STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Associate Research Analyst

Hybrid

Recruitment #240326-6856AR-001

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Introduction



The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has an exciting opportunity for two (2) Associate Research Analysts to join the Office of Technical and Regulatory Analysis (TRA) located in New Britain.  

What We Can Offer You
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule
  • A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
  • Paid time off - including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
  • Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities; and
  • A healthy work-life balance for all employees!
  • Eligibility to apply for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
Position Highlights
As an Associate Research Analyst, you will support the topics overseen by the Reliability, Security, and Resilience (RSR) unit, in addition to coordinating with other units in TRA. 
Responsibilities of this position may include:
  • Conducting the most complex duties in technical and policy research and analysis on topics assigned to the RSR unit including, but not limited to, electric grid infrastructure, broadband, reliability, security, and resilience programs inclusive of cybersecurity and vegetation management, distribution planning, performance-based utility regulation, among others; 
  • Acting as a project manager for discrete agency investigations, as assigned, developing procedural schedules for all dockets under their purview in order to ensure that the Authority’s objectives for each proceeding are achieved and all standard practices are followed; prepares formal written and statistical reports;
  • Studying and recommending methods of providing services more closely associated with cost and performance based rates; 
  • Assisting in establishing and maintaining a database on costs, demand characteristics and rates of companies for trend analysis, econometric analysis and special studies;
  • Assisting in preparation for staff participation in formal hearings before department; performs related duties as required;
  • Developing and implementing formal research projects and assists in these activities on more comprehensive and complex research assignments; 
  • Analyzing, interpreting and preparing data in a variety of ways; prepares narrative and statistical reports; 
  • Developing computerized databases and analyzes and interprets computer generated reports; and
  • Performing related duties as required.
These positions will be located at Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT, with an opportunity for a hybrid teleworking arrangement. 

These positions are 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

About Us
PURA is responsible for regulating the many aspects of Connecticut's utility sectors, which can be categorized into three key buckets:  
  • Accountability  
  1. Ensuring that the utilities charge only fair and equitable rates; 
  2. Implementing performance-based regulation of the state’s utility companies;
  3. Overseeing investment in the state’s utility infrastructure to promote service quality, reliability, and safety; and
  4. Implementing federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety  
  • Sustainability  
  1. Directing the design and implementation of multiple clean energy programs including, renewable energy deployment, electric vehicle charging, battery storage, and innovation pilots in pursuit of Connecticut’s climate and energy policy goals; and
  2. Coordinating with diverse stakeholders including utilities, other state agencies, community advocates, environmental groups, developers, private industry, and citizens to ensure equitable and affordable access to all programs and services. 
  • Innovation  
  1. Pursuing the prudent and innovative modernization of the electric, natural gas, and water systems through regulatory reform.  
The Reliability, Security, and Resilience (RSR) unit, is one of six technical units within PURA’s Technical and Regulatory Analysis (TRA) Office and is responsible for overseeing emergency response, cybersecurity, reliability, and resilience planning of Connecticut’s utility systems. In conjunction with TRA’s Clean and Affordable Energy (CAE) unit, RSR helps support the state’s Equitable Modern Grid Initiative, in addition to having oversight of storm and related investigation, interconnection procedures, and physical security related to the state’s investor-owned utilities.  
 
Key topics, programs, or decisions overseen by RSR include:  
• Advanced metering infrastructure and smart grid upgrades of the electric grid; 
• Resilience of critical infrastructure against the impacts of climate change; 
• Non-wire alternatives to traditional system upgrades; 
• Interconnection standards for distributed renewable energy resources;  
• Utility preparedness for severe weather and cybersecurity incidents;  
• Broadband expansion across the state.

Selection Plan

For Assistance in Applying:

To Apply:

  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

Important Information After You Apply:

  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Nicholas Naples at Nicholas.Naples@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for performing the most complex tasks in the development and implementation of research projects.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Conducts most complex duties in technical and policy research and analysis on topics assigned to the RSR unit including, but not limited to, electric grid infrastructure, broadband, reliability, security, and resilience programs inclusive of cybersecurity and vegetation management, distribution planning, performance-based utility regulation, among others; 
  • Acts a project manager for discrete agency investigations, as assigned, developing procedural schedules for all dockets under their purview in order to ensure that the Authority’s objectives for each proceeding are achieved and all standard practices are followed; prepares formal written and statistical reports;
  • Studies and recommends methods of providing services more closely associated with cost and performance based rates; 
  • Assists in establishing and maintaining a database on costs, demand characteristics and rates of companies for trend analysis, econometric analysis and special studies;
  • Assists in preparation for staff participation in formal hearings before department; performs related duties as required;
  • Develops and implements formal research projects and assists in these activities on more comprehensive and complex research assignments; 
  • Analyzes, interprets and prepares data in a variety of ways; prepares narrative and statistical reports; 
  • Develops computerized databases and analyzes and interprets computer generated reports; and
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • research methods and techniques;
    • principles, concepts and methods of statistical analysis;
  • Knowledge of agency related policies and procedures as related to research;
  • Considerable
    • oral and written communication skills;
    • interpersonal skills;
  • Considerable ability to analyze data;
  • Ability to develop programs and use prepackaged computer programs to perform data analysis.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of professional experience in research, data analysis or economics.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been conducting research at the level of a Research Analyst.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  • A Master's degree in economics, statistics or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • A bachelor’s degree in engineering, economics, physics, finance, environmental studies, political science, statistics, or urban studies.
  • An advanced degree in engineering, renewable energy, environmental studies, climate change, public utility regulation, finance, or economics.
  • Work experience in utility regulation, utility management, electric grid technology, or energy policy.
  • Experience with utility grid modernization initiatives, broadband deployment, or cybersecurity programs.
  • Experience writing technical reports, regulatory documents, white papers, position papers, policy papers, or academic articles for a general audience that provide conclusions or recommendations supported by documented evidence.
  • Experience with prevention, protection, mitigation, response, or recovery for extreme weather events.
  • Experience conducting quantitative analysis and synthesizing results in written form.
  • Experience leading a team of two or more professionals on a project.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.


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