Senior Policy Analyst
Overview:
NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.
NRDC is seeking Senior Policy Analyst to work with the Data & Policy Analysis team in the Science Office in our Washington, DC office.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Policy Analyst will develop, conduct, and help oversee detailed analyses of the impacts of environmental regulations, federal and state-level legislation, and other clean energy policies on the power sector and broader U.S. economy. The analyst will work closely with staff in the Policy and Data Analysis division, as well as other NRDC colleagues in various programs, to provide impactful analytical and modeling support for NRDC’s energy-related advocacy portfolio.
The Senior Analyst will lead NRDC’s in-house modeling project. NRDC has a license to Evolved Energy Research’s EnergyPATHWAYS + RIO, an economy-wide energy model used by states, countries, utilities and academics to assess decarbonization trajectories for the U.S. The Senior Analyst will work with other analysts within the Policy Analysis team and program staff to develop decarbonization scenarios and sensitivities, run the model, analyze the data, and prepare internal and public materials on the modeling results.
The Senior Analyst will also work with the federal energy team to develop and analyze federal legislative and regulatory approaches to decarbonize the power sector, such as Clean Energy Standards (CES) and carbon pollution standards. This work will involve active participation in coalition meetings and efforts, including co-developing policy scenarios and joint public-facing advocacy materials.
The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).
Responsibilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:
- Work with members of the Policy Analysis team to support priority campaigns, including providing analytical and technical assistance to our Federal Energy team to defend recently finalized environmental regulations and develop, test and advocate for additional environmental regulations and regulatory approaches at the state and federal levels.
- Work collaboratively within NRDC and with partners to further NRDC’s and our partner’s environmental advocacy, serving as a technical resource for internal and external partners.
- Perform analysis of the impact of existing and emerging regulations, policy proposals, and technologies, using both power sector and economy-wide energy models. This will include work with the EnergyPathways + RIO model.
- Collaborate with and manage work performed by consultants performing economic, energy, and health modeling of federal, regional, and state regulations and policy proposals.
- Draft and oversee the development of materials pertaining to NRDC’s advocacy priorities, including fact sheets, blogs, policy briefs, and primers.
- Present analysis and work to policymakers, media, and other external parties.
The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.
Qualifications:
Minimum Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in economics, engineering, computer science, mathematics, or other relevant field.
- Master’s in economics, engineering, public policy, data science, applied mathematics, or other relevant graduate degree preferred.
- 7+ years of post-Bachelor’s experience in policy or economic analysis; experience with energy and climate policy preferred.
- Proven experience in writing, testing, and deploying code to analyze large datasets, for example using Python or R and associated data science libraries, and demonstrated skills in data cleaning, analysis, and visualization. Facility and knowledge of Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) preferred (e.g., ArcGIS Pro, or QGIS).
- Experience with energy system modeling, such as developing assumptions and policy scenarios for energy system modeling, running energy system models, or interpreting outputs is a plus.
- Excellent writing and presentation skills.
- Experience running energy models and analyzing modeled data outputs preferred.
- Demonstrated commitment to and competency in racial equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, including contributing to an inclusive working environment and advancing DEI.
- Ability to travel to NRDC U.S. based offices, up to 20% annually (less if located in our DC office).
- Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position within the described work environment.
Frequently: Perform desk-based computer tasksFrequently: Ability to interact and communicate with employees and others as necessary
Frequently: Attend planned meetings and collaborate with management and coworkers
Occasionally: Ability to attend events and activities in the office or offsite
Work is sometimes performed primarily in office. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in office settings and moderate in other situations. Hours of employment may sometimes require working flexible and/or longer hours, including nights and weekends, when necessitated by projects.The job includes work-related situations such as those involving challenging, important, urgent, time-sensitive, or multiple matters. This job description is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described.
It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and NRDC expressly reserves the right to change this position description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as NRDC may deem appropriate.
NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer.For this position, the salary range is $130,000 to $150,000.
NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Employees are required to come to the office 8 days per month.
As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law.We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations.
NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.
To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview.Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.
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For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.