Energy Program Specialist

About the Opportunity 

Start Date: September 2nd, 2025

Length of Fellowship: 10 months

Are you ready to tackle climate challenges through building and energy efficiency solutions? As an Energy Program Specialist in the Climate Corps Fellowship program, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to impactful climate resiliency & sustainability initiatives with The Port of Bellingham. This is a hybrid position with an expectation of 3 days of onsite work and 2 days of remote work per week. 

This position requires the employee to be physically located in Bellingham, WA, at the time of hire. Only candidates currently residing within 20 miles of the location will be considered.

In this role, you will work with Environmental, Engineering, Maintenance, and Facilities staff and property managers to prioritize, plan, and implement construction projects (including tenant improvements) and equipment purchases to evaluate energy efficiency impacts and ensure that they do not increase net energy use inconsistent with the space type. You will recommend specific energy efficiency measures and support project managers with evaluations of various options. You will manage necessary data, such as building energy usage analyses and compliance audits, and provide recommendations for behavioral changes.

Projects you will be working on include: 

• Building and Infrastructure Energy Management Program.
• Climate Action Strategy goals and objectives.
• Various capital and behavioral projects.

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop your professional skills, grow your network, and contribute to The Port of Bellingham’s sustainability initiatives. If you're passionate about building energy efficiency and advancing a program to continue both compliance and doing the right thing, we encourage you to apply!

About Our Partner: The Port of Bellingham

The Port of Bellingham owns over 100 buildings in Bellingham, Blaine, and at the Bellingham Airport and Airport Industrial Park. Building energy efficiency work has been performed for many years on an ad-hoc, as-needed basis.

The Port adopted a Climate Action Strategy (CAS) in 2023. The CAS formalizes the work by setting goals and developing strategies, and drives energy reduction throughout the Port through the creation of programs such as the BIEMP (Building and Infrastructure Energy Management Program). The BIEMP is managed by a cross-divisional team that works port-wide on energy strategy. As a regulatory requirement, the BIEMP has performed initial assessments of almost all Port buildings over 20,000 SF for benchmarking against the Tier 1 requirements of the Washington State Clean Buildings Performance Standards (CBPS). Under the BIEMP, 14 Port buildings are registered with PSE’s Commercial Strategic Energy Management Program (CSEM), which provides incentives for behavioral changes in energy use.

The Port is a dynamic place to work, with harbors, airports, leased commercial space, parks, and shipping terminals. There is always something new going on, tangible projects to work on, and great people to work with.

What You’ll Do

• Tracking initial energy use intensity (EUI) assessments and building compliance with EUI targets for all Tier 1 and 2 buildings owned by the Port.
• Recommending behavioral changes for the CSEM incentives and working with the Port energy efficiency committees for effecting changes.
• Reporting to the Department of Commerce for the Tier 1 and 2 buildings for CBPS (e.g. Operations and Maintenance plans, Energy Management Plans and Washington SAW reporting). Implement and maintain systems for property managers and facilities staff to track energy efficiency measures for these required plans and reports.
• Reporting to PSE on CSEM progress.
• Maintaining Energy Start Portfolio Manager and EnergyCAP records
• Collaborating with utilities (Puget Sound Energy, the City of Blaine, and Cascade Natural Gas) and Port accounting staff and consultants for data management and regular updates.
• Conduct technical, policy-related planning related to energy efficiency while adhering to energy codes and standards.
• Develop internal (Port) and external (public) communications related to energy, including regular reporting to the Sustainability Program Manager (or Facilities manager) and BIEMP team.

What We’re Looking For

• 1-2 years of education and/or experience related to commercial building operations and/or building energy management.
• Strong knowledge of best practices for energy use in a variety of buildings and industrial activities.
• A post-secondary degree in energy management, CEM, or a related field.
• Excellent software skills, including MS Word, Excel, EnergyCAP, and Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and ability to learn new software.
• Have an understanding of engineering design and technical aspects of HVAC, building controls, and/or lighting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across diverse teams to meet objectives and timelines.
• Ability to link building energy use to climate action goals and targets. Valid Driver’s License.
• The ability to work on a hybrid basis (onsite work 3 days per week and 2 days of remote work).
• Coursework or related experience in environmental fields (e.g., internships, volunteer work) is preferred.
• Commitment to a fair workplace that honors the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals.
• Authorization to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship (SEI is unable to sponsor visas).
• May require occasional moving about to accomplish tasks, moving from one worksite to another, or adjusting or moving objects under 25-50 pounds in all directions.

We encourage everyone interested in this position to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification. We value all perspectives and believe that a unique background can bring significant strengths to this role, even if some qualifications are not fully met.

What We Provide and Why This is a Game-Changer for Your Career

• A fixed, monthly stipend of $3900.
• $1000 end-of-program financial award.​
• Health care coverage with 100% of health care insurance premiums covered by the employer.
• Comprehensive career-readiness training, including interview prep, salary negotiation, and resume building.
• Panels, workshops, and networking with climate resilience industry professionals.
• Professional networking and learning opportunities.
• University of California Climate Stewards Certification equips you to lead community and ecosystem resilience initiatives.