Program Associate, Renewable Energy

Program/Role
:
Program Associate

Location
: WFH Flexible, Minneapolis, MN. GPI’s headquarters are based at 2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 220 in Minneapolis, MN.

Reports
to
:
Program Manager

Type
of
Position
:
Full-time position

Ideal
start
date
:
September 15, 2026

Compensation
:
Salary range: $52k-$62K, commensurate with experience. Benefits include a health plan, 401(k) retirement plan, LTD, STD, life, vision, dental, FSA/HSA, paid time off, professional development allowance, and a communication stipend.

A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, the Great Plains Institute (GPI) is accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions for the benefit of people, the economy, and the environment. Increased demand for GPI’s unique blend of energy expertise and consensus-derived solutions has driven organizational and programmatic growth. With headquarters in Minnesota, GPI’s operations are national in scope while retaining a core competency in the Midcontinent region.

GPI is powered by more than 70 professionals and is supported by some of the nation’s most respected philanthropies.

The following values inform the way we work both inside and outside of GPI. It is important to us to be trusted, inclusive, equitable, pragmatic, and transformative:

Trusted. We base our approach and actions on trust, mutual respect, and accountability.

Inclusive. We achieve impact through inclusive and deliberate collaboration with a diversity of interests.

Equitable. We strive for equity in our approach and outcomes.

Pragmatic. We take a clear‑eyed view of the world as it is, even as we seek to improve it.

Transformative. We are a bold and passionate catalyst for change.

GPI seeks a bright, organized, and highly motivated individual to support climate and energy planning work. The associate will provide support primarily for projects that help local governments meet climate mitigation and adaptation goals; they may also support work on renewable energy co‑benefits and energy resilience. Though this position will be housed on the Renewable Energy team, the work will overlap with the Communities team, and there may be opportunities to work on other subject areas, like climate resilience or clean transportation, as the associate expresses interest.

To succeed in this role, you need to be self‑motivated, community‑driven, enthusiastic, and a team player. The ideal candidate will:

• ask questions
• take initiative
• seek opportunities to learn and grow
• display strong writing skills
• feel comfortable engaging all types of people
• be able to balance multiple priorities
• utilize effective methods for time management and organization
• and have a passion for mitigating and adapting to climate change for the benefit of the most impacted.

GPI’s Renewable Energy (RE) Team works on a wide variety of projects, working with communities, regional governments, states, and federal agencies to accelerate deployment of renewable energy. The RE team works to remove barriers to accelerated deployment for both distributed and large‑scale wind and solar and emerging clean technologies such as hydrogen. We provide technical assistance and capacity to local and state entities, lead research on co‑benefits of solar and wind development, and help create new equitable systems for energy services.

GPI’s Communities Program ensures that equitable and inclusive action on clean energy, resilience, and climate solutions is accelerated and becomes the norm for communities across our footprint. The team’s work includes a variety of projects, including coordinating local government and technical assistance provider networks and local government cohorts, facilitating community input processes, developing and implementing climate and energy plans, and providing technical assistance and capacity to local entities to develop clean energy projects including building efficiency, renewable energy, vehicle electrification, and multi‑modal transportation.

Hours may be flexible and are typically Monday through Friday during the business day; occasional nights and weekends may be required. Some work can be remote, but this position will require two to…