Company Description
The Lighthouse Energy Institute (LEI) is a new, nonprofit, and nonpartisan think tank. LEI’s mission is to provide information that improves the quality of energy and environmental institutions and policies. LEI achieves its mission through research and education. This includes peer-reviewed publications, analysis briefs, regulatory comments, legislative testimony, briefings, and stakeholder trainings. LEI follows a practitioner-scholar model that provides practical, strategic insights tailored to decision-making circumstances.
LEI’s calling card is trusted expertise. Our research, conclusions, and recommendations are driven by subject-matter experts consistent with principled, transparent analysis methods. LEI upholds three principles: competitive markets, limited government, and quality institutions. Our credibility is built on empirical evidence to guide us toward truth.
Position Description
Reporting to the vice president of environment, innovation, and transportation, the energy permitting and siting policy expert is at the frontier of efforts to inform better energy permitting and siting policies and institutional improvements. This is a high-impact position in research and practitioner domains. The individual in this role will be a recognized thought leader on the economic and environmental effects of permitting and siting policies, as well as on market-oriented policies that improve outcomes.
The energy permitting and siting policy expert is a technical and institutional expert on energy permitting and siting issues in the United States, primarily with a focus on state and local-level policy restrictions. They conduct high-quality, quantitative analysis that can inform policymakers of problems and solutions to key policy challenges, and be an unbiased analyst focused on maximizing economic welfare, without preference to any technology class, industry, or political outcome.
Responsibilities
- Produce written analyses, including blogs, white papers, and peer-reviewed publications.
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative research on permitting and siting policy.
- Develop and expand a professional network that includes practitioners, stakeholders, and peer experts.
- Attend and participate in industry events, conferences, policy briefings, and testimony.
- Author technical comments and testify on public record when requested by elected officials and policymakers.
- Respond to media inquiries promptly and offer expertise to journalists, both on the record and off the record.
- Provide expert policy insight to government officials and their staff.
- Educate the press, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders on the objective merits of energy permitting and siting policies and different institutional designs.
Position Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years of experience in policymaking or policy analysis with a focus on energy permitting and siting issues.
- Firm understanding of the nature of market failure and government failure as it relates to permitting and siting policy.
- Extensive knowledge of energy permitting and siting policies and institutions in the United States, especially at the state and local levels.
- Expertise in both scholarly literature and practical understanding in real-world applications of permitting and siting policy.
- Excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills and writing capability.
- Strong verbal presentation and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated ability to self-direct and self-execute analytical projects.
- Appropriate familiarity with software needed for conducting necessary analysis.
- Exceptional critical thinking skills and the ability to identify and address informational gaps in current policy dialogues.
- Bachelor’s degree.
Preferred
- 10 years of experience in relevant fields, with at least some practitioner experience.
- Master’s or PhD.
- Advanced quantitative capabilities, such as econometric and data management skills.
- Capability to perform advanced data analysis using spatial data (e.g., ArcGIS).
Compensation and Benefits
- This position will be either a senior fellow or director-level position, with title and salary commensurate with experience. It is expected that a director-level candidate has a minimum of six years of relevant experience.
- 100% employer-sponsored dental, vision, and high-deductible health care coverage for employee and their dependents. Employer-sponsored Health Savings Account with high-deductible plan. Other health care plans are available with employer cost sharing.
- 401(k) plan with an employer contribution of up to 6% of salary.
- Unlimited paid time off.
- Paid parental leave.
- Fully remote position with 10%–20% of time on travel.
To Apply
To apply, send your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to jobs@dgardiner.com with the subject line “LEI Energy Permitting and Siting Policy Expert.” If artificial intelligence was used in any part of the application process, please disclose how in the body of your submission email.
Lighthouse Energy Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status under applicable federal, state, or local law.