Market Research and Evaluation Scientist

The Market Research and Evaluation (MRE) Scientist is an integral part of multiple cross-functional program teams dedicated to bringing energy efficient products and services to market through the approach of market transformation. The primary role of the MRE Scientist is to manage market research and evaluation projects to support organizational and program decision-making and assess market progress of programs. MRE Scientists are expected to engage proactively in ongoing continual improvement and teamwork necessary for successful functional leadership.   

This position is based in the Portland, OR metro area, with a hybrid work location. We are looking for candidates who can meet the requirement of working at least 2 days per week onsite at NEEA’s office location.  Finalists must have eligibility to work in the US as NEEA is not able to provide VISA sponsorship or have remote work outside of the US. 

Salary range: $80,000 - $95,000, exempt 

• Salary is based on the applicants Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 

The Typical Day May Include… 

• Working with cross-functional team members to contribute to the success of market transformation programs by assessing whether strong program logic exists and is measurable  
• Delivering research and evaluation insights to inform program strategy 
• Developing long-term research and evaluation plan(s)  
• Developing metrics to measure program influence in the short-, medium-, and long-term  
• Defining the research/evaluation objectives, scope of work, assumptions/constraints, sample population, and deliverables for individual projects 
• Sourcing third-party contractors to support research and evaluation needs - including ownership of the competitive bidding process: drafting contracts, reviewing proposals, finalist selection, etc. 
• Managing and ensuring contractor performance  
• Leading project kick-offs and subsequent check-in meetings and findings synthesis with cross-functional teams 
• Leading the socialization of results and insights with internal and external audiences  
• Support the Market Analysis & Planning function, as needed, by commissioning studies to validate their energy savings model assumptions 
• Aid in the development of logic model and data management plans, ensuring programs can be effectively evaluated and that data is available for evaluation purposes 

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

This position is primarily an individual contributor and has no supervisory responsibilities but provides guidance and leadership on specialized areas to internal clients and to less experienced members of the work group. 

What Are You Good At? 

A top contender for the Market Research and Evaluation (MRE) Scientist role at NEEA will demonstrate a strong blend of analytical rigor, strategic thinking, and collaborative leadership. This candidate will have exceptional experience managing market research and evaluation projects, ideally within cross-functional teams focused on market transformation or energy efficiency.  

They will be adept at designing and executing complex research plans, developing metrics to measure program influence, and translating findings into actionable insights for internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be skilled in evaluating research validity, managing third-party contractors, and facilitating team alignment around evaluation goals. Strong communication and relationship management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to synthesize diverse data sources into meaningful conclusions are essential.  

Your Experience, Education, and Skills: 

• Master’s degree required.  
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in evaluation and/or market research project management.     
• Ability to leverage facilitation skills used to guide and direct key parts of MRE’s work within program teams and the MRE team 
• Experience with a wide variety of research methods to 
• assess the validity of proposals from third-party contractors 
• suggest and/or build on research designs proposed by contractors 
• review and assess the validity of analyses and conclusions derived from those analyses 
• understand and articulate to business partners the impact of research methods on the interpretation of results 
• Skilled at discerning which information, from a variety of sources, is valid and relevant when drawing conclusions 
• Comfortable and effective in articulating the meaning of information and/or conclusions in a way that makes sense to the audience 
• Able to prioritize/plan work activities while remaining flexible and supporting the overall team’s priorities    
• Strong ability to assess and communicate contractual risks related to research validity, contractor capability, and deliverable quality, while providing recommendations for mitigation or avoidance when necessary.  
• Demonstrable skill to identify and resolve complex problems; gathering and analyzing relevant information and providing option analyses on potential solutions resulting in a recommended approach 
• An equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the successful performance of the essential job duties.  

Highlights of NEEA’s Benefits: 

• 90% of medical/dental premiums paid by NEEA, including for dependents 
• Employer funded Health Savings Account 
• 136 hours of PTO/year 
• Automatic 6% retirement contribution with an additional 2% matching 
• Flexible work environment, including hybrid work location and 9/80 schedule options 
• Professional development opportunities 

About NEEA  

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is an alliance of more than 140 electric and natural gas utilities and energy efficiency organizations working on behalf of Northwest energy consumers to increase the adoption of energy-efficient products services and practices. Since 1997, the region has achieved more than 959 average megawatts (aMW) of Co-Created electric energy savings – the equivalent of enough energy to power more than 700,000 Northwest homes each year.     

NEEA welcomes individuals from all backgrounds and fields of expertise, with or without previous experience in the energy industry.  

Follow this link to our website and learn more about the organization. 

NEEA is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

Salary : $80,000 - $95,000