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Student Trainee (Economics)

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
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Student Trainee (Economics)

Series/Grade: GS-0199-07/09

Close: October 2, 2023

Announcement Number: FERC- RIS-2023-0037

Who May Be Considered: Open to current students enrolled in accredited institutions.

USAJOBS Link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/749784700

 

Internship Description:

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an executive agency that oversees the U.S. wholesale natural gas and electricity markets. In addition to monitoring the activity within these markets, FERC analyzes proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines, licenses hydropower projects, and addresses issues related to grid modernization and a smarter grid.  

The paid internships will be in the Office of Enforcement in either the Division of Analytics and Surveillance or Division of Audits and Accounting depending upon the applicant’s interest and experience.

Division of Analytics and Surveillance (DAS)

DAS focuses on identifying potential manipulation, anti-competitive behavior, and other anomalous activities in the natural gas and electricity markets.  To support this mission, DAS analysts write code using SAS (or Python, R, SQL etc.) to screen FERC’s large set of non-public trading and market data as well as analyze energy trading strategies and detect potential manipulation, anti-competitive behavior, and other anomalies in the energy markets. DAS staff also participate in investigations and docketed proceedings, providing detailed transactional analysis, market event analysis, and subject matter expertise. 

Division of Audits and Accounting (DAA)

This internship will be in the Office of Enforcement’s Division of Audits and Accounting (DAA) Energy Quarterly Report Admin Branch.  The EQR Admin Branch maintains one of the largest publicly energy market transaction and contract datasets available.  Energy transactions are filed each quarter by over 3,000 jurisdictional market participants.  The branch focuses on ensuring filers are in compliance and works with internal staff and stakeholders to ensure the EQR system and dataset is accessible and continuously updated.  To support this mission, DAA analysts query the EQR and conduct analysis using SAS (or Python, R, SQL etc.).  DAA staff also participate in Audit and investigations matters providing detailed insight on the EQR and seller behavior. 

Successful interns have had backgrounds in economics, environmental science, computer science, data science, statistics, mathematics, finance, and public policy. Past interns also have been interested in energy policy and commodities market regulation.

FERC is consistently rated highly by The Best Places to Work survey, scoring in the top 5 mid-size agencies for the past five years. DAS itself scores even higher, reflecting a group that not only believes in their work but also the people around them.

Internship Responsibilities:

Interns selected for the position will:

  1. Participate in an intensive internal training which will provide an overview of FERC, the legal and regulatory aspects of market monitoring, natural gas and electricity market concepts, and basic commodity trading concepts. The training will also introduce basic concepts in SAS, SQL, Python, and R. 
  2. DAS:  Work with a mentor to develop a project involving a specific aspect of FERC’s markets. Interns will be expected to code and use FERC’s proprietary market data as a part of their project. 
    DAA:  Work with a mentor to develop a project involving a specific aspect of FERC’s EQR data collection that fits with the direction of DAA.  Interns will be expected to access and use the public EQR data as a part of their project. 
  3. Present their work to the division at the end of their internship. 

Previous interns have worked on active natural gas and electric investigations, updated screens for physical and financial energy products, and researched the potential impacts of new products and regulations on the market.

Application Requirements:

During the posting window, the student must create a USAJOBS.GOV account and enter their information into the USAJOBS.GOV website portal.  Please search "Federal Energy Regulatory Commission” (FERC). The positions will be listed as either Energy Industry Analyst Intern or Economist Intern and may have multiple offices listed other than the Office of Enforcement.  

Please note that the Economist Intern position will require candidates to demonstrate adequate coursework in Economics to be considered. We encourage candidates without the economics credits to apply under the EIA posting. All students may apply to the EIA posting. Responsibilities between EIA and Economist internships will be identical, and all internship applicants for concurrent EIA/Economist postings will be reviewed jointly.

FERC currently is operating in hybrid environment, which includes this position.