Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit think-and-do tank that drives the efficient and restorative use of resources. Co-founded in 1982 by Amory Lovins, its Chairman and Chief Scientist, RMI has grown into a diverse and broad-based institute with approximately 75 full-time staff, an annual budget of $12 million, and a global reach and reputation. RMI is nonpartisan and trans-ideological, and does not lobby or litigate. Rather, it uses the tools and dynamism of business to achieve the Institute’s long view and public purpose.
RMI’s strategic focus is shifting the U.S. from oil and coal to efficiency and renewables by 2050. RMI’s business book Reinventing Fire articulates that focus as equal parts vision, rigorous analysis, and solutions roadmap, demonstrating a future and heavily transformed energy landscape that supports a 158%-bigger 2050 U.S. economy at a $5 trillion net present value savings over business-as-usual without needing oil, coal, or nuclear energy. While Reinventing Fire chiefly focuses on the U.S., RMI has also undertaken targeted applications of its proposed solutions at a city, state, and regional level. In addition, RMI this year embarks on a similar Reinventing Fire study for China in partnership with three other major organizations as input for China’s next five-year plan.
RMI employs rigorous research and analysis to develop breakthrough insights, integrating diverse sectors, disciplines, perspectives, audiences, and markets. Then, in partnership with collaborators, chiefly in the private sector, RMI tests and refines those ideas to prepare compelling solutions for adoption at scale, creating teachable cases and competitive pressure for emulation. This “snowball” strategy bridges iconic projects – such as the energy efficiency retrofit of New York City’s Empire State Building, or a novel factory or vehicle design—with accelerating deployment of solutions at scale in the four energy-using sectors of our economy: transportation, buildings, industry, and electricity. In each of these sectors, RMI transforms design, busts barriers, and drives innovation in technology, policy, design, and business strategy.
RMI is a nonprofit institution with multiple revenue sources, principally funded through major gifts from philanthropists based in the United States who are deeply aligned with the institute’s mission, vision and programmatic areas of focus. RMI also receives funding from US based and international foundations and funding organizations with missions and programs closely aligned with RMI. Between 20 and 30% of revenues come from mission-related collaboration services provided to corporations, state & federal governments and agencies and other private organizations. This “fee-for-service” revenue is essential to ensure our programs remain pragmatic and aligned with the needs of the institutions and organization with whom we collaborate to effect change in the world.
RMI has two Colorado locations—Boulder and [Old] Snowmass. Within the next few years, that Snowmass office will relocate to a new, high performance office building and collaboration center being designed in the nearby town of Basalt, 18 miles from Aspen and 5.5 miles from the current location. For more information on Rocky Mountain Institute, please explore the rest of our site.
For more information on Reinventing Fire, please click here.
For a sense of the culture and the unusual talent RMI attracts, click here.
RMI offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- 403b Retirement Options (5% match after the first year)
- Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long Term Disability
- Commuter and Wellness Benefits
- Casual Work Environment
- Appreciation of Work-Life Balance
Current Openings
Rocky Mountain Institute is seeking a candidate for a Principal role with a strong interest and experience in the electricity system of the United States. Our electricity program is focused on catalyzing a vast reduction in the use of fossil fuels while at the same time increasing the security and robustness of the system. This job involves working with senior colleagues to co-lead RMI efforts in this area, most of them within an initiative we call NGU – Next Generation Utility.
NGU is focusing on developing solutions to overcome key barriers to the transformation of the electricity sector to efficiency and renewables. Key target areas include the regulatory construct and utility business models, market design, the role of demand-side resources in providing system flexibility and approaches to increasing adoption and use of those resources, and utility resource planning and strategy.
While there will be an immediate emphasis on developing and leading client projects and research for the electricity program, there will also be opportunities to develop and guide projects in a range of related areas including industrial and buildings efficiency and corporate energy transformation.
RMI has offices in Snowmass and Boulder, Colorado; this position can be located in either one.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and guide both research and collaborative projects in their areas of focus
- Lead the development of more junior members of the Research and Collaboration (R&C) team and work to continually improve the effectiveness of our resources
- Work with the other Principals to strengthen the cross-connectivity of our programs and work closely with R&C’s Program Directors to develop new programs
Qualifications
First and foremost, the successful candidate will demonstrate the following qualities:
- Intense curiosity and creativity
- Willingness to plunge into unfamiliar disciplines
- Willingness to take risks by exploring and testing new ideas
- Excellent quantitative analysis and modeling skills
- Excellent writing skills and presentation preparation capability
- Strong verbal communication skills, from one-on-ones to speeches
- Interest in and solid track record of people development
- Skills and desire to change client’s and decision-maker’s minds on intensely important issues
- A passion for making the world better
A successful candidate for this position will have experience in the electricity sector and have a demonstrated track record of working with business leaders. He or she should also have experience with developing and executing practical research geared towards furthering a mission. Knowledge and experience in many (but not necessarily all) of the following areas are likely to be beneficial:
- Experience working with/as a regulator for the electric utility industry
- Experience within or as a consultant to the electric utility industry
- Experience as a consultant in traditional and/or high tech manufacturing or service business environments
- Experience working with a supplier to the electric utility industry
- Detailed knowledge in T&D, efficiency, and conventional power generation, utility economics and finance, operations, resource planning and strategy
- Familiarity with technologies and utility strategies including solar PV, wind, demand response electric vehicles, and smart grid, as well as grid integration of these technologies
- Graduate degree or equivalent in engineering (mechanical, electrical, civil, energy), economics, computer science, mathematics, or physical sciences, or proven ability to work in and add value to the technical and decision-making context of the electricity system
How to Apply
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume with “Principal - Electricity Focus” in the subject line to: jobs@rmi.org. No calls, please.
RMI is an equal opportunity employer.
Writer/Editor
RMI is seeking a talented writer/editor who can generate ideas, write compelling stories, and provide editing support. You’ll be expected to regularly contribute story ideas that connect to RMI’s work in energy as well as to the news cycle. You’ll write stories for our blog, RMI Outlet, our magazine, Solutions Journal, and provide editorial support for other writing and editing projects, ranging from technical reports to development letters. In any given week, you may work on projects ranging from solar finance to electric vehicle adoption to building energy efficiency retrofits. You should be comfortable fielding on-the-fly grammar and other editorial questions from our technical staff.
Location
This position is based out of our Snowmass, CO office.
Qualifications
- 3–6 years of published writing experience
- 2+ years line editing experience
- Energy-specific writing experience is not mandatory, but your experience should demonstrate a history of covering environmental/scientific topics and communicating technical information for both a literate audience and translating that story for a lay/popular audience
- A four-year degree or equivalent experience in journalism, environmental communications, engineering, or another relevant field desired
- Should be comfortable both working autonomously with great independence and as part of a highly coordinated communications team
Salary: TBD
How To Apply
Send your cover letter, salary requirements, resume, and up to three writing samples to jobs@rmi.org. Please specify writer/editor in the subject line.
RMI is an equal opportunity employer.