analysis of monthly labor force statistics for use by the news media, local elected officials, regional planners and workforce development system partners and stakeholders; preparing and delivering public presentations and training on the availability and uses of Labor Market Information; and assisting in the collection, verification, and extraction of information from the agency's economic development library. This position provides a great opportunity for an economist who has a strong knowledge of labor market information and is dedicated to educating both professional and lay audiences. The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive experience collecting economic data and statistics, reviewing, evaluating current economic literature and automated reports, and preparing and delivering public presentations and training. IDES offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program. We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of Illinois employers and job seekers.

Job Responsibilities

1. Under administrative direction, serves as a Labor Market Economist for the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)

2. Prepares and delivers public presentations and training on the availability and uses of Labor Market Information by a wide range of customers covering the entire spectrum of economic knowledge sophistication, including both professional and lay audiences.

3. Collects, verifies, and extracts information for the agency's economic development library and automated information resources and in the maintenance of economic accounts relative to the economy of the state and its subareas.

4. Utilizing Microsoft (MS) Access, MS Excel and statistical software tools including but not limited to Haver Analytics, Lightcast Analyst, Stata, SAS, R and Python, collects, organizes, verifies and arranges a large variety of data made available from published and unpublished economic statistics.

5. Designs and implements various special economic and labor market studies, including but not limited to special economic analysis and research projects for a wide range of local and state organizations.

6. Keeps abreast of new developments as they relate to both labor market information and statistical methods and software.

7. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Requires a Master’s degree with a major in the related fields of Biostatistics, Data Analytics/Data Science, Economics, Econometrics, Math, Public Administration, Public Policy, Sociology or Statistics.

2. Requires three (3) years of directly related professional experience in the fields of forecasting economic trends and/or research on economic issues to compile/analyze/report data and/or explain economic impact of policies.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Possession of a Doctoral degree in Economics or a closely related field such as statistics, sociology, computer science and/or mathematics.

2. Possession of 18 credit hours in graduate-level economics or statistics.

3. Three (3) or more years of professional experience using statistical software tools; examples of relevant statistical software tools include but are not limited to: Haver Analytics, Lightcast Analyst, Stata, SAS, R and Python.

4. Three (3) or more years of professional experience applying research methods and statistical techniques to the analysis and interpretation of economic data.

5. Three (3) or more years of professional experience preparing written and oral reports containing complex integration of economics, demographics and/or labor market information.

6. Professional speaking experience to convey policies, procedures, and/or statistical data information in a manner easily understood by diverse audiences.

7. Intermediate or advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires the ability to travel, including overnight stays.

2. Requires an Illinois State Police background check and self-disclosure of any criminal history.