Clean Buildings Associate

About the Opportunity 

Start Date: January 5th, 2026

Length of Fellowship: 10 months

Location Type: Hybrid

Are you passionate about tackling climate challenges and driving sustainability solutions? As a Clean Buildings Associate in the Climate Corps Fellowship program, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to impactful sustainability initiatives with Tacoma Power. This is a hybrid position with the expectation of onsite work 2-3 days per week.

In this role, you will be a primary driver of Tacoma Power’s climate resiliency by empowering commercial and multifamily partners to navigate Washington’s landmark Clean Buildings Performance Standard. You won’t just observe; you will transform complex regulatory requirements into tangible energy savings, identifying high-consumption areas and spearheading efficiency measures that slash carbon footprints across the community. This role places you at the heart of the clean energy transition, where your work directly results in physical building improvements and long-term environmental impact.

This position serves as a high-impact experiential learning launchpad designed to bridge the gap between theory and industry leadership. Working alongside engineering experts, you will master energy benchmarking and data analytics while gaining a rare look at utility operations and incentive integration. You will sharpen your ability to consult with diverse stakeholders and manage the full project lifecycle, building a professional portfolio that proves your expertise in grid management and climate resilience.

About Our Partner: Tacoma Power

Tacoma Power is an innovative, resident-owned electric utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity and provides energy in an increasingly competitive marketplace. They are committed to providing high-value, competitively priced products and services to their customers through the quality of their employees and the responsiveness that results from local ownership. They will continue to serve customers in Tacoma and neighboring communities and serve new markets to benefit both existing and new customers.

Partner-Provided Benefits (in addition to Climate Corps Benefits):

• Participation in the Building Operator Certification series.
• Green Building Practicum training.
• Occasional invitations to attend industry events such as Clean Buildings workshops and networking events.

What You’ll Do

• Support the collection and organization of customer energy data for Clean Buildings benchmarking and compliance, coordinating with internal Tacoma Power data teams and external building owners.
• Conduct basic analysis of building energy use and potential efficiency opportunities to support staff in identifying paths to compliance and potential custom or prescriptive projects.
• Participate in outreach to targeted customer segments (for example, multifamily or under-resourced commercial customers), including supporting workshop planning, logistics, and follow-up tracking.
• Collect, organize, and analyze customer energy data in coordination with internal data teams and external building owners to identify energy efficiency opportunities and compliance pathways.
• Assist with customer outreach and engagement, responding to inquiries about the Washington Clean Buildings law and related Tacoma Power programs, and FAQs and reference materials.
• Develop, refine, and maintain CBPS-facing resources that highlight requirements and available incentives, including incentive guides, compliance checklists, web content, and presentation materials.
• Support planning, logistics, and facilitation of internal and external meetings, virtual workshops, and training sessions for targeted customer segments, including multifamily and under‑resourced commercial customers.
• Document workflows, templates, and lessons learned to ensure process consistency and scalability of Tacoma Power’s Clean Buildings support activities.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality of customer and program information and adhere to Tacoma Power’s safety and data protection policies.

What We’re Looking For

• Coursework, training, or experience in fields related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, data analysis, or building efficiency.
• Proven ability to maintain a high level of attention to detail while coordinating multiple tasks or projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative on assignments and manage your own schedule to meet deadlines effectively.
• Experience using the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) to create, format, and edit professional documents and reports.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a focus on building inclusive, professional relationships and finding common ground with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally across various formats, including written correspondence and verbal presentations.
• Ability to move projects forward independently while contributing effectively to a team-oriented environment.
• Valid driver's license for site visits.
• The ability to work onsite on a hybrid basis [2-3 days per week on site. This position requires the employee to be physically located within commuting distance of the site location at the time of hire. Only candidates currently residing within commuting distance of the site address will be considered.
• 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.
• Must be 18 years or older to apply.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with coding languages such as SQL and Python.
• Familiarity with energy efficiency, building systems, or sustainability concepts through coursework, work, or community projects.
• Experience working with complex data sets in spreadsheets (e.g., organizing, cleaning, and analyzing utility or building data) and or databases. 
• Comfort communicating technical or policy-related topics to non-technical audiences, both in writing and in person.
• Experience or interest in working with local businesses, multifamily property owners, or community organizations in Pierce County or the Tacoma area.
• Interest in public power, utility programs, and Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard.

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

• A fixed, monthly stipend of $4500.
• $1000 end-of-program financial award.​
• Health care coverage with 100% of health care insurance premiums covered by SEI.
• Fellows receive 10 personal days for a standard 10-month fellowship (prorated for longer terms), which may be used for vacation or sick time. Additionally, Fellows follow their partner site's holiday schedule to observe the same holidays as their team.
• 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.
• The University of California Climate Stewards Certification equips you to lead community and ecosystem resilience initiatives.

Climate Corps Fellowships are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as temporary, educational internships that emphasize training and career development, and thus no employment relationship exists, nor compensation is required. However, while not considered traditional employment, Fellows receive a living stipend and professional development support throughout the program.

Recruiting Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submissions, as we may stop accepting new applications once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is identified.