Junior Economist / Business Analyst

About AKIVA

AKIVA is an AI-native engineering firm specializing in enterprise services, domain-specific solutions, and high-performance infrastructure from strategy through deployment. We build innovative systems that drive measurable results for commercial enterprises and government agencies. AKIVA is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

Position Overview

AKIVA is seeking a Junior Economist / Business Analyst to provide research, technical, and analytical support for a federal aviation revenue compliance program. You will identify and track state and local jurisdictions that assess and collect aviation fuel taxes, perform initial review of jurisdictional action plans and corrective action plans, and ensure data integrity across the program's compliance database through validation checks and standardized data entry protocols. The role suits an early-career economist or analyst who wants substantive exposure to federal revenue compliance, public finance, and data-driven policy work.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and track current and prospective state and local jurisdictions that assess and collect aviation fuel taxes, including methods of assessment, collection, and use of proceeds
• Document tax-assessment enabling legislation, collection methods, amounts collected, and the use or allocation of revenues by each taxing jurisdiction
• Perform initial review of jurisdictional action plans and corrective action plans for compliance with federal revenue use policy
• Conduct data validation checks and apply standardized data entry protocols to ensure integrity of the program compliance database
• Identify and document discrepancies or anomalies in reported data and recommend corrective actions
• Support development and ongoing curation of a government collaboration site (such as a Knowledge Sharing Network) used as the program document repository; ensure all published content is Section 508 compliant
• Use the program reporting and tracking repository to maintain compliance status for all relevant jurisdictions, action plans, and corresponding corrective actions
• Develop quarterly and annual summary research products on revenue collection activities and findings
• Support trend and risk analysis on revenue assessment, collection, and use, including potential legal, regulatory, or legislative changes
• Draft research memos, summary reports, and policy briefs for technical and non-technical audiences
• Coordinate with the Program Manager and the senior business analyst on cross-cutting analyses, data requests, and stakeholder responses

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Public Policy, Business Administration, Statistics, Data Analytics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field
• 2+ years of relevant experience in economic analysis, financial compliance, regulatory data analysis, public finance research, or quantitative public policy research
• Demonstrated experience cleaning, validating, and analyzing data from disparate sources; ability to identify discrepancies and anomalies and recommend corrective actions
• Experience drafting written analytical products (research memos, summary reports, policy briefs) for technical and non-technical audiences
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (formulas, pivot tables, lookups) and intermediate skills in at least one of SQL, Python, or R
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to engage directly with technical and policy stakeholders
• High attention to detail and discretion handling sensitive program data
• Ability to work effectively in a fully remote environment
• Ability to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's coursework or completed Master's degree in a relevant quantitative or policy field
• Up to 5 years of relevant experience
• Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) or Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
• Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), CFA Level I, or CPA candidate
• Prior federal program support experience (FAA, DOT, GAO, CBO, OMB, Treasury, or comparable)
• Familiarity with state and local tax structures, fuel-tax law, or airport revenue compliance
• Experience working with Section 508 compliant publishing or document repositories
• Experience with Tableau, Power BI, or comparable BI platforms
• Familiarity with AI-assisted data-validation, anomaly-detection, and research-summarization tools

Tools, Technologies & Frameworks

• Data: SQL, Python, R, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access
• Visualization: Tableau, Power BI
• Productivity: Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, SharePoint, Outlook
• Collaboration: SharePoint, government Knowledge Sharing Network (KSN) sites
• Standards: Section 508, federal data quality and records-retention standards

What AKIVA Offers

• Professional development and skill-building opportunities
• Supportive management team with Veteran-owned company values
• Opportunity to work on impactful public sector engagements
• Long-term contract engagement with potential for extension
• AI productivity tools and training provided at no cost to employees

Comprehensive Benefits Package

• 401(k) with generous company match
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Profit Sharing

Join Our AI Innovation Network

Interested in staying connected with AKIVA's AI initiatives, research, and opportunities?

Join our AI Innovation Network here: https://www.akiva.com/ai-network

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

AKIVA is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical disability, marital status, military and Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We believe that diversity among our teammates is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people within a qualified candidate pool.

AKIVA is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

Flexible work from home options available.