Principal Economist, AWS Economic Development

Come build a future with AWS Economic Development Research & Analysis Team

Every year, AWS invests billions of dollars around the world in cloud computing infrastructure, data centers, and education for cloud-skilled professions. These investments shape the growth of economies and our global and local ability to meet the demands of the digital revolution. If you're ready to be a key part of the AI/ML revolution, join us and see what it is like to transform tech infrastructure first-hand.

As AWS's strategic economic storytellers, the AWS Economic Development Research & Analysis (R&A) team crafts global, data-driven narratives spanning three strategic categories:
• Core Research – Economic Impact Studies measuring GDP and job contributions; 15-year Investment Forecasts tied to specific build plans; Fiscal Impact Analyses quantifying tax revenues; and Labor Demand Analyses enabling workforce partnerships
• Specialized Research – Energy, water, fiber, and other infrastructure-adjacent areas
• Hyper-Local Intelligence – Granular socioeconomic analyses enabling community-level storytelling
Amazon is seeking a high-judgment, agile, data-driven, and highly motivated Principal Economist to join this lean, high-impact team. You will lead the development of public-facing research that tells compelling narratives around AWS's economic impact through AI/ML infrastructure, while supporting original research on the downstream effects of cloud computing and AI adoption — including hyper-localized analyses and energy-related research.
In this role, you’ll be both a poet and an engineer: rigorous in quantitative methods, fluent in economic storytelling, and experienced with financial and/or accounting datasets.

Key job responsibilities
Key Job Responsibilities
• Own end-to-end development of public-facing studies on a global scale and provide economic, fiscal, labor, and market research to support infrastructure expansion and planning
• Establish and maintain operating and business metrics to evaluate economic, social, and environmental impact across regions
• Drive analytical excellence, analyzing and extracting insights from both structured and unstructured data to optimize and scale key research processes, including leveraging AI-powered tools
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Tax, Compliance, Investor Relations, Public Policy, Public Relations, and Marketing teams to validate research frameworks, align on benchmarks, and frame measures of AWS investment and impact
• Present summaries of financial and business data insights to senior leadership; create FAQs; occasionally travel to present research and support local public policy and public relations stakeholders
• Own research vertical(s) – Lead the development and impact of an actionable body of research in at least one of the following areas: energy and water, hyper-localized socioeconomic impact, AI/ML downstream effects, or broader infrastructure
• Provide thought leadership and mentorship within the team, helping to scale research capacity and quality across a growing global portfolio

A day in the life
You will work closely with finance, infrastructure, energy, and business development teams, as well as AWS Public Policy, Investor Relations, Public Relations, Marketing, and Sales. With AWS infrastructure as your primary customer, you will gain deep exposure to AWS's global business and operate in a highly cross-functional environment. This role is ideal for someone with intellectual curiosity, strong data skills, and a passion for applying rigorous economic methods to drive high-impact business outcomes at the intersection of finance, economics, and public policy.

About the team
AWS Economic Development is part of the AWS Global Public Policy organization. We work seamlessly with public policy teammates, internal customers, and colleagues across Amazon to realize the AWS global expansion strategy and build collaborative partnerships in our communities. The R&A team serves as the analytical backbone of this mission. - 8+ years of relevant experience in industry, consulting, government or academic experience
- Knowledge of advanced causal modeling techniques, both in experimental and observational settings
- Experience coding in scripting languages such as Python, R, Matlab, or STATA
- Experience in written and verbal communication with the ability to present complex technical information in a clear and concise manner to executives and non-technical leaders
- PhD in Economics or closely related field - Experience in infrastructure economics, energy economics, or regional economic development
- Experience with tax policy analysis, including the evaluation of economic development incentives and fiscal impact modeling
- Experience with hyper-local or community-level socioeconomic 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
- Familiarity with AI/ML downstream economic effects or cloud computing economic research
- Experience engaging and influencing senior-level stakeholders across cross-functional teams and presenting complex analytical findings to executive audiences

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, VA, Arlington - 189,400.00 - 256,200.00 USD annually
USA, WA, SEATTLE - 189,400.00 - 256,200.00 USD annually