Senior Associate, Energy Efficiency, Electrification, and Demand Management - Buildings Program (California or Northeastern U.S.)

Rocky Mountain Institute in; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Hybrid/remote work options

Paid time off & holidays

Annual professional development budget

Team retreats and meetings

Job summary

Rocky Mountain Institute seeks a Senior Associate for the Carbon-Free Buildings Program to advance building decarbonization across the United States, with emphasis on California and the Northeast. The role combines data analysis, stakeholder engagement, project management, and strategic problem-solving to accelerate the transition to all-electric, energy-efficient buildings.

You will develop written products, lead workstreams, and collaborate with external partners to inform market and policy

Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant professional experience in a field related to built environment or similar technical buildings field.
• Strong research, modeling, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including working with large data sets.
• Ability to translate raw data and complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Locate, manage, and analyze data using creative approaches that shed new light on problems and solutions.
• Present quantitative information in a clear and concise visual format.
• Synthesize insights and recommendations into compelling presentations and thought leadership (reports, insight briefs, blogs).
• Engage with external experts via phone interviews, conferences, and project collaboration.
• Design and create quantitative models to address key questions posed by research goals and clients.
• Coach staff on specific areas of expertise, e.g. building energy modeling.
• Structure and manage the work of more junior team members.
• Provide topical expertise for conference presentations, workshops, media engagements, and donor conversations.

Skills

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Policy analysis

Communication

Project management

Building energy modeling

Python

EnergyPlus

Tools

EnergyPlus

Python

Job description

Job Description: Are you passionate about advancing building decarbonization? Do you enjoy analyzing complex issues, building relationships with diverse stakeholders, and translating technical information into actionable recommendations? Are you motivated by creating real-world impact through policy and market transformation? If so, RMI invites you to join our growing Buildings team. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

Program Overview

RMI's Carbon-Free Buildings Program works to transform residential and commercial buildings to be aligned with a zero carbon future. Our team develops and advances policies, market strategies, and technical solutions that reduce emissions while improving affordability, resilience, health, and economic outcomes. The Energy Efficiency and Demand Management (EEDM) and Big Portfolios initiatives are aimed at catalyzing the zero‑carbon building revolution for existing buildings, developing scalable approaches to retrofitting existing buildings to be efficient, electric, and grid‑interactive. The team leverages building science expertise, technical analysis, R&D, demonstrations, business model innovation, stakeholder engagement and collaboration, policy development, real estate finance, and communications in our change model.

Position Overview

RMI is seeking a Senior Associate to advance building decarbonization across the United States with a primary focus in California and the Northeast. The Senior Associate will contribute to the development and implementation of solutions that accelerate the transition to clean, efficient, and all‑electric buildings. This role combines data analysis, stakeholder engagement, project management, and strategic problem‑solving. The Senior Associate will lead discrete workstreams within larger initiatives, manage relationships with external partners, conduct research and analysis, and develop written products that inform the industry. Successful candidates will be comfortable navigating complex projects, managing multiple priorities, and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to drive meaningful market and policy change.

Core Responsibilities

• Locate, manage, and analyze data using creative approaches that shed new light on problems and solutions.
• Present quantitative information in a clear and concise visual format.
• Synthesize insights and recommendations into compelling presentations and thought leadership (i.e. reports, insight briefs, and blogs)
• Engage with external experts via phone interviews, conferences, and project collaboration.
• Design and create quantitative models to address key questions and challenges posed by research goals and clients.
• Coach staff on specific areas of expertise, e.g. building energy modeling.
• Structure and manage the work of more junior team members.
• Provide topical expertise for conference presentations, workshops, media engagements, and donor conversations.

Research and Analysis

Conduct research and analysis on energy efficiency, demand flexibility, building electrification, and decarbonization strategies. Develop recommendations supported by quantitative and qualitative analysis. Synthesize complex technical information into clear findings and actionable recommendations. Contribute to reports, policy briefs, regulatory comments, presentations, and other external‑facing products aimed at influencing key decision-makers in the buildings sector.

Project Management

Lead discrete projects or portions of projects from design through execution. Support and/or lead project management tasks: Develop workplans, manage timelines, coordinate contributors, and ensure high‑quality deliverables. Support project budgeting, reporting, and partner communications. Track project milestones and help ensure alignment with program objectives.

Stakeholder Engagement

Build and maintain relationships with industry representatives, and other partners. Participate in stakeholder meetings, workshops, working groups, and conferences. Represent RMI in external meetings and public forums.

Thought Leadership and Communications

Develop presentations, articles, webinars, and other materials for external audiences. Present research findings and recommendations to diverse stakeholder groups. Support media engagement and public communications efforts as appropriate.

Strategy Development

Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and trends in the market. Support program leadership in evaluating and prioritizing strategic opportunities.

Business Development and Organizational Contribution

Contribute technical content and analysis for grant proposals and donor reports. Support development of new project opportunities and partnerships, including RFPs.

Minimum Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant professional experience in a field related to the built environment - building energy systems, building science, architecture, engineering, behind-the-meter renewable energy and demand management, or a similar technical buildings field.
• Strong research, modeling, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including working with large data sets.
• Ability to translate raw data and complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience managing projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Comfort working with ambiguity.
• Commitment to advancing equitable and market-based climate solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional experience with building energy simulation platforms and/or related coding languages, eg. EnergyPlus and Python.
• Field experience evaluating, designing, and/or commissioning building energy systems (HVAC, solar and storage, etc.).
• Exposure to other professions impacting the built environment, e.g. real estate finance, public policy, construction management, etc.
• Experience with group facilitation and workshop design.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note: At this time, RMI is not able to sponsor employment visas or hire candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the United States. All candidates must have current, independent authorization to work in the U.S. without present or future sponsorship from RMI. We will update our hiring pages if this status changes.

Location

We are a remote‑ready company with team members around the globe. Our beautiful and welcoming offices are available for meetings or focused work, whether you are traveling through or living nearby. Our U.S. offices are in New York City; Washington DC; Oakland, California; Boulder, Colorado, and Basalt, Colorado. Note that there are two open positions for this role. There is a location requirement for one person to be based in California, and one to be based in the Northeastern U.S. We provide you with the essential IT equipment plus a one‑time home technology payment and a monthly work from home/commuter allowance to ensure you have a comfortable home office set up and necessary supplies. We love seeing each other in person! We occasionally gather for shared time together like retreats and learning experiences. Be ready to travel for occasional in‑person meetings (and of course, we cover travel costs). Some roles may require more travel, which will be discussed during the hiring process.

Compensation

At RMI, we prioritize fairness in our pay practices. Salaries are determined based on a mix of experience, market benchmarks, and internal equity across similar roles. The salary range of this position is $84,000-$103,000. New hires typically start toward the lower end of the range, depending on experience and alignment with the role’s scope. In addition to base salary, this position includes an annual bonus target of 5% and eligibility for merit‑based increases, which are tied to both individual and organizational performance.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• 403b retirement match with immediate vesting
• Group life, AD&D, and short- and long-term disability
• Optional voluntary life, AD&D and accident plans
• Health savings or flexible spending accounts
• Fertility and hormonal health support
• Mental health and wellness support
• Comprehensive leaves of absence (including generous parental leave)
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• Paid sabbatical leave
• Regional holidays with at least one extended break in each geography
• Work from home and home technology allowances
• Learning & development opportunities (LinkedIn Learning and an annual individual professional development budget)
• Potential for bonuses and merit increases
• Discount marketplace (gym memberships, pet insurance, etc.)
• Hybrid / remote work options
• Team retreats and geographic meetups
• Rewards and recognition programs

Diversity

We know that the diversity of our teams makes us stronger as an organization, and RMI is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity as outlined in U.S. federal law. We prohibit discrimination against applicants, interns, and employees on the basis of any legally recognized basis, including but not limited to: age (40 and over), race, color, sex, pregnancy (including lactation, childbirth, or related medical conditions), religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender expression/identity, uniformed service member status, veteran status, citizenship status, or any other applicable status protected by applicable law. RMI is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.