Researcher - Agricultural and Resource Economics - UTIA

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

Knoxville, TN, USA

Posted on May 23, 2026

Responsible for planning, maintaining, and completing all phases of research programs and projects focused on economic impact, feasibility studies, and economic development. This position requires research knowledge, skills and abilities focused on input-output analysis, IMPLAN, feasibility analysis, economic impact analysis, and data dashboard development and maintains.


The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is accepting applications for an Researcher 2 position.

Required Qualifications

  • Education: Master's degree in agricultural economics, or a related field.

  • Experience: Experience in: IMPLAN, Dashboard databases, Excel, and 1-3 years experience doing economic impact analysis is required

  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

    • Ability to be self-motivated, well-organized, detail-oriented, and independently perform duties or in a team environment;

    • ability to oversee and direct work of project specific designated personnel and/or students;

    • ability to oversee research projects;

    • ability to allocate and coordinate resources;

    • ability to multi-task;

    • ability to interact effectively with federal/state/local agencies and decision-makers, as well as federal and state agency administrators and technical staff;

    • statistical knowledge pertaining to research methodology and design, database management, and ability to learn new software quickly;

    • ability to understand, construct, and apply economic models;

    • knowledge of programming skills for manipulation of large databases; and

    • advanced writing/communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

  • Education: PhD degree in agricultural economics

  • Experience: 3-5 years experience doing economic impact analysis, feasibility studies, and dashboard development is preferred

  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Familiarity with USDA agricultural and forestry statistical databases. Strong skills with Excel, IMPLAN, statistical software, dashboard platforms, and other software to collect data, merge and analyze data

Work Location

  • Location: Knoxville, TN
  • Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote: ONSITE

Compensation and Benefits

  • UT market range: MR09
  • Anticipated hiring range:
  • Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
  • Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before June 18, 2026.

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • List of 3 Professional References

Responsibilities of the position include:

  • Ability to be self-motivated, well-organized, detail-oriented, and independently perform duties;
  • Ability to work independently or in a team environment on grant proposals, reports, and other analysis
  • Provides professional contributions to complex research programs, projects, and grant proposals through the applications of economic analysis, including the design and analysis of economic impact analysis, input-output analysis, feasibility analysis, economic development, and maintaining interactive dashboards on county level agricultural statistics.
  • Authors reports for grant projects, journal articles, Extension publications, research reports, and other briefs independently and as a team.
  • May independently develop and submit research proposals acting as lead principal investigator in seeking grant and contract funding from external agencies.
  • Collaborate with principal investigator(s) in grant proposal
  • Communicate findings of research to key stakeholders included Extension Agents, government agencies, policy makers, researchers, and others through presentations and publications.
  • Support Extension personnel and internal stakeholders with research for their programs