Energy Policy Careers

Jobs relevant to Global Affairs degrees are offered in the private sector (energy companies and energy consulting companies), the public sector (for example, the Department of Energy), and nonprofits (think tanks and research institutions). General positions include:

• Policy-Making: work in government organizations such as the Department of Energy in policy creation and enforcement.
• Policy-Analysis: work in public or private sector to examine political and economic trends in energy policy.
• Policy Research: work in the nonprofit world on general research of energy trends, international energy policy formation, and arranging international cooperation between utilities or other energy companies.

• Entry-level salaries range from the upper $30,000s in non-profit organizations, government, and research institutions to the upper $60,000s in engineering firms and consulting companies.
• Upper-level salaries depend on technical background in the energy field

• Includes electricity, natural gas, oil, and renewable energy technology, regarding energy acquisition and energy trading world-wide.
• Energy companies and government/non-profit organizations seek candidates with economics backgrounds.
• Private energy and energy consulting companies often recruit from their interns.
• Nonprofits and international organizations are increasingly focusing on energy, environment, and development issues.
• Private companies are dealing with corporate responsibility and sustainable development.
• Some career paths in the energy field may target an engineering or business background, but many opportunities exist that target a wider scope of marketable skills, experience, and training.
• Your Global Affairs degree will give you a competitive edge on the policy side; however, as you have an understanding of finance and development, take some classes on the environment and energy and you will have a real edge in the industry.
• Potential employers: Recruit mostly from their interns, so look on their websites for information.

Association of Professional Schools in International Affairs: https://apsia.org/careers/international-career-guide/energy-environmental-sustainability/

Energy Careers: http://www.energycareers.com/

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/careers.html

Environmental Career Opportunities: http://ecojobs.com/

International Energy Agency: http://www.iea.org

World Bank Energy Program: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/energy

Ziprecruiter Energy Jobs: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Jobs/Energy-Policy

Examples of for-profit firms

AES, The Global Power Company, www.aes.com
BP, www.bp.com
Chevron, www.chevron.com/
Duke Energy, www.duke-energy.com/
ExxonMobil, www.exxonmobil.com/corporate/
GenOn, http://www.genon.com/
KEMA Engineering, www.kema.com/
Nexant Energy Consulting, www.nexant.com/
PA Consulting, www.paconsulting.com/Home
PACE Global Energy Services, www.paceglobal.com
Shell, https://www.shell.us/

Examples of non-profit organizations

Alliance to Save Energy, www.ase.org/
American Gas Association, www.aga.org/
American Wind Energy Association, www.awea.org/
Business Council for Sustainable Energy, www.bcse.org/
Edison Electric Institute, www.eei.org/
Institute of International Education, www.iie.org/
U.S. Energy Association, www.usea.org/
Winrock International, www.winrock.org/

Examples from the U.S. government

House Committee on Energy and Commerce, energycommerce.house.gov/
State Utility Commissions, www.consumeraffairs.com/links/state_pucs.html
U.S. Agency for International Development, www.usaid.gov/
Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/