Jobs

Technology-to-Market Scholar – Market Analysis of Electric Utility New Technology Adoption Pathways

Posted on: December 14, 2020 Apply Now
Washington, DC Internship Expires January 31, 2021

Market Analysis of Electric Utility New Technology Adoption PathwaysBackground

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that funds creative, out-of-the-box, transformational energy technologies that are too early stage for private investment. ARPA-E programs provide top energy researchers with funding, technical assistance, and tech-to-market guidance to radically improve U.S. energy security, energy efficiency, and environmental well-being. The driving question behind all ARPA-E programs is “If it works, will it matter?”

ARPA-E recruits scholars who have a unique combination of technical and business skills to assist in defining commercialization pathways for high-impact technology development programs. This internship opportunity offers experience in advancing the transition of cutting-edge energy technologies to market applications in a fast-paced environment.

Opportunity

Pressure from customers, investors, regulators, municipalities, and other key electric utility stakeholders are driving increasingly aggressive decarbonization objectives at electric utilities. In order to meet these objectives, new technologies, like those being developed through ARPA-E, are likely to be required. All utilities, however, do not make decisions in the same way or face the same incentives. Their motivations and actions are shaped by a range of factors including ownership structure, regulatory regime, and resource availability, just to name a few.

ARPA-E is seeking a scholar to research how different types of electric utilities have adopted new technologies in the past and evaluate the implications for new technologies coming out of ARPA-E, such as energy storage and carbon capture. We are particularly interested in understanding what factors make a utility likely to be an early adopter of a technology, and the identification of such utilities, understanding that they may or may not be the large investor owned utilities that first come to mind in this sector.

The ARPA-E’s Scholars Program is designed to prepare ARPA-E-funded technologies to achieve maximum impact and return on investment for ARPA-E project teams, stakeholders, and our Nation’s taxpayers. This internship provides a unique opportunity to work under and interface with the ARPA-E Technology-to-Market team, ARPA-E Program Directors, and ARPA-E Fellows.  We are seeking graduate students interested in conducting the following work:

  • Studying the literature for examples of new technology introduction into the electric utility sector
  • Conducting market interviews to gather first-hand accounts of utility technology adoption processes
  • Developing case studies on utility technology adoption
  • Performing market segmentation analysis on utility characteristics
  • Identifying promising early adopter utilities

The ideal candidate(s) will have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g. engineering, computer science, economics, etc), be in the midst of completing a graduate level degree, preferably M.S. or MBA, and have relevant work experience to include:

  • Experience with market research
  • Familiarity with the electric power sector
  • General energy trends in the electricity, transportation, or industrial sectors

Applicants should be prepared for deep immersion into the project and must be comfortable working independently. Job requirements include strong analytical, written and oral communication abilities.

Each selected Scholar will be paid a weekly stipend and travel costs; length of stay can be negotiated, but typically ranges from 8-12 weeks. All positions will be based at ARPA-E’s headquarters in Washington, DC. This opportunity is available only to U.S. citizens.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Highly motivated candidates should submit a CV, a cover letter, a writing sample, and two references at
https://arpa-e.energy.gov/career/job-opportunities. Questions can be directed via email to ARPA-E-jobs@hq.doe.gov with the words “Energy Scholars” in the subject heading.

Applications are due no later than Sunday, January 31, 2021, and will be processed on a rolling schedule. Interested parties are encouraged to apply early.

Apply Now