Energy Sector Community Benefits Analyst

The BCS Societal Considerations and Impacts (SCI) group seeks to add a professional with experience assessing community benefits (CB) of clean energy technology projects. Effective evaluation requires an understanding of the potential impacts and benefits of these projects on local communities due to the development and operation of facilities, plants, and other related infrastructure. The role involves analyzing and reporting project outcomes and risks, the effectiveness of existing mitigations or plans, and the implementation of community engagement and feedback processes.

Position BackgroundThe clean energy projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will create new infrastructure with the potential to drive regional economic development, technological innovation, and high-wage employment for communities across the United States. It is critical to understand and address the societal considerations and impacts of these projects at local, regional, and global levels. Project proposals are solicited through Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that require the development of Community Benefits Plans (CBPs), which describe actions for community and stakeholder engagement; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); environmental justice; and attracting, training, and retaining a diverse workforce to create quality jobs.

Position ResponsibilitiesWithin the context of the above background, specific activities and responsibilities may include the following: - Review and analyze financial assistance applications containing CBPs to ensure alignment with DOE policies and procedures. - Support federal project managers (FPMs) in CBP negotiation by leveraging expertise in community engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, environmental justice and equity, and workforce development. - Support Assistance and Validation (A&V) meetings scheduled throughout the life of projects to monitor and assess implementation of CBPs in support of FPMs and project recipients. - Develop reports on A&V activities to document progress and compliance with the objectives, milestones, and deliverables outlined in CBPs. - Engage with local community stakeholders, as requested, and participate in focused stakeholder listening sessions. - Assist in developing internal DOE and public-facing data sets and reports documenting the status of SCI work conducted under the selected projects. - Engage in research and maintain up-to-date guidelines for best practices in SCI.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. citizenship
• B.S. degree with 6-8 years of experience as related to the position functions described. MS degree is a plus.
• Knowledge of and experience in project reviews assessing community benefits of energy technology research projects, facilities, operations, and commercial plants.
• Knowledge and understanding of energy sector and technologies to mitigate environmental impacts.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and conducting listening sessions.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Self-starter with the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Strong communication, writing, editing, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.