Senior Specialist - Energy Resilience & Decarbonization

About the Role

Senior Specialist, Energy Resilience & Decarbonization

Department: Engineering, Resilient & Sustainable Engineering Unit (EADD)

Join one of the transportation sector’s most diverse and innovative engineering teams.  The Port Authority’s airports, ports, ferries, tunnels, bridges, bus terminals and rail transportation systems are among the region’s most important transportation facilities.  As the first U.S. transportation agency to set a net-zero target for all greenhouse gas emissions, the Port Authority is pursuing a variety of ambitious decarbonization and climate resilience initiatives.

The Senior Specialist (“Specialist”), Energy Resilience & Decarbonization will be a key contributor to ongoing and anticipated critical agency net zero initiatives, including:

• Energy Resilience:  The Authority’s reliance on electricity is anticipated to increase as its facilities rapidly decarbonize, which will include large-scale electrification of buildings, equipment, and vehicles.  The Specialist will spearhead development of energy resilience strategies of major PA facilities to enhance power quality, capacity, redundancy, and reliability (in alignment with the PA’s Net Zero goals).
• Decarbonization:  The Specialist will support strategic planning of Capital investments in electrical and/or energy systems and infrastructure in furtherance of the agency’s Net Zero goals, including the alignment of capacity and anticipated demand.

This position can be located at 4 World Trade Center, New York, NY, or the Port Authority Technical Center in Jersey City, NJ 

Responsibilities

The Specialist’s duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Program Strategy and Implementation: Play a key role in developing and implementing the Engineering Department’s energy resilience and decarbonization program strategy 
• Program Coordination:  Coordination of program staff, potentially including on-site consultant management (the Specialist will not initially directly supervise Port Authority staff, but will have ample access to staff, consultant, and academic resources).
• Facility Assessment:  Provide day-to-day program oversight for Facility-specific assessments and strategic planning exercises focused on energy resilience and decarbonization, including management of internal and/or consultant teams.
• Energy Management:  Participate in energy management and decarbonization programs, which may include data collection, benchmarking, Building Energy Modeling (BEM), energy audits, and refrigerant upgrades, for example.
• Standards and Tools:  Contribute to the development and continuing evolution of energy resilience and decarbonization resources, including guidelines, manuals, standards, specifications, tools, and job aids.
• Projects:  Participate in Port Authority or tenant energy resilience and/or decarbonization projects and innovation pilots.
• Engagement:  Lead or support collaboration across the Engineering Department, with other units of the Authority, with the Authority’s tenants and partners, with utilities, and with industry.
• Training:  Coordinate the development and deployment of training programs to increase the technical capacity of Port Authority staff.
• Research and Innovation:  Collaborate with academic and industry partners and advisors to advance applied research and innovation initiatives related to energy resilience and decarbonization.
• Reporting:  Provide thorough and timely reporting on program and project statuses, including development and maintenance of dashboards and creation of PowerPoint decks and written reports.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, energy management, energy policy, or a related discipline.

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in energy resilience, decarbonization, energy management, utility planning, or a related field.
• Ability to work collaboratively and constructively within multi-disciplinary teams, exhibit strong organization and communication skills (oral and written), provide outstanding quality control of all deliverables, and deliver all services on-time.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a technical, policy, or administrative discipline relevant to the above-listed Responsibilities.
• Hands on experience with designing and/or managing electrification, energy resilience, and/or decarbonization projects.
• One or more active sustainability-related credentials, including LEED, Certified Energy Manager or ENV SP.

Selection Process

The application process varies by position, but typically includes an initial phone interview for qualified candidates, followed by a more in-depth interview(s) and/or assessment(s). Selected candidates who are made a conditional job offer will be asked to undergo a background check.

Compensation & Benefits

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey offers a competitive benefits package, hybrid work options for many positions, and a professional environment that supports development and recognizes achievement.

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