RMI is seeking a Senior Associate who understands how power systems work, can model the impacts of innovative technologies to inform better planning, and can use these results to help stakeholders reform markets and regulation. If that is you, we invite you to join our Carbon-Free Electricity program’s growing global team.
Applicants should be passionate about ensuring an equitable energy transition, and excited about work outside the US.
We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.
Application deadline: Friday July 17th, 11:59pm CT
Program Overview
The Global Electricity Transition (GET) team within RMI’s Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE) program supports the transition of electricity systems globally to support countries in developing clean, affordable, reliable, secure, and economically competitive power systems. We work with power sector decisionmakers to meet these goals through integration of low-cost renewable energy, storage and grid flexibility, and distributed energy resources. We employ a unique combination of research, direct engagement, and collaboration to support individuals and organizations to create and implement transformative energy solutions, including innovative business models, regulation, market design, and operational strategies.
Position Overview
The GET team seeks a Senior Associate to analyze and model power systems from physical and technoeconomic perspectives. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated work experience and expertise in grid-scale operations and analyses. As a deep subject matter expert working across a range of geographies and topics, this Senior Associate will combine their technical expertise with strong project execution and task management skills to keep multiple workstreams on track in parallel. This includes working collaboratively with RMI regional teams in Southeast Asia, India, and sub-Saharan Africa across diverse geographies such as Colombia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, and South Africa.
Examples of your projects might include:
Conducting power system analysis to evaluate grid flexibility needs at a national level, and identifying innovative market or regulatory mechanisms to enable cost-effective integration of clean energy resources.
Estimating the potential cost savings that grid-forming resources could create if deployed at scale, and creating guidance for power sector decisionmakers on how to achieve them.
Developing approaches that utilities and system operators can use to better plan under uncertainty and optimize investments to avoid lock-in and stranded assets.
Supporting an electricity regulator to develop a framework for integrating large loads into the grid while maximizing system benefits and protecting customers from cost shifts.
Co-authoring thought leadership products on solutions to emerging power sector challenges and priorities.
This role will report to a Manager on the Carbon-Free Electricity Program.
Core Responsibilities
Serve as a subject matter expert on power systems within your project teams, ensuring technical rigor and feasibility of proposed solutions.
Independently scope and execute multiple analytical workstreams in parallel, especially those related to markets and grids-focused projects, and support team members in scoping and executing analyses.
Locate, synthesize, and analyze data that allows RMI to shed new light on problems and devise creative solutions.
Use your research and analysis to develop hypotheses, insights, and recommendations that accelerate clean energy deployment, drawing on various change levers such as deployment of technical solutions, capacity building, mobilization of capital, or power sector planning.
Advise on and/or help implement RMI’s use of key modeling and analytical tools and resources (e.g., power flow models, production cost models, resource adequacy models, accreditation methods, etc.) and apply this to:
Use, improve, and quality-control both your and teammates existing models.
Develop systems to share and organize technical work across project teams.
Mentor staff to develop and use these tools / skill sets.
Research novel tools and analytical options that RMI could leverage in future project work, including software innovations such as automation, AI, etc.
With support from senior staff, structure and create presentations and writing that bring new insights to partners in a clear and compelling manner.
Contribute publicly at conferences, share expertise in response to media requests, and establish and maintain relationships with a network of technical experts that RMI may collaborate with.
Travel up to 20%, including internationally.