Head of Policy & Regulatory Affairs

About Emerald AI

We’re at a pivotal moment for AI and energy. Demand for compute is skyrocketing, but power constraints are becoming a critical bottleneck. Emerald AI sits at the intersection of these two worlds, enabling AI data centers to scale without overwhelming the grid.

Our Emerald Conductor software platform makes data centers flexible and responsive, allowing them to adjust power usage dynamically. This unlocks massive AI growth without major new infrastructure, while also strengthening the grid and supporting the expansion of renewable energy.

We’re a team of experts across AI, cloud, software, and energy—on a mission to scale AI sustainably. We’re backed by leading investors and partners including Radical Ventures and NVIDIA.

Learn more about our vision, team, and backers at https://www.emeraldai.co/.

About The Role

We are seeking an Head of Policy & Regulatory Affairs to drive Emerald AI’s engagement with policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders shaping the future of data center energy use.

You will be responsible for building relationships between utilities and data center developers and convening coalitions, when necessary, to get flexible interconnection agreements signed. Further, you will help craft and execute our regulatory strategy, identifying emerging policies that create opportunities or risks, and ensuring our technology is positioned as a solution to urgent grid and energy challenges.

This is a hybrid role that combines policy advocacy (building relationships with utilities and regulators), strategic planning (aligning regulatory insights with our commercial and product roadmaps), and customer engagement (learning where customer needs can be translated into actionable value-adds to Emerald and grid partners) . You will work closely with leadership, business development, and engineering teams to ensure that Emerald AI offers customers exactly what regulations are asking of them and where/when they need it.

Key Responsibilities

• Build Stakeholder Relationships
• Utility Partners: Establish and strengthen ties with policymakers, ISOs/RTOs, and utilities. Leverage relationships to codevelop flexible interconnection processes and guide commercial engagements through the processes to realize the Emerald value proposition of accelerated interconnection.
• Data Center Developer Customers: Pitch and sell our product suite and guide customers through flexibility-enabled accelerated interconnection processes. Engage customers to understand emerging opportunities for Emerald to add value behind-the-meter and communicate those opportunities to the engineering team.
• Shape Regulatory Strategy: Lead the development of Emerald AI’s policy and regulatory agenda, identifying priority markets, upcoming proceedings, and key levers where policy can accelerate adoption of our solutions. Identify markets where regulatory incentives, demand response programs, or mandates create strong entry points for our technology.
• Monitor & Influence Policy: Track emerging regulations on large load interconnection procedures and tariffs as well as wholesale/retail demand response programs. Engage in proceedings, public comments, and working groups to shape outcomes favorable to our mission. Anticipate requirements and market trends to guide company strategy.
• Internal Collaboration: Work with product and engineering to ensure our platform evolves to meet or exceed regulatory requirements and leverages policy-driven opportunities (e.g., subsidies, interconnection reforms, demand flexibility mandates).
• Thought Leadership & Representation: Represent Emerald AI in policy forums, industry associations, and at conferences. Develop white papers, testimony, and position statements that articulate the value of our technology to policymakers.
  
  

Qualifications

• 5 years experience in the energy, technology, or data center sectors
• 10 years total experience, ideally including exposure to early-stage companies or high-growth technology environments
• Proven track record engaging with regulators, legislators, and grid operators, including through formal regulatory proceedings
• Deep knowledge of energy markets, grid operations and interconnection processes, and demand-side flexibility programs is essential
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to connect the dots between evolving utility landscapes, regulatory environments, and customer needs
• Excellent communication skills, effective at representing company positions at the executive and regulatory levels
• Comfort with straddling both the energy and technology worlds and capable of translating dynamics in one world into implications for the other
• A proactive, fast-moving self-starter who can spot opportunities in the policy landscape and act decisively to capture them.
  
  

What we offer

• Make an impact. Solve the AI power bottleneck and shape how data centers scale sustainably.
• Join a world-class team of AI, cloud, software, and energy experts in a collaborative, low-ego environment.
• Build from 0→1. Influence strategy, GTM, org design, and customer/investor engagement from day one.
• Competitive pay equity. Stock options let you share in the value you help create.
• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) matching.
• Flexible location. Work from D.C., Boston, or the Bay Area, with 1 WFH day/week.
• Backed by top investors, including Radical Ventures and NVIDIA.
  
  

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, and any other protected ground of discrimination under applicable human rights legislation.

Emerald AI strives to respect the dignity and ‎independence of people with disabilities and is committed to giving them the same ‎‎opportunity to succeed as all other employees.

Inclusiveness is core to our culture at Emerald AI, and we strive to ensure you get the most from your interview experience. Emerald AI makes reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to the Talent team.