Principal Associate

Are you passionate about energy, economics, and the environment? Are you ready to harness your skills for positive change on behalf of public interest organizations? If so, Synapse Energy Economics is the place for you! We are a research and consulting firm specializing in economic and policy research, modeling, and analysis to provide energy sector solutions. Our work supports a broad range of public interest clients, including consumer advocates, environmental organizations, regulatory commissions, and state and federal agencies. Synapse produces expert reports and analysis for these clients and represents their technical interests in state and federal dockets and legal proceedings.

Synapse places great value on our staff. We are a high-energy, forward‐thinking, collaborative group with a real passion for the public interest and sustainability.

Synapse Energy Economics is seeking an ambitious consultant with exceptional quantitative and writing skills and project management experience. Candidates should have advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel along with a demonstrated commitment to public interest issues such as sustainability, environmental justice, and consumer protection.

Job Description

The Principal Associate will manage projects, proposals, teams, project scope, and content related to topics such as energy efficiency, resource planning, building electrification, renewable energy technologies, ratemaking, electric vehicles, electricity markets, and/or other related topic areas. 

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage projects and proposals (including budget, staff, and client management)
• Assess utility company modeling approaches, scenario definitions, input assumptions and related parameterization. Work collaboratively with team members to refine analyses and develop reports and testimony
• Perform economic and policy analysis, cost-benefit assessments, and resource valuations for energy sector
• Clearly and succinctly summarize complex technical concepts to clients, regulators, and public audiences through papers, presentations, testimony, and meetings
• Defend analysis and refute opposing viewpoints and analysis
• Conduct electricity system modeling activities using industry-standard production cost and capacity expansion software (including, but not limited to PLEXOS, EnCompass, Strategist, System Optimizer, PROMOD), as well as in-house custom software tools
• Create, use, and maintain spreadsheet-based tools and other analytical platforms to analyze energy technologies, programs, and portfolios

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Physical Sciences, or related field
• 10+ years of relevant industry work experience with a Master's or Bachelor's Degree, or 6+ years of relevant industry work experience with a Doctorate
• At least 2 years of project management and budget management experience in a consulting position or in a similar role
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• A strong desire to work on behalf of public interest clients in improving energy planning and policy
• Ability to work and communicate well in teams
• Ability to multitask and prioritize critical tasks and conflicting requirements

You don't have to satisfy every requirement or meet every qualification listed above. If your skills are transferable or you are near the number of years of experience we seek, please apply. Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered. Please note that we are always looking for experts in topics such as resource planning, energy economics, utility regulation, and transmission or distribution.

Preferred Qualifications

• State, federal, or provincial electric utility regulatory experience
• Expert witness experience: ability to develop persuasive arguments for testimony and reports based on analysis of quantitative and qualitative evidence

Working at Synapse

Synapse prides itself on its flexible and collaborative working environment. Many staff work in-person in our Cambridge, Massachusetts office, while others are hybrid or fully virtual across the country. Synapse currently supports a hybrid work environment so our staff can find the right mix of support, collaboration, and flexibility. While we prefer employees located locally so we can nurture this environment, we will consider remote candidates where such an arrangement is compatible with our clients’ work.

Synapse offers numerous benefits to its employees:

• Generous and flexible PTO
• Flexible work hours and holidays, and the ability to choose a schedule that works for you
• Medical, dental, and life insurance
• Life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Profit-sharing bonuses
• Collaboration: everybody contributes, asks questions, proposes solutions, and works on interesting research and analysis
• Extensive professional development opportunities
• Cambridge, MA office space with sit-stand desks, lots of meeting space, indoor bike parking, and plenty of nitro cold-brew and kombucha on tap

Principal Associate base salary: $115,000 annually, based on a full-time schedule. Our beginning base salary range represents the floor for this position and does not include profit-sharing bonuses. Actual salaries will vary from the floor based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. Synapse offers competitive market salaries, based on our primary market of nonprofits and government agencies. Our salaries reflect our work for these public interest clients.

Synapse currently supports a hybrid work environment so our staff can find the right mix of support, collaboration, and flexibility. While we prefer employees located locally so we can nurture this environment, we will consider remote candidates where such arrangement is compatible with our clients’ work. 

Synapse is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a culturally diverse company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified candidates including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community.