Engineer, Planning & Evaluation

Position: Engineer
Reports to: Lead Engineer
Compensation*: Competitive starting salary $96,200 - $122,200 commensurate with skills and experience, Full Pay Range: $96,200 - $148,200

Energy Trust is committed to pay equity. Energy Trust is committed to fair employment practices and non-discrimination, including pay equity for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class (race, sex, veteran status, disability, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation) in the payment of wages or screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. We determine salary by completing a review of your application materials to evaluate your related education, experience and training.

*Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, and certifications in the pay equity assessment to determine equitable salary placement. Candidates should expect compensation offers within the starting compensation range. The full pay range is included to show the potential earnings for this position with sustained high performance.

Employment Classification: Full Time, Exempt

Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible, position is open until filled

Office Location: Portland Metro Area, Oregon, USA

BACKGROUND

About Energy Trust of Oregon

Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy development. We serve Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista, and SW Washington customers of NW Natural. Year over year Energy Trust is recognized as one of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.

Our Vision

Clean, affordable energy for everyone.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We recognize the lack of diversity in our industry, and we actively seek to address it with our hiring and retention practices as well as our values. We believe every person and their lived experience is integral to building a vibrant culture and delivering effective services to all customers we serve. We are committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.

Our Location

Energy Trust provides for a range of work location options, including remote, hybrid and in-office work. This position will represent Energy Trust in public settings and potentially at community events. We are open to candidates who live throughout Oregon and Washington. The Engineer, Planning & Evaluation would be expected to report to the office on a quarterly basis, at minimum.

What We’re Looking For:

The Engineer works as part of the Planning and Evaluation group to develop, review and approve energy efficiency measures, including new offerings and measures proposed by Program Delivery Contractors (PDC’s) and Program Management Contractors (PMC’s). The Engineer assists the Lead Engineer and Measure Development Manager in prioritizing development, review, approval, and documentation of prescriptive and semi-prescriptive efficiency measures; delivering training and coaching to others; and continuously improving the measure development process and associated tools, templates, and documents. The Engineer ensures that all approved offerings are technically sound and cost-effective or attain exception approval, and are consistent with Energy Trust requirements. The Engineer engages with program, PMC and PDC staff to develop and oversee pilots and other research to inform measure development. The Engineer also contributes to technical field trials and other research commissioned by Energy Trust and/or regional and national groups to verify measure savings or other characteristics.

Interested in the kind of work you'd be a part of? You can browse our team's recent projects here!

This individual reports to the Lead Engineer.

This position is expected to report to the Portland office quarterly at a minimum for all staff and other in-person meetings.

What You’ll Do:

• Develops cost-benefit analyses of energy saving measures, and documents information sources, analysis, and findings.

• Reviews measure development work scopes, drafts measure approval documents and associated cost-benefit analyses drafted by contractors, provides feedback and suggestions for improvement, and decides when measures analyses are acceptable to be published.

• Works with the Measure Development Manager to consider program design impacts and/or changes while scoping analyses.

• Identifies which key assumptions included in measure analyses need to be verified through evaluations or other market research; coordinates and communicates with Energy Trust staff, PMCs, and regional organizations to obtain information needed to verify assumptions.

• Acquires information on changes in federal and state codes and standards, anticipates effects on baseline efficiencies, and incorporates into estimates of cost, savings and cost-effectiveness for efficiency measures. Provides this information to Planning for incorporation into Energy Trust’s Resource Assessment and to programs to inform goals.

• Participates in outside committees, working groups, projects and pilots through organizations such as the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), Regional Technical Forum (RTF), and Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), to assist in their efforts and also to help identify products, services or data sources to inform new measures and measure updates.

• As a subject matter expert, contributes to maintenance and continuous improvement of the measure development process, training and mentoring both internal staff and contractors on associated tools and templates.

• Prepares documents for the Public Utility Commission or other public and regulatory groups.

• Researches and helps define and design pilot projects and evaluations for emerging technologies and approaches.

• Maintains and enhances project and measure archives to support measure analysis and cost-effectiveness decision making.

• Makes public presentations and facilitates discussions with regional and national energy efficiency organizations and forums.

• Serves as a resource for ad hoc requests for information and engineering support.

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

• Perform all functions of the job in a safe manner.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• This position oversees the work of contractors, suppliers, and/or vendors as necessary in the course of managing specific projects.

• Mentors engineering interns.

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, physics, or other relevant quantitative degree, or equivalent experience, is required.

• 2 years of experience in an engineering role in the implementation or evaluation of energy efficiency programs.

• Knowledge of applying business and economic analysis techniques including life cycle cost analysis, net present value, internal rate of return, and other quantitative economic criteria, ideally for consideration of investments in energy efficiency and renewable resources.

• Technical knowledge of energy-using processes, such as lighting, HVAC, industrial systems, heat recovery, industrial equipment or building science..

• Experience with utility regulation and efficiency programs is preferred.

• Experience applying engineering concepts pragmatically to help assess typical costs and savings for efficiency measures.

• Proficiency with Excel; ability to review and troubleshoot complex spreadsheet analyses.

• Experience interpreting the effects of codes and standards changes on energy efficiency measures and programs preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to work at the detailed analytical level and at strategic levels.

• Excellent organizational awareness and effectiveness, with demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with technical and management level individuals with many different roles, cultures, and experience levels.

• Willingness and skills to do a combination of communications and coordination, negotiation, documentation, and detailed technical work.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. In particular, ability to analyze complex technical issues and succinctly convey conclusions, inferences, and applications in general terms for diverse technical and public audiences.

• Must be able to interact with a diverse workforce and be comfortable working in culturally diverse settings and groups.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

The above information is designed to outline the major functions and position requirements of this job. It does not identify all tasks that may be expected, nor address the performance standards that must be maintained.

What You’ll Get:

• Health/dental/vision insurance

• Employer sponsored and paid life/disability

• 401(k) with a company contribution of 6% of your salary after 90 days of employment

• TriMet pass

• Access to health and dependent FSA/HSA accounts

• Generous paid vacation, holidays and sick days

• Paid volunteer hours

• Employee assistance program

• Career advancement opportunities

• Great colleagues and culture

• Flexibility to work from home and/or an office space at the Portland, OR location

• Work from home laptop provided

• Read more about our benefits here

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit a cover letter and resume on Energy Trust’s website www.energytrust.org/About/careers.

All offers of employment are conditional pending the successful completion of a background check (which may include employment verification, education verification, criminal history, motor vehicle record) and reference checks.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that candidates from certain demographics are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification—for example, women and People of Color. At Energy Trust we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace—if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Energy Trust of Oregon is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, mental and physical disability, political affiliation, union membership, status as a parent, military or veteran status or other non-merit based factors. We will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the application, interviewing and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, contact us. Energy Trust of Oregon is an E-Verify employer. This policy is applicable to all phases of the employment relationship, including hiring, transfers, promotions, training, terminations, working conditions, compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Energy Trust is committed to pay equity. Energy Trust is committed to fair employment practices and non-discrimination, including pay equity for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class (race, sex, veteran status, disability, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation) in the payment of wages or screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. We determine salary by completing a review of your application materials to evaluate your related education, experience and training.

*Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, and certifications in the pay equity assessment to determine equitable salary placement. Candidates should expect compensation offers within the starting compensation range. The full pay range is included to show the earnings potential for this position with sustained high performance.

www.energytrust.org