About Advanced Energy United

Advanced Energy United is a national industry association representing businesses that provide the full range of advanced energy and transportation solutions. Our team works to educate, advocate, and activate in decisionmaker venues across the country.

We advocate for public policies that enable competition and work alongside our member companies to create economic opportunity, lower consumer costs, and bolster energy reliability and resilience across the country. We work with decision makers at every level of government as well as regulators of energy markets to build progress toward an economy built on advanced energy.

If you’re an entrepreneurial, innovative, analytical and thoughtful person looking to make an impact in the clean energy space, United might be the perfect place for you to share your talents. Team members at United are given the trust and responsibility to make big things happen, and myriad opportunities to learn new skills, explore new issue areas, and work with a broad cross section of the clean energy community. Being a team member at United also means working with a talented and diverse group of people, some who bring decades of experience spanning advocacy, philanthropy, clean tech, government and more—and our collaborative approach means we get to learn from each other, expert and novice, every day. And while our organization is fully remote, we are proud of the people-focused culture we have built and the connectedness of our team.

We work on serious issues, take our mission seriously, but never take ourselves too seriously.

Position Description

Advanced Energy United is currently seeking an energetic, smart, strategic, self-starting Policy Principal with a background in policy/legal analysis, regulatory engagement, and issue advocacy to join United’s policy and campaign team in the West.

The Principal will be an integral part of Team West, which advances our broad policy priorities through a combined arms approach that coordinates state-level legislation, regulation, decisionmaker engagement, and public communications. This position focuses on regulatory venues as part of a comprehensive strategy to effect change through interwoven channels.

They will work under the direction of United’s western regulatory Policy Director and collaboratively with United’s state teams to plan and execute effective interventions in regulatory proceedings, primarily at Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), that will accelerate the energy transition and expand markets for the advanced energy industry. Policy topics may include resource planning, transportation electrification, grid modernization, distributed energy resources and virtual power plants, transmission and interconnection, future of gas and building decarbonization, western regional market formation, and utility business model reform.

Additionally, this role will help build United’s regulatory thought leadership and strengthen relationships with PUC commissioners and staff, utility staff, and allied organizations in western states, with a priority focus on California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. Candidates will need to have the ability to travel to meet with United members, coalition allies and stakeholders, and public officials.

Regardless of background, there will be a steep learning curve to this position. The work requires knowledge of new advanced energy technologies, the electric grid, state laws and regulatory processes, different markets and business models, and politics and policymaking. Legal, economic, or engineering training is very helpful—but most important is a willingness and ability to proactively learn, to seek out efficient and trustworthy information sources and advisors, and to construct logical and compelling arguments.

Responsibilities 

• Work collaboratively with United's policy team members to proactively develop and implement strategies, consistent with United’s core mission, that accelerate achievement of 100% clean energy. Meet short- and long-term policy objectives in key states as part of United’s policy portfolio. The focus of this position is on regulatory engagement but will also include support of administrative, communications, or legislative activities as needed.

• Participate in regulatory proceedings, including developing written testimony and comments, actively contributing to various topic-specific working groups, and following docketed cases in assigned states.

• Draft comments and create reports, presentations, fact sheets, and other written and visual materials needed for education and advocacy efforts, and deliver verbal presentations (e.g., agency testimony) as necessary.

• Partner with United's member companies to shape unified policy positions and align perspectives on key issues.

• Prepare summaries of proceedings, decisions, and issues for regular member and partner communications.

• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with coalition partners, allies, and key administrative, utility commission, and legislative staff. Engage in coordination and advocacy efforts with coalition allies in support of policy goals.

• Work with United’s communications team to identify opportunities for United to seek earned media coverage. Draft press statements, write blog posts, participate in webinars, and create opportunities to showcase advanced energy.

• Travel on an as needed basis (up to 25%) to targeted states for regulatory hearings, meetings with key allies and stakeholders, communications outreach, and other efforts on behalf of United.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, or Engineering preferred) or applicable comparable experience; master’s or law degree is a plus.

• 4-6 years of professional experience, with at least some of that experience in policy or regulatory engagement in the energy sector. Direct experience authoring state-level regulatory comments and/or testimony is a plus.

• Proactive approach to the work environment and a demonstrated ability to understand how individual workstreams fit into larger strategic plans.

• Critical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to see the big picture and recognize connections or commonalities among issues.

• Proven research skills, including ability to digest lengthy and technical documents to identify priorities, sometimes in a relatively short amount of time.

• Policy analysis experience applying legal, economic, or engineering analytic frameworks to structure compelling arguments.

• Attention to detail in argument and citation.

• Passion for clean energy and transportation issues and an understanding of the importance of policy and regulatory advocacy to advance an organizational agenda.

• Entrepreneurial approach, flexible attitude, and ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building, and communications skills, both written and verbal.

• Intellectual curiosity, inquisitive nature, and excellent listening and problem-solving skills.

• Performance-oriented individual with a strong work ethic, demonstrated initiative and commitment to achieving goals.

• Must be willing to travel up to 25% time.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The employee is regularly required to use hands and talk or hear. The employee is required to sit for long periods of time; reach with hands and arms; may need to balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, walk up and down stairs.

Job type: Full-time; regular.

Location: Remote. Must reside in the western U.S., with preference for residence in a United priority state (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, or New Mexico).

Salary: starting at $75,000

Start Date: December 2025

Advanced Energy United Perks include:

•    Remote work and flexible schedule

•    Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families 

•    Medical premiums covered for employees at 100%

•    Flexible spending plans for health care and dependent care 

•    Profit Sharing opportunities and annual merit-based compensation increases

•    $50/month personal wellness reimbursement

•    $50/month phone stipend

•    Up to $200 reimbursement for home office set-up

•    Accrued Paid Time Off, 11 Federal Holidays, and an annual end-of-year closure

•    Parental Leave

•   Professional Development reimbursement

•    401(k) plan (with matching incentives)

•    WMATA Transit Smart Benefits (DMV employees)

Advanced Energy United is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, sex, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. If reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in the job application, interview process, and/ or to perform essential job functions please contact the Talent Acquisition team at careers@advancedenergyunited.org. We are committed to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice across our organization (“DEIJ”). We also incorporate these values into our mission of making the energy we use secure, clean, and affordable. We know that varied perspectives and a commitment to social justice are needed to succeed in making the United States an advanced energy economy. We commit to building and supporting an inclusive workforce that represents different cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints.