RMI is seeking a Building Energy Modeler to fill a role to continue to automate and refine our existing Portfolio Energy Optimization (PEO) analytics tool. RMI is committed to decarbonizing the building sector and scaling the PEO tool has the potential to significantly increase the retrofit rate of commercial buildings, which is critical to realizing a 1.5-degree future. The buildings sector is responsible for 40% of all energy consumption in the USA and we need to see a quadrupling of the current rate of building retrofits to meet this goal.
RMI is a non-profit think-do-scale tank that has a 40-year history of working on clean energy solutions using integrative design solutions. The institute has a track record of incubating successful businesses and organizations, most recently, WattTime, BlackBear Energy, Energy Web Foundation, and REBA. Joining the PEO team now provides an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of commercializing and scaling an emerging business while having the support of RMI’s expertise and network.
Program Overview
RMI’s Portfolio Energy Optimization (PEO) analytics tool has been developed over the past six years and has successfully supported multiple demonstration projects while continuing to expand in capability. The tool produces virtual representations of buildings and uses them to identify cost-effective retrofit packages to decarbonize buildings. The PEO team is staffed with engineers, software developers, and sustainability experts capable of expanding and troubleshooting the analytics tool. The current analytics tool is already capable of delivering results at one-half the cost of traditional approaches. To impact the market at scale, however, the tool needs to be rearchitected for workflow optimization and evolve into a client-friendly software application containing RMI’s engineering and expertise, that can expand beyond RMI’s consultant-led projects and eventually become ubiquitous within the industry enabling sectoral transformation.
Position Overview
As a Senior Associate building energy modeler, you will join a small high-performance team as we look to transform our existing consultant-led PEO analytics tool into a robust, consultant-supported, client-friendly software application. You will have the opportunity to:
- Develop or leverage existing computer programming skills to automate the creation of detailed EnergyPlus models.
- Integrate advanced measures, such as time-of-day demand management solutions into the software.
- Support high-profile projects.
RMI has a history of both incubating successful businesses and organizations. Joining the PEO team provides you an opportunity to help commercialize and scale an emerging business while having the support of RMI’s expertise and network. Once key milestones have been met, RMI intends to partially spin-out the business to enable A-round funding to be secured to rapidly expand into targeted markets.
If you have the qualifications and are excited to work in a climate-aligned business with an entrepreneurial business ambition, then make an impact with us!
Individuals of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply!
Minimum Qualifications
- 3-6 years of cumulative work experience
- 3+ years’ experience with building energy modeling/simulation using EnergyPlus.
- A bachelor’s degree in a field related to the built environment.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Willingness to collaborate and leverage creative problem solving while working on challenging and open-ended problems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Modelkit or similar automated simulation software.
- Commercial building experience, especially HVAC systems.
- Fluent with Ruby or Python.
- Climate warrior with a demonstrated track record of building or championing climate tech innovation.
Benefits
- We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- 403b Retirement Options (5% match immediately)
- Generous PTO
- Learning & Development opportunities
- Parental leave
- Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long-Term Disability
- Commuter and Wellness Benefits