Director, Energy

AIR is seeking an entrepreneurial Director, Energy to build and scale a new energy-focused portfolio aligned with AIR's mission to generate rigorous evidence and deliver high-impact services. Reporting into the AIR Growth Office, and with strong support and engagement from AIR's senior leadership, the Director, Energy will establish AIR as a trusted partner to federal agencies, foundations, utilities, and other public- and private-sector funders working across power generation and storage, grid interconnection, and energy markets. Within these areas, AIR brings distinct capabilities in education, workforce development, and community impact — applying behavioral and social science methods to the human dimensions of energy transition and system change.

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. The role requires regular domestic travel for project work, funder engagement, and partnership development.

About AIR:

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Direction & Portfolio Growth

• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities across federal, non-federal, and commercial markets, including U.S. federal agencies, foundations, multilateral organizations, utilities, and other public- and private-sector funders. 
• Lead key components of the business development cycle, including opportunity identification, funder engagement, opportunity qualification, teaming and partnership strategy, proposal development, and advising on negotiation and project execution. 
• Contribute to the development and refinement of AIR's value proposition in the energy space, emphasizing evidence-based policy, rigorous evaluation, applied research, and learning partnerships. 
• Represent AIR externally through participation in energy and climate convenings, funder meetings, and policy forums in support of relationship development and portfolio growth goals. 

Team Development & Collaboration

• Lead and develop a team of researchers, technical specialists, and project managers to pursue and execute energy work. 
• Mentor staff and support their professional growth through coaching, feedback, and development of technical and leadership skills. 
• Foster an entrepreneurial and creative team culture that is high-performing, collaborative, opportunity-focused, and energized by mission-driven work. 
• Contribute to the cultivation and sustainment of external partnerships with research institutions, energy-sector organizations, utilities, NGOs, private-sector partners, and government agencies that support portfolio and project goals. 

Thought Leadership

• Provide technical and analytic expertise on evidence needs in the energy sector, including evaluation of energy programs and policies, applied analytics, implementation research, and learning agendas. 
• Lead and contribute to publications, presentations, and policy-relevant products that demonstrate AIR’s technical strengths in energy and energy-related work. 

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Master’s degree, PhD, or equivalent in energy policy, economics, environmental engineering, systems engineering, or a closely related fields such as environmental studies or public policy. 
• 11 or more years of progressively senior experience in the energy or climate domain, including work across research, policy, implementation support, consulting, or business development contexts, with preference for experience in one or more of the following areas: power generation and storage, grid interconnection, energy markets, or the workforce and community dimensions of energy transition. 
• Demonstrated success leading or contributing to winning bids across both federal and non-federal markets, including shaping opportunities, managing client relationships, and winning competitive awards. 
• Experience leading high-performing teams in a research, consulting, business development, or implementation support. 

Skills

• Exceptional communication skills, with an ability to convey complex information, and collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment. 
• Strong business development acumen and proposal writing experience. 
• Fluency in rigorous evaluation methods such as RCTs, mixed methods, implementation science frameworks, and economic evaluation. 
• Collaborative leadership style with a commitment to mentoring and team development. 

Disclosures: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law, including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braid, locks, and twists), creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition (e.g., cancer), sex, gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, civil union status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information, or military or veteran status. AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks. AIR maintains a drug-free work environment. 

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at [email protected] or call 202.403.5000.

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer: AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example [email protected] is correct and [email protected] is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to [email protected]. If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Find out more about how to avoid scams atftc.gov/scams.

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