Senior Technical Research Lead, Transmission and Markets

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the program: 

The WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition has ambition to accelerate the energy transition by driving innovation, spurring economic growth, and making sustainable energy reliable, accessible, and inclusive for all. Its approach focuses on pragmatic strategies that turn bold ideas into real-world results by addressing policy, economic, and technical barriers across diverse contexts.  

WRI helps speed the transition to a clean and inclusive energy future through objective and well-supported thought leadership and uplifting stakeholders interested in the same. To decarbonize the power, industry and transportation sectors, WRI’s Polsky Energy Center engages with policymakers, regulators, utilities, large energy buyers, and key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels. WRI undertakes research to support action on topics related to overcoming barriers to clean energy development, including cost-effective grid expansion, evolving power markets to enable the clean energy transition, leveraging demand-side flexibility, and scaling new technology adoption to accelerate progress towards 100% clean energy.

WRI’s work on grids and markets has included engagement with state and local stakeholders to advance solutions to enabling grid and market reforms to enable deployment of clean energy and facilitate grid decarbonization. WRI has also worked with large energy buyers to identify how they can advance grid and market solutions to meet their clean energy goals. WRI’s work on grids also includes research examining siting practices, benefits to communities, and exploring whether there are win-win solutions to engagement and provision of benefits to enable more rapid deployment of needed infrastructure.

Job highlight: 

You will integrate equity into your work.

Reporting to the Director of Clean Energy Implementation and help implement projects related to grids, transmission, and power markets. You will facilitate expansion and upgrades to grids and advance needed reforms through development of thought leadership reports and articles as well as strategic interventions with decision-makers and key stakeholders. You will help us identify avenues for education and educate key state and local stakeholders on technical issues and needed reforms. Additionally, you will engage with federal and state regulators, utilities, market operators, and others on grid and market issues, and align our work with other NGOs and actors.

You will play a leading role in implementing WRI’s US work to advance grid and power market solutions to enable decarbonization. As a senior technical expert, you will take a leading role in implementing our grid- related work, including current projects and supporting development of new lines of work. You will lead research, provide technical expertise on grid related projects across the team and help grow capabilities on these topics across the organization.

You will deliver quality research and analyses, working with the WRI team and subcontractors. You will write issue briefs, contribute to blogs and WRI knowledge products, author external articles, and educate policymakers, utilities, and other stakeholders on how to address barriers. Working with the team, you will ensure high quality delivery of products for current projects and support fundraising proposals for new work.
 

Working closely with management on strategy and project development, you will be in a position to help identify new opportunities to expand this work. You will also leverage partnerships and expertise across WRI’s programs, centers, and international offices, while cultivating partnerships with community organizations, external experts, and government officials.
 

Candidates should be innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers with an ability to identify and pursue new o