Benefit Cost Analyst

Position Summary

IEM is looking for a Full Time-Benefit Cost Analyst as part of the Mitigation and Resilience team. This position is responsible for performing detailed benefit-cost analyses (BCA) for hazard mitigation projects under FEMA programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, and other projects or programs as required. This position focuses on completing engineering feasibility reviews, BCAs and developing BCA methodologies to support positive and potentially negative Cost Effectiveness determinations; extracting data from BCA projects that may have been developed under a FEMA BCA tool prior to version (ex: 5.2.1 5.3 or 4.4 etc.). Familiarity with hydrology/hydraulics, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, GIS to produce maps and evaluate production runs for pre and post mitigation scenarios is a preferred quality. This position focuses on evaluating proposed mitigation projects to ensure their economic feasibility and alignment with FEMA guidelines, while contributing to the broader objective of reducing risks from natural disasters and helping communities build back stronger and more resilient.

Primary Location:

• Candidates will be expected to work in a hybrid manner, working in the Baton Rouge, Lousiana office at least 40 percent of the time.
• When working remotely, we require the ability to maintain minimum Internet speeds of 25 Mbps upload and 3 Mbps download, as well as a ping rate of 100 ms or less during working hours, regardless of the type and number of devices using your Internet connection. You must also have account privileges and access to your Internet service provider account during working hours for the purposes of maintaining the Internet connection, if needed.
  
  

Travel Requirements

• This position may require travel to complete work assignments or attend meetings.
  
  

Essential Functions

• Work with state, local government and federal agencies to assess and validate proposed project cost effectiveness, advise on submitting competitive mitigation project applications
• Extract data from files, other BCA packages, newspaper articles, the internet and any other source that will support cost effectiveness assessments.
• Prepare preliminary BCAs for screening projects for efficiency and to prioritize projects for potential ranking and submission under specified grant programs.
• Develop a detailed BCA with the FEMA BCA tool Version 6.0 (or current version) for HMA sub-applications/sub-grants using a FEMA-approved methodology with a summary and supporting documentation to demonstrate project cost-effectiveness.
• Review BCAs to ensure the analyst provided adequate supporting documentation and the project has a passing benefit cost ratio (BCR) or sufficient documentation to justify a “Not cost effective” determination.
• Ensure mitigation project proposals comply with FEMA’s BCA guidelines and criteria.
• Evaluate the applicability of pre-determined benefits to proposed projects (when applicable) such as:
• Acquisitions and Elevations in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
• Residential Hurricane Wind Retrofits
• Non-Residential Hurricane Wind Retrofits
• Individual Tornado Safe Rooms
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post Wildfire
• Evaluate and review Studies and reports such as Hydrologic & Hydraulic (H&H) studies related to drainage project applications.
• Provide technical support for FEMA-funded programs such as HMGP, BRIC, PDM, and others.
• Collect and analyze data related to hazard risk, including natural disaster probabilities, community vulnerabilities, and historical damage reports, and present findings to key stakeholders, including government agencies, funding authorities, and project teams.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Must possess a valid driver's license
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, with five (5) years’ hydrology experience
• Must be a licensed engineer with current licensure in Louisiana or ability to be licensed in Louisiana within 3-4 months
• 3-5 years of experience in benefit-cost analysis development and showcased proficiency with BCA tools
• Must be able to discuss previous personal BCA runs in a manner that supports your determinations
• Clear understanding of what Mitigation means under federally funded grant programs
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Working knowledge of civil and environmental engineering principles
• Understanding of surface water quality, storm water quality, and storm water management in construction and post-construction settings; watershed assessments, hydrology, and fluvial processes
• Familiarity with applicable federal, state, and local rules and regulations (e.g., NPDES/MS4 permits, Clean Water Act, USACE; NEPA, 44 CFR Part 9 and 80, Unified HMA Guidance etc.)
• Proficient with English (reading, writing and speaking)
• Proficient technical writing skills:
• Distill supporting information in the scientific literature
• Communicate technical issues to a wide range of audience
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten years’ FEMA BCA toolkit experience working on HMA grants with an emphasis on complex drainage projects, or equivalent experience commensurate with the ability to perform the necessary duties.
• Five (5) years’ hydrology experience
• Experience in conducting BCA evaluations of projects that incorporate natural and green infrastructure solutions, such as wetlands restoration, living shorelines, floodplain restoration, urban green infrastructure, coastal dune restoration, etc.
• Engineering licensure in Louisiana
• Familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS) and risk modeling software is a plus
• Certifications such as the Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) or relevant project management certifications (e.g., PMP)
  
  

Benefits And More

• 10 paid holidays
• Vacation pay
• Sick pay
• 401 (K) plan with matching
• Company paid STD and LTD
  
  

Why Join IEM

We are a woman owned company in Emergency Management that embraces teamwork, collaboration, flexible performance, actionable solutions and integrity/ethics. Our work touches everyone. We produce results that matter. Results that save lives – join us while we build a safe, secure and resilient world.

Our Culture

IEM believes in the greater good and it is our commitment to attract those who have excellent technical skills, creative minds and innovative ideas to keep propelling us forward.

IEM is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Vets and Disabled:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact Human Resources and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from Human Resources.