Careers at Virginia Tech

The International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC) at Virginia Tech in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) invites applications for an exciting Senior Research Associate position specializing in the economic analysis of agricultural markets and policy. Funding for this position is for up to one year with an anticipated start date beginning January 2025. The successful candidate will work closely with senior economists within the OCE and lead researchers at the Center for Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech to conduct domestic and global economic policy analysis of emerging issues relevant to U.S. agricultural industries. Research applications will be expected to contribute to a broad range of fields represented by USDA/OCE. Specific examples could include but are not limited to: U.S. farm policies and the Farm Bill, climate change and agriculture, biofuels, land use, crop insurance, environmental regulations, agricultural productivity, and global trade policies affecting U.S. agricultural markets.

The successful candidate is expected to be proficient working with large datasets and employing domestic and international modeling frameworks to generate timely analytical summaries, policy briefs and/or reports, and submitting research to academic journal outlets. Presentation and dissemination of analytical results to academic audiences, policymakers, and agricultural industries at federal, state and/or professional venues is welcomed and encouraged.

The structure of the position is negotiable and could include a one-year position as senior research associate, or partial year appointment for candidates with existing appointments and approval for research leave. We anticipate occasional travel to visit USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist in Washington, D.C. for research collaboration and advancing research program priorities.
Background:
The International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC) is a unique consortium of researchers and policymakers conducting applied economic analysis of domestic and international agricultural markets and policy. Today, the IATRC has approximately 250 members representing 31 countries and is administered by the College of Agricultural and Life Science’s Center for Agricultural Trade (CAT) at Virginia Tech. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) is the focal point for economic and policy-related research and analysis for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. OCE aims to inform public and private decision makers by providing information and data-driven analyses of current and emerging issues impacting agricultural markets.

About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

• Ph.D. in agricultural and/or applied economics, economics, or a closely related discipline
• Coursework/experience in quantitative analyses, applied econometrics, and/or data science
• Record of peer-reviewed publications, advanced working papers, or policy reports related to
the research focus of the position

• Proficiency and experience across a variety of modeling platforms such as R, Stata, Python,
Matlab, GAMS, and related programming languages.
• Experience conducting domestic policy evaluation and/or benefit-cost analyses.
• Spatially explicit research experience involving county, state, domestic or global economic
analysis.

Restricted

$65,000 to $75,000

12/02/2024 (open until filled)

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.