Principal Consultant

We are looking for an experienced project manager to join our team. Opinion Dynamics specializes in providing customer insights, data analytics, and evaluation and advisory services to clients in support of a clean energy economy. Our mission is to empower clients to make strategic decisions that contribute to a sustainable energy future. We focus on solving energy challenges at the intersection of customer behavior and the grid.

As a Principal Consultant, you are the driving force behind high-impact projects, bridging the gap between our energy industry clients—utilities, regulators, program administrators, and energy service providers—and the deep expertise needed to tackle their most pressing research questions. You'll take the lead in designing and executing cutting-edge research and evaluation projects, ensuring our clients have the insights they need to navigate today's challenges and anticipate tomorrow's opportunities. Through managing projects and teams, you'll work closely with clients to understand their evolving needs, provide strategic guidance, and ensure our research delivers meaningful insights that inform decision-making across the energy industry. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, consulting environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Work with clients to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables based on their needs.
• Develop and manage project budgets and timelines to ensure successful project delivery.
• Manage internal and external project reporting and tracking.
• Understand and communicate staff resource needs and proactively inform project leadership about emerging issues that could affect project delivery.
• Manage interdisciplinary project teams (e.g., data analytics and engineering) and facilitate collaboration across team members to ensure effective communication and a shared understanding of project goals and outcomes.
• Manage the client relationship by providing regular updates, responding to questions and requests, and staying informed of client priorities.
• Develop strategies to meet evolving project needs.
• Identify process improvements and lessons learned from project execution and share the findings with project leadership to continue innovation in service delivery.
  
  

Research and Evaluation

• Lead the research design process, coordinating closely with project team members, including subject matter experts and technical staff from engineering, data analytics, and data management groups.
• Author research and evaluation plans that adhere to energy industry best practices.
• Oversee and contribute to the execution of research plans, ensuring that objectives are achieved, results are accurate, and recommendations are actionable.
• Lead the development of clear and compelling deliverables, including reports, papers, and presentations, with key contributions from consulting and technical staff, as well as subject matter experts. Serve as the lead author of executive-level results and recommendations.
• Mentor and develop project team members in applied research methods and consulting skillsets by setting clear expectations, providing proactive feedback, and monitoring performance.
  
  

Staff Development

• Mentor and develop Consulting and Advisory Services staff by setting clear expectations, providing proactive feedback, and monitoring staff performance.
• Support ongoing professional development by aligning available training resources with staff needs, as well as identifying project assignments that will support the development of key skill sets necessary for individual and company success.
• Ensure Consulting and Advisory Services staff understand the context of our work and key industry trends through project engagements, self-driven learning, and one-on-one support.
  
  

Qualifications:

You're a highly effective project manager and communicator who excels at prioritizing work to meet goals and deliver results. You take ownership, stay accountable, and maintain resilience in high-pressure situations. You approach new challenges with urgency, enthusiasm, adaptability, and a focus on continuous improvement—for both you and your team. You perform best in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments where you can drive impact and push projects forward.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study, including economics, sociology, public policy, engineering, and environmental science
• Three to five years of project management experience in program evaluation, research, or consulting with demonstrated experience managing project teams
• At least three years of clean energy industry experience related to energy efficiency, demand flexibility, decarbonization, and/or electric vehicle programs and initiatives
• Applied experience in research design and methods and/or program evaluation within the energy industry
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
  
  

Preferred Qualifications (not required):

• Master's degree or PhD
• Demonstrated experience conducting research, evaluation, and/or advising on distributed energy resources and flexible load programs and solutions, including time-varying rates and pricing programs, demand response programs, and Virtual Power Plants
• Strong understanding of qualitative research methodologies and hands-on experience conducting qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, observation, etc.)
• Ability to apply strategic thinking to inform decision-making and provide industry-specific insights
• Approximately two years or more serving as a staff supervisor
• Experience in performance management and staff development
• Experience with SPSS, STATA, R, Python, or NVIVO, along with the ability to train and mentor less experienced staff on these tools
  
  

Salary and Hybrid Environment:

• Salary range: $90,000 – $125,000. Salary is negotiable depending on experience.
• This is a hybrid role with a mix of in-office and remote work.
• Strong preference for the following locations: Waltham, MA, Portland, OR, La Jolla, CA. We will consider remote applicants depending on their experience.
• Please note: Candidates who meet some but not all requirements for this position may be considered for a Managing Consultant role.
  
  

About Opinion Dynamics

Opinion Dynamics advances knowledge to address emerging energy and social issues through sound and insightful research. Our inter-disciplinary team of consultants develops actionable and insightful research to support an array of clients, including electric and gas utilities, regulators, and stakeholders. Our research supports planning, assessment, and optimizing energy efficiency, demand response, and renewable energy programs. Our team uses a customized approach leveraging innovative methodologies to answer our client's questions. Our company fosters innovative thought, collegiality, and growth opportunities for our employees.

Opinion Dynamics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Opinion Dynamics is also committed to fostering a more diverse workforce. BIPOC, women, members of the LGBTQIA community, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.