Application Guide
How to Apply for Early Career Policy Principal - Wholesale Electricity Markets (PJM)
at Advanced Energy Economy
🏢 About Advanced Energy Economy
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is a national association of businesses dedicated to advancing clean energy policies that accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy, reduce costs, and create millions of jobs. AEE uniquely combines business advocacy with deep technical expertise in wholesale electricity markets, making it a powerful voice for market-based clean energy solutions. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that influences real policy change in complex regulatory environments like PJM.
About This Role
This role focuses on shaping PJM wholesale electricity market reforms to accelerate clean energy deployment. You will develop advocacy strategies, draft regulatory comments, and build relationships with stakeholders to influence market rules. Your work directly impacts the integration of renewables, energy storage, and demand-side resources into one of the largest power grids in the world.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with reviewing PJM committee meeting notes or stakeholder calls, then drafting a fact sheet on a proposed market rule change. You might join a virtual meeting with AEE members to align on advocacy strategy, followed by writing comments for a PJM filing deadline. Afternoons could involve analyzing a new FERC order and preparing a presentation for partner organizations.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Advanced Energy Economy Is Looking For
- Has 4-6 years of experience in policy analysis or advocacy specifically within PJM or other competitive wholesale electricity markets, with a strong understanding of market design, capacity auctions, and transmission planning.
- Possesses excellent written communication skills, evidenced by drafting technical comments or reports on electricity market issues, and can translate complex concepts for diverse audiences.
- Thrives in a remote work environment, demonstrating self-motivation, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to build relationships with regulators, policymakers, and industry partners virtually.
- Holds a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., energy policy, economics, engineering) and ideally a master’s degree, with a passion for clean energy transition.
📝 Tips for Applying to Advanced Energy Economy
Tailor your resume to highlight specific PJM experience, such as involvement in FERC filings, capacity market reform, or interconnection queue issues.
In your cover letter, explicitly mention how your work has advanced clean energy goals within a market framework, using quantifiable examples (e.g., influenced a rule that increased renewable procurement).
Research AEE’s recent comments or reports on PJM proceedings and reference them in your application to show you understand their advocacy approach.
Demonstrate remote collaboration skills by describing experience with virtual teams, cross-organizational coordination, or digital advocacy campaigns.
If you lack PJM experience, emphasize transferable skills in analyzing complex market rules or utility regulation, and express eagerness to learn PJM specifics.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your specific experience with PJM or similar wholesale markets, including any direct involvement in market design or advocacy.', 'How your policy analysis skills have contributed to clean energy deployment, with concrete examples of drafting comments or reports that influenced outcomes.', 'Your ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, such as regulators, utilities, or clean energy companies.', 'Your motivation for working at AEE specifically, linking their mission to your career goals and showing understanding of their business-focused advocacy model.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review AEE’s recent blog posts, press releases, and comments on PJM issues (available on their website) to understand their current priorities and messaging.
- → Study the current status of PJM’s capacity market reform (e.g., the FERC order on MOPR and subsequent compliance filings) and key stakeholder positions.
- → Familiarize yourself with AEE’s member companies, especially those active in PJM, to understand the business perspectives they represent.
- → Look into PJM’s interconnection queue and transmission planning processes, as these are likely focus areas for the role.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn’t reference AEE’s specific work or PJM’s unique market structure, signaling lack of research.
- Overemphasizing general clean energy enthusiasm without demonstrating concrete policy or market analysis skills relevant to wholesale electricity.
- Failing to prepare for technical questions about PJM market mechanics (e.g., capacity performance, FERC Order 841) which are core to the role.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Advanced Energy Economy!