Sustainability and Energy Analyst, Senior

City of Durham; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 73,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Durham is seeking a Senior Sustainability and Energy Analyst to collect, clean, and analyze datasets on energy, emissions, and climate resilience. You will translate findings into concise data stories, reports, and online visualizations for non-technical audiences, supporting SRD priorities and funding decisions.

The role covers project development, governance, benchmarking, and interdepartmental collaboration to advance the city’s carbon neutrality and renewable energy goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, engineering, or directly related field is required.
• Three years of full-time professional/analytical experience is required.
• Master’s degree and credentials are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Data & Analytics: Collect, clean, validate, and analyze datasets relevant to energy, greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks, and climate resilience.
• Project Development & Management: Design, budget, and implement sustainability and energy projects aligned with City plans.
• Process Improvement & Governance: Strengthen data systems and workflows across SRD to support continuous improvement; ensure data accuracy.
• Research & Reporting: Conduct benchmarking and policy research; prepare operational, financial, grant, procurement, and compliance reports.
• Community & Interdepartmental Coordination: Support interdepartmental and City-County coordination and stakeholder engagement; staff liaison to the City-County Environmental Affairs Board.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Strong writing

Data storytelling

Data analysis

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, engineering, or directly related field

Master’s degree in sustainability, engineering, information systems, public administration, or related field

Tools

GIS

GHG accounting

EV charging infrastructure planning

Job description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $ 72,731.00 to $ 112,742.00

Hours/Shift: Monday-Friday 8:00 AMto 5:00 PM, occasional evening hours required

The Senior Sustainability and Energy Analyst position is, at its core, a role for an experienced data analyst with excellent research, writing, and strategic-thinking capabilities. This role will focus on collecting, organizing, and analyzing datasets and published research that are essential for the Sustainability and Resiliency Division (SRD) to understand and incorporate into its mission, goals, and programs. This employee must be able to perform quantitative data analysis in a way that informs SRD priorities and expenditure recommendations, especially those recommendations related to scoping, sequencing, and funding (i) sustainable and ecologically friendly new building development, (ii) existing building sustainability retrofits, electrification of buildings and fleet transportation, (iii) renewable energy options and deployment methods, (iv) innovative stormwater management approaches, and (v) climate resilience programs and projects. This role will provide senior-level program support for carbon neutrality and renewable energy programs, and it will support the strategic development and oversight of new renewable energy, microgrid, battery-energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and carbon sequestration projects.

This position will also require experience with designing, structuring, budgeting and implementing programs and projects that further sustainability and resiliency objectives like those of the SRD. SRD goals, objectives, and programs are guided by the City-County Comprehensive Plan, City of Durham’s Strategic Action Plan, and the City’s Carbon Neutrality and Renewable Energy Action Plan.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can quickly ascertain key data needed to advance SRD objectives and who will proactively find ways to collect and analyze that data to support evidence-based decision-making and priority-setting by SRD. This person must be detail-oriented and capable of thinking through what different datasets mean, separating what is relevant from what is not, and explaining how relevant pieces of data fit together (or identifying missing or inconsistent information), and then translating that data into actionable solutions. This person will have experience creating, interpreting, and translating both quantitative and qualitative datasets and a demonstrated ability to clearly articulate findings in both narrative and graphic reports, including developing online visualizations appropriate for non-technical audiences. The candidate should be capable of identifying data gaps and designing solutions that can succeed within program constraints.

Data & Analytics

• Collect, clean, validate, and analyze datasets relevant to energy, greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks, and climate resilience.
• Develop analyses that identify trends and inform City investments.
• Translate complex findings into concise insights, data stories, and visualizations.

Project Development & Management

• Design, budget, and implement sustainability and energy projects aligned with City plans.
• Design, develop, inform, and assist in implementing renewable energy, microgrid, battery storage, and electrification projects.

Process Improvement & Governance

• Strengthen data systems and workflows across SRD to support continuous improvement.
• Identify and understand governance structures, identify areas for process improvement, and ensure data accuracy through established procedures.

Research & Reporting

• Conduct benchmarking and performance studies and policy research to guide strategy.
• Prepare operational, financial, grant, procurement, and compliance reports.
• Maintain websites, databases, and related communication materials.

Community & Interdepartmental Coordination

• Support interdepartmental and City-County coordination efforts as well as stakeholder engagement initiatives.
• Serve as staff liaison to the City-County Environmental Affairs Board and contribute to its annual report.

• Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, engineering, or directly related field
• Three years of full-time professional and/or analytical experience in area of assignment.

Required Competencies

• Strategic systems thinking
• Strong writing ability
• Ability to communicate technical data to non-technical audiences
• Comfort working across multiple projects and deadlines
• High attention to detail and data accuracy

Preferred Skills, Experience, Credentials and Qualifications

• Master’s degree (sustainability, engineering, information systems, public administration, or related field).
• 7+ years of full-time work experience
• Sustainability professional credential, such as LEED AP or WELL AP
• Experience with nature-based solutions for stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation
• Experience with government budgeting, procurement, and contract processes in North Carolina
• Preferred technical skills and areas of expertise: GIS, EV charging infrastructure strategy and deployment, carbon/GHG accounting
• Experience with real estate operations and maintenance
• Skills in community engagement, outreach, and public education.
• Spanish language proficiency.

ADA and Other Requirements

Positions in this class typically require: reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Walking and standing are required only occasionally.
Work is performed in an indoor, office and/or outdoor environment.
Incumbents may be expected to travel to external organizations and locations.