Responsibilities

Regulatory & Policy Analysis

• Lead analysis of emerging regulatory and legislative policy proposals, including their impacts on allowance supply and demand, sector-specific impacts, and implications for state climate goals.

• Develop novel or alternative policy proposals and prepare briefs, presentations, or other accompanying material to explain the proposals and their impacts.

Economic Modeling & Market Forecasting

• Lead quarterly auction and market trend analyses, including counterfactual pricing, revenue forecasting, and evaluation of political, economic, and policy drivers.

• Oversee the design, development, and/or refinement of economic models for California’s cap‑and‑invest program, including supply‑and‑demand dynamics, energy price impacts, and related indicators.

Research, Data, and Technical Leadership

• Maintain and enhance internal data systems, modeling tools, and analytical frameworks used to evaluate carbon market performance.

• Rebuild and expand cost‑benefit databases for greenhouse‑gas‑reducing regulations, including cost‑per‑ton metrics and supporting analytical materials.

• Conduct targeted research on emerging carbon‑market design options, including LCFS expansion, market linkage, and new pricing mechanisms.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Brief organizational leadership on emerging market trends, policy risks, and strategic opportunities in carbon pricing and climate regulation.

• Collaborate with external research partners, NGOs, academics, and industry stakeholders on joint research projects.

• Support policy and communications teams by translating complex economic concepts into accessible materials for policymakers and the public.

Communication & Thought Leadership

• Produce high‑quality reports, briefings, and presentations explaining the structure, rules, and performance of California’s and Washington’s cap‑and‑invest programs.

• Represent the organization as a subject‑matter expert at conferences, workshops, and industry events on a quarterly basis.

• Communicate analytical findings to diverse stakeholder groups in a clear and digestible format.

Qualifications and Experience

Required

• Ph.D. in environmental economics or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated research experience or publications on carbon markets, carbon pricing, or climate policy.

• Strong quantitative and economic modeling skills, including facility with supply and demand modeling and cost-benefit analysis.

• Experience interpreting policy frameworks and developing technical recommendations for improved approaches.

• Comfortable speaking in public and experience presenting at conferences, workshops, or public forums.

• Proficiency with analytical tools or programming languages (e.g., R, Python, Stata, MATLAB) used for economic modeling and data analysis.

• Experience communicating complex economic concepts to regulators, legislators, and diverse stakeholders.

Preferred

• Familiarity with California’s climate policy framework, including California Air Resources Board rulemakings and California Public Utilities Commission proceedings.

• Experience working with or within government agencies, research institutions, or regulatory bodies.

• Experience managing multi‑stakeholder research projects or collaborations with NGOs, academics, or industry partners.

• Ability to work effectively in fast‑moving policy environments and rapidly analyze and write about new proposals or amendments.

What Success Looks Like

• Research projects run smoothly under your leadership.

• Research deliverables are of unassailable quality based on data and methods.

• Research is well-communicated and highly-cited in the media and public.

• Leadership trusts your judgment on research design details and setting research agenda.

• You contribute to internal systems, workflows, or methods that strengthen the organization.

• You have a presence in the Sacramento policymaking space that grows quickly and is facilitated by in-person meetings, nonprofit workshops, and research briefings.

Applicants must reside within the United States and possess valid U.S. work authorization. Clean and Prosperous California cannot provide visa sponsorship or take over sponsorship for this position.

Clean and Prosperous California is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, nationality, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.