Consultant/Sr. Consultant

Energy and Environmental Economics•Boston, MA

1d•$97,000 - $135,000

About The Position

When you join the E3 team, you will be working on some of the most important energy issues with some of the top minds in the industry. We help shape energy and climate policy, play vital roles in regulatory proceedings, advise executives, and inform investment and planning selections. At E3, you will be challenged and inspired. Founded in 1989, Energy + Environmental Economics (E3) is a growing energy consulting firm that helps utilities, regulators, policy makers, developers, and investors make the most educated strategic decisions possible as they implement new public policies, deploy and develop new technologies, and address customersâ shifting expectations. We have offices in San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Denver, and Calgary. Because E3 works with customers from all sectors of the electricity industry, we provide a 360-degree knowledge of markets, planning, policy, regulation, and environmental factors. Just as important, we are driven to deliver clear, unbiased evaluations that help customers make informed decisions. E3 works on high-profile, high-impact projects in jurisdictions that spearhead the implementation of clean energy policy. In California, Hawaii, and New York, we are advising state agencies and regulators about how to implement clean energy policies with an emphasis on customer incentives and markets. We are also increasingly working in regions all across North America, with utilities, regulators, developers and investors from Florida to Alberta and many places in between. E3 is seeking a Consultant for our Distribution Technology and Planning team to work on technical and strategic engagements that help electric utilities and regulators transition to a more flexible, decarbonized, and distributed grid. This role includes client engagement, regulatory support, and technical contributions - ideal for a utility consultant with experience in grid modernization, distribution system planning, and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) integration. You will help develop and grow E3âs work in distribution planning, grid modernization strategy, systems and technology road mapping and specification for distribution planning and operational technology, and DER program evaluation while helping clients navigate the technical, operational, and regulatory challenges of electrification, DER, and system planning reform. Your background should include delivery of advisory services at the intersection of policy, planning, engineering, and operations. This role also includes direct support for utility distribution planning teams, where you will help refine analytical frameworks, implement advanced modeling tools, and align planning practices with emerging regulatory expectations. You will also support strategic work with utilities to prioritize distribution capital investments across competing objectives including reliability, resiliency, affordability and enabling electrification and DER adoption. You will develop and apply rigorous, transparent modeling and investment prioritization frameworks that help utilities direct capital to investments delivering the greatest system and customer value, while clearly articulating tradeoffs among cost, performance, and risk. This analytical rigor is central to building stakeholder confidence and securing regulatory approval for timely investments in utility distribution systems.

Requirements

2-5+ years of experience in utility consulting, distribution planning or grid modernization
Working knowledge of utility planning practices, distribution modeling, and DER applications
Proven ability to engage with clients and articulate complex technical analysis in a business context
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and public speaking

Nice To Haves

Masterâs degree in Engineering, Business, or related field
Experience with California regulatory processes
Technical leadership in developing: Flexible load roadmaps and end-use disaggregation, DERMS business integration frameworks and cost benefit analysis, flexible interconnection protocols where DERs exceed hosting capacity and/or grid modernization filings and DSIPs
Familiarity with non-wires alternatives, demand response strategy and climate resilience planning
Understanding of relevant industry standards and national grid modernization initiatives
Demonstrate strong intuition for modeling dynamics (e.g., value stacking)
Anticipate client questions or challenges that may arise from analytical results
PMP certification or experience managing large, interdisciplinary consulting teams

Responsibilities

Conduct analytics and develop reports for consulting engagements focused on distribution systems planning, grid modernization, DER integration, and integrated grid strategy for utilities, regulators, and public agencies
Conduct distribution planning analyses including steady-state, dynamic, and quasi-static time-series simulations for planning, reliability and hosting capacity assessments
Contribute to the development of grid modernization roadmaps, use cases, and systems architecture while accounting for cybersecurity considerations
Develop models, simulations, and forecasts exploring electrification impact, NWAs including distributed generation, energy storage, flexible load and flexible interconnection potential, and distribution automation for system and substation-level planning
Develop interconnection studies and strategies that accommodate DERs beyond hosting capacity through coordination with storage and NWAs with dispatchable flexibility
Conduct power systems modeling efforts using tools such as CYME, Synergi, ASPEN, PowerFlow and LoadSEER and scripting with tools such as Python
Provide input to evolve tools and improve analytical capabilities and efficiency
Serve as a trusted advisor to utility clients on distribution planning, grid modernization, DER integration, electrification, non-wired alternatives (NWAs), flexible interconnection and resilience planning
Partner with utility planning, operations, and customer program teams to improve internal workflows, adopt advanced modeling tools, and align distribution planning with operational practices and regulatory expectations
Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with utilities, commissions, and energy agencies
Contribute to proposal development
Identify project opportunities related to distribution planning, grid modernization and DER integration
Identify emerging opportunities in areas such as electrification, distributed operations, climate resilience and advanced distribution analytics
Contribute to E3âs thought leadership through white papers, presentations, and conference participation
Collaborate across E3âs practice areas to deliver integrated solutions
Contribute to the delivery of complex technical and strategic projects, ensuring high quality, technical rigor, and alignment with client needs
Develop and refine major deliverables to ensure actionable outcomes across technical, regulatory, and business dimensions
Manage your time and effort to align with budgets, schedules and client expectations
Cross train with peers to develop technical, business, and soft skills while expanding knowledge of the electric power industry.