Job description
Are you passionate about making a positive impact through market transformation and policy change? Would you like to use your skillset to help the U.S. industrial sector be globally competitive, cut costs, and reach net-zero carbon by 2050? Join our team!
The Opportunity
As Senior Researcher, you will be our point person for industrial heat efficiency and electrification. The position offers the potential to elevate you to national standing through engagement with state and federal policymakers, utilities, manufacturers, vendors, and other market players. You will lead and conduct research, analysis, policy development, and program design. You will have the support of a well-respected and widely recognized team of policy and industry experts in a dynamic organization. The role includes collaboration with other research programs, as well as the policy teams working at the federal, state, utility, and local levels.
ACEEE's industrial policy work encompasses industrial heat, embodied carbon, and the chemicals sector. Through cross-sector collaboration, you will uncover opportunities to impact industrial decarbonization, cultivate new connections across the economy, and build momentum for industrial transformation.
General Responsibilities
- Leads, publishes, communicates, and contributes to research and analysis on industrial heat efficiency and electrification.
- Develops thought leadership on industrial market transformation.
- Works with the team to identify, monitor, and describe technology advances and policy windows to advance the market at the corporate, state, and federal levels.
- Engages in outreach to states for industrial programs and rulemaking efforts.
- Promotes, coordinates, and contributes to convenings and collaborations of utilities, industrial companies, NGOs and other partners to help advance energy efficiency and carbon reductions.
- Develops and follows project workplans and meets milestones within budgeted hours.
- Interacts with funders and develops new funding sources. Contributes to proposal development.
Job Requirements
Required:
- Strong interest in industrial decarbonization and/or industrial policy.
- Bachelor's degree with at least 7 years of work experience, or Master's degree with at least 5 years of experience.
- Coursework in engineering, physical science, economics, and/or environmental science.
- Significant interest or experience in talking in detail with industrial managers, engineers, and vendors about technologies.
- Significant interest or experience in engaging with federal or state agencies and/or policymakers.
- Strong writing skills and the ability to translate technical concepts into language that engages policymakers.
- Track record of performance and reliability.
- Authorship of multiple peer-reviewed reports, including at least one as lead author.
Strongly preferred:
- Experience with, or sound knowledge of, electrification strategies, energy efficiency, and/or emissions reductions in the industrial sector.
- Onsite experience with industrial plants, although this is not necessary.
Location: Flexible. This position can be fully remote or based in ACEEE's Washington DC office, on a hybrid basis with two days a week in office.
Full-time
Status: Exempt
Salary: $77,467 to $96,834, commensurate with experience. ACEEE's generous benefits package includes health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage; a 403(b) retirement plan; transportation and bike share benefits (if located in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area); 3 weeks of vacation in the first year and 4 weeks thereafter, 11 federal holidays and office-wide closure for the week between Christmas to New Year's. This is a full-time, exempt position.
To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and brief (1-2 pages) writing sample to the link below to apply through the Paylocity Recruitment portal. Please explain in your cover letter how your writing sample relates to the position. We do not accept phone calls or emails about the position.
Apply for this openingPlease let us know how you heard of this opening.
ACEEE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination with regard to race, sex, color, age, religion, creed, class, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability. ACEEE is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in its organization and encourages applicants with diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply.
Pay & benefits
About this role
About ACEEE
Company Overview
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), an independent nonprofit organization
HeadquartersWashington, DC, United States
Founded1980
SizeApproximately 80 employees across the United States with a substantial remote workforce (source: aceee.org). Unrestricted revenues of $16.9 million and unrestricted operating expenses of $15.5 million in 2024 (source: aceee.org).
What They Do
ACEEE focuses on policy research, analysis, and advocacy aimed at reducing energy waste and promoting energy efficiency across multiple sectors including buildings, transportation, industry, and utilities (source: aceee.org). The organization works closely with policymakers, communities, utilities, and businesses nationwide to develop and implement energy-saving solutions (source: aceee.org). Its outputs include comprehensive reports, briefs, fact sheets, webinars, and annual scorecards such as the City Clean Energy Scorecard, which benchmarks energy-efficiency progress in cities (source: aceee.org). ACEEE distinguishes itself through deep policy expertise combined with broad stakeholder engagement rather than product sales or project development (source: aceee.org).
Projects & Track Record
ACEEE's impact is measured through its extensive research publications and policy influence rather than physical infrastructure projects (source: aceee.org). In 2024 alone, the organization published nearly 40 reports, briefs, and other research outputs, including the seventh edition of its flagship City Clean Energy Scorecard (source: aceee.org). Key areas of influence include federal appliance efficiency standards, local transportation system improvements, and utility efficiency programs, demonstrating ACEEE's broad impact on energy-saving policies nationwide (source: aceee.org).
Recent Developments
In September 2024, ACEEE released a pivotal report advocating that climate goals should be the primary driver for utility efficiency efforts, recommending strategies for state legislators and utility regulators to better value emissions reductions from efficiency programs (source: aceee.org). The organization continued to expand its City Clean Energy Scorecard initiative and maintained a high level of research output with nearly 40 publications in 2024 (source: aceee.org). ACEEE's ongoing activity is reflected in its public impact updates, with a 2026 page referencing a 2025 annual report, underscoring its sustained commitment to advancing energy efficiency policy (source: aceee.org).
Working There
ACEEE fosters a collaborative, mission-driven culture emphasizing teamwork and results, offering in-person, hybrid, and remote roles for U.S.-based staff and interns (source: aceee.org). The organization hires across diverse functions including senior research, building construction, transportation, policy analysis, program management, communications, finance, operations, and development (source: aceee.org). Employee benefits include flexible healthcare and dental coverage, 15 to 20 vacation days depending on tenure, 12 sick days, paid federal holidays plus additional holiday breaks, transportation and bike-share benefits, and a 403(b) retirement plan (source: ziprecruiter.com). Salary ranges for recent openings include $77,467–$96,834 for Senior Research Associate, $100,000–$130,000 for Deputy Director, and $57,378–$71,722 for Transportation Research Analyst positions (source: aceee.org). The paid summer internship program spans eight weeks and offers research experience, networking, and mentorship opportunities, with applications typically closing at the end of January (source: aceee.org).
See how you’re connected
See your contacts at ACEEE on LinkedIn and tap your network when applying.
View connections