Senior Associate - China Hydrogen Team

Job Description:

Program Overview:

RMI is seeking an exceptional senior associate level candidate to join its Hydrogen team. Our hydrogen work is focused on exploring China’s hydrogen potential in zero carbon transition and promoting policy and market to establish foundations for green hydrogen adoption and utilization, which could provide long term solutions for various sectors carbon neutrality. This work contains three primary work streams:

1.     Conduct policy and market research on current status and future development about hydrogen production, storage, transmission and utilization, and provide recommendations to key policy makers and stakeholders.

2.     Collaborate with policy makers, research institutes and corporates to deeply understand and design green hydrogen utilization supporting policies, business models, cost effectiveness and technology solutions in heavy industry and transportation sectors.

3.     Strengthen the coordination with domestic and international organizations and corporates, cross share research insights and best practices, and establish RMI and China’s leadership and impacts in global hydrogen promotion.

RMI supports these efforts by:

·      Conduct deep research on China hydrogen strategy and green hydrogen development roadmap in various sectors

·      Provide national and local green hydrogen production, utilization and technology standardization and by supporting policies suggestions based on gaps identification and systematic analysis

·      Model out green hydrogen demand, supply and cost effectiveness in hydrogen production, storage, transport, and utilization sectors

·      Collaborate closely with sector corporate stakeholders to create “green hydrogen mega base” and other business models to offer hydrogen production and utilization best practice and solutions

·      Build local capacity to design, operate, and supervise hydrogen pilots

·      Convene policymakers, corporations, and research experts to develop the future vision for China’s hydrogen strategy and green hydrogen’s importance in zero carbon transition

·      Connect Chinese leaders with international experts and helping contextualize other market experiences in China.

Primary Responsibilities:

As a Senior Associate, you are a creative problem solver who uses your quantitative, technical, and analytical abilities to conduct compelling analyses around vital energy issues. You collaborate with team members to craft visionary yet practical solutions for our research questions and clients.

You will have an aptitude for solving challenging problems, thinking in numbers, and working in groups. You will be self-motivated, curious, creative, and are able to drive yourself and others toward meaningful results. You have a willingness to work through challenging conversations, and a passion for making the world better. As an RMI Senior Associate, you will be an independent contributor and work closely with colleagues on projects under the direction of more senior staff. You will have expertise in the content area of your interested program within RMI and can provide support to RMI on that topic.

Your key responsibilities as a Senior Associate will primarily include:

• Conduct analytical research.
• Research international experience, identifying relevant materials, synthesizing key takeaways, and identifying relevant content to our research efforts.
• Follow China’s hydrogen industry policy, sector and market updates, especially green hydrogen production, storage, transport, and consumption related information.
• Synthesize quantitative information and recommendations into clear and compelling presentations and written reports.
• Engage with various stakeholders and coordinate multi-party collaborations providing input to the creation of policy, implementation plans, and green hydrogen promotion actions.
• Integrate the advice and experience of international hydrogen experts, adjusting recommended approaches to the Chinese context.
• Conduct expert interviews, with an ability to guide conversations in a professional manner, extracting key content efficiently while building rapport with industry experts.
• Identify industry needs/gaps, and scope clear, achievable deliverables that will meet those needs.
• Support business development, identifying new collaborations and projects, and representing these ideas/engagements to funders as needed.
• Collaborate with other teams in RMI’s China program on cross-sector collaboration opportunities.
• Help translate documents and facilitate meetings in both English and Chinese.
• Structure and guide the work of more junior team members.
• Contribute publicly at conferences, share expertise in response to media requests, discuss our work with RMI donors, and direct RMI research collaborations.
• Have demonstrated expertise and work experience in China’s hydrogen industry.

Minimum requirements:

• Master’s degree-equivalent or higher or Undergraduate degree and 2-4 years of cumulative work experience and excellent work references.

Preferred qualifications:

• Excellent spoken and written English and Mandarin
• Excellent writing skills, visual presentation capability, and verbal communication skills
• Familiarity with energy transition and carbon neutrality fundamentals, hydrogen basic features, functions, and current development status
• Strong quantitative comfort, capabilities to build analysis models for problem solving and representing concepts and modeling results in clear terms to policymakers and industry leaders.
• Experience in consulting, research and analysis, or other related fields
• Experience working at hydrogen industrial chain, power sector, or related government agency preferred.
• Demonstrated initiative and accomplishment in previous work.
• Proven cross-cultural sensitivity, with overseas education or work experience preferred.

*RMI staff bring a variety of skillsets. We welcome candidates with diverse educational and work backgrounds. RMI will carefully review each application to determine the appropriate starting position level (Senior Associate) and this will be communicated during the interview process.

Location

Beijing, China

Compensation 

RMI compensates based on the level and requirements of the role. Salary within our ranges may also be determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as required by the role, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Diversity

Increasing the diversity of thought, perspectives, ideas, and opinions within RMI is a critical element supporting our long-term sustainability and mission to build a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future.

As such, it is one of our core values, and we strive for a level of diversity within our organization that reflects the communities we serve. Achieving this—regardless of ability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or other social identities—is critical to the long-term success of each RMIer and collectively as an organization, ensuring that we:

· Have a different array of thinking that comes from diverse backgrounds and cultures, enabling us to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges

· Strive for a culture of inclusion and belonging by treating others with dignity, respect, and appreciation enabling them to feel welcomed, supported, and valued

· Effectively connect, communicate, and build long-lasting relationships with decision-makers, stakeholders, and constituents within diverse communities.

About RMI

RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

In 2013, RMI began working in China as a part of a joint research project including the Energy Research Institute of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs’ China Energy Group, and Energy Foundation China. The group designed a road map, called Reinventing Fire: China, to promote renewables and reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the Chinese economy without compromising economic growth. This roadmap has become the basis for ongoing programmatic activity.

RMI continues to expand its Chinese presence, with our Beijing office serving as the hub for our nation-wide engagements. In 2017, RMI was awarded an overseas NGO certificate by China, and the National Energy Administration is our supervising government agency in China. The Beijing office works on multiple parts of China’s energy transformation including heavy industry decarbonization, power sector reform, low-carbon mobility and freight solutions, low-carbon cities, transforming the building stock, advancing clean production of hydrogen, and establishing the foundation for a circular economy. For more information, please visit www.rmi.org.

RMI is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.