Clean Energy Associate

Job Summary:

You will support WRI’s domestic energy projects, with a focus on providing support to cities to help them meet their renewable energy goals and bring the benefits of clean energy to all. In this position, you will help the team run stakeholder convenings, trainings, and peer learning, and cohort programming for city staff and other audiences and contribute to and develop the content and research that underpins these events. You will facilitate stakeholder meetings, enable peer exchange, and help provide technical assistance to cities and other entities on clean energy deployment. You will also provide broad research that supports the Energy Program in the areas of solutions for expanding the deployment of clean energy and accelerating decarbonization by the utility sector and large buyers. You will write briefs and WRI knowledge products, develop tools and resources, contribute to blogs and communications products, and support staff senior team members as they expand WRI’s work to create and scale clean energy solutions.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based in Washington, DC once restrictions have lifted.

Job Responsibilities:

Project Management & Stakeholder Engagement (40%)

•  Interact with utilities, cities, government staff, NGOs, and other stakeholders to achieve project objectives
• Coordinate stakeholder convenings and lead meetings designed to achieve project objectives and address barriers to clean energy deployment
• Monitor and manage product deliverables, setting and clarifying priorities for team members
• Contribute to research and fundraising proposals
• Monitor and manage project budget, track progress on deliverables and milestones, and donor reporting
• Mentor junior staff and researchers

Research & Knowledge Products (30%)

• Lead qualitative or quantitative analysis (including financial modeling/analysis) related to clean energy
• Produce knowledge products (e.g. reports, briefs, data products) that adhere to WRI’s quality guidelines
• Develop high-quality and impactful tools and resources for cities and other audiences
• Author or co-authoring blog posts and other communication documents
• Review knowledge products written by other WRI researchers and external partners

Communications & Administrative (30%)

• Create communications for influence targets, particularly timely pieces that distill longer-term research and opportunities for action such as the monthly state update and webinar content
• Engage in public speaking on technical issues related to the program’s work
• Develop or support the development of program communications, such as web content, narrative development, and other influence tools
• Lead or support WRI events, stakeholder convenings, and presentations
• Coordinate internal and external meetings, workshops, conferences and other dissemination activities –
• Liaise with external partners and WRI colleagues across programs

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as environmental studies, economics, policy, sustainability, or engineering;
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant, full-time work experience
• Experience or understanding of energy, electricity policy, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and utility and regulatory processes
• Excellent research, analytical, and computer skills -Preferred experience in financial and economic analysis, and utility rates
• Excellent data collection and management skills—e.g., through Microsoft Excel or similar
• Strong writing and proofreading skills
• Strong oral communications skills and coordination skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Commitment to WRI’s mission
• A successful candidate will demonstrate excellent qualitative and quantitative research and writing skills
• US work authorization is required for this position

Preferred

• Convening skills
• Prior experience in writing briefs and research products, ability to do interviews and journal-based research
• Knowledge of issues related to purchasing renewable energy, community solar, and on-site solar deployment is desired.

Potential Salary:

$59,600 – $77,500 if based in United States. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter with resume. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

Program Overview:

WRI’s Energy Program speeds the transition to a low-carbon, inclusive energy future by helping to build clean energy markets and change institutions. The U.S. Energy team focuses on decarbonization of the power and transportation sectors, with a focus of working with cities, large energy buyers, and utilities. We take public commitments as a starting point and push forward policies, projects, and programs that accelerate and deliver change on the ground. The U.S. Energy Program’s work includes supporting cities with ambitious clean energy through the City Renewables Accelerator program supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and other related projects. Our team helps cities meet their renewable energy purchasing goals, develop renewables deployment strategies and support purchasing approaches that are most relevant and impactful for the circumstances of our city partners.

WRI’s support includes organizing and supporting cohorts of cities working on similar purchasing strategies, developing tools and guidance documents, organizing training, and supporting peer learning events to help cities secure renewable energy to decarbonize their electricity supply. Additionally, our program addresses market barriers to the adoption of electric vehicles and clean energy solutions needed to transition to a low carbon electricity grid. We work with utilities to implement new programs, rates, or products to accelerate adoption of renewables and electric vehicles. We also focus on removing market and institutional barriers to clean energy deployment through projects like the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition, which seeks to enable cities to have a stronger voice on wholesale power market issues that affect clean energy. We also support WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative, working with school districts and utilities to bring the benefits of clean transportation to children across the U.S. and exploring issues like how vehicle-to-grid could support uptake of e-buses while bringing resiliency benefits to the grid.

Finally, our team undertakes primary research on renewable energy and clean energy technologies to identify barriers to deployment, articulate successes, and identify policies or programs needed to accelerate clean energy adoption. This research includes barriers to solar and wind development, increasing equitable access to clean energy, pathways for expanding electric vehicle adoption, new financing mechanisms for clean energy, utility planning, and evolution of storage technology. Increasingly, WRI is integrating equity and social justice concerns into all of its work supporting the clean energy transition to ensure it benefits all.

WRI Overview:

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include: integrity, innovation, urgency, independence and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.
 
We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.  

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.