Energy Sustainability Technician (LTE)

Job Title

The City of Baraboo is seeking a skilled and experienced professional to serve as a limited-term employee (LTE) to directly support efforts to advance clean energy and climate solutions with existing City-leased or owned properties.

Job Description

The core focus of this position will include supporting the City of Baraboo in implementing and tracking specific energy efficiency goals, building directly off the data and recommendations contained in the 2025 Energy Audit Final Report. This position offers the unique opportunity to develop and grow resources that support sustainable energy efficiency initiatives through municipal, local, state and federal collaborations.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

The essential job functions and responsibilities include:

1. Check in monthly with Focus on Energy representatives.
2. Track energy use in municipal buildings regularly.
3. Review/update capital improvement plans to include energy-saving upgrades.
4. Create a municipal green team.
5. Coordinate renewable energy, HVAC, lighting, controls, insulation, and building envelope improvement projects.
6. Recommend improvements that reduce operating costs while maintaining occupant comfort and building performance
7. Update sustainability goals and assist departments in identifying and implementing best practices in sustainable operations.
8. Work with residents, businesses, schools, and the county on to identify feasible energy savings and shared sustainability initiatives and strategies.
9. Strengthen existing partnerships with community organizations and expand network and partnerships through engagement and outreach activities.
10. Represent the City at committee and external meetings.
11. Present project updates to City Council.
12. Consult on portions of the annual City-wide Operations and Capital Improvement budgets.
13. Perform other tasks as directed.
14. Support work group meetings on clean energy and sustainability by setting agendas, prompting discussion, identifying action items, and performing background research to resolve stakeholder priorities.
15. Meet individually with stakeholders to understand local barriers and needs. Develop technical resources such as program or policy briefs, project case studies, and fact sheets as necessary.
16. Maintain an inventory of municipal assets including facilities, equipment, tools, and materials. Establish a long-term process to ensure this repository remains up-to-date and highly relevant to stakeholders.
17. Assist and present clear information or technical resources at stakeholder meetings.
18. Assist as needed with grant tracking, compliance reporting, and processing municipal invoices.
19. Identify federal, state, utility, and private funding opportunities.
20. Prepare grant applications related to energy efficiency and sustainability.
21. Manage awarded grants and ensure compliance with funding requirements.
22. Coordinate rebate programs through utilities and state agencies.
23. Provide specialized research and execution support tailored to municipal energy reduction goals, explicitly referencing benchmarks from the 2025 Energy Audit Final Report.
24. Manage energy efficiency improvement projects from planning through implementation. Coordinate consultants, contractors, engineers, and utility representatives.
25. Review project specifications to ensure sustainability objectives are incorporated.
26. Monitor project schedules, budgets, and performance outcomes.
27. Execute other cross-functional responsibilities as identified by municipal staff. Collaborate with facility managers to optimize building operations.
28. Assist departments in identifying operational efficiencies.
29. Support sustainable purchasing initiatives.
30. Recommend policies regarding energy conservation, recycling, and waste reduction.
31. Evaluate opportunities for electrification of municipal equipment and fleet vehicles.

Qualifications

The qualifications required for this position include:

• Exceptional project management skills with a proven ability to prioritize time and resources efficiently while working independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. This includes managing effective one-on-one professional communications, reporting deliverable challenges, and presenting technical data succinctly to groups of various sizes.
• Confirmed ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional internal teams, external consultants, and municipal vendors.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on identifying flexible solutions that can adapt to different types of local government structures.
• Ability to think strategically to achieve effective municipal energy efficiency outcomes.
• Flexibility and a proactive willingness to jump in on a variety of different tasks to support a small team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Teams) and Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Gmail).

Preferred:

• A minimum of two (2) years of direct work experience in sustainability, clean energy, local government, or a substantially similar professional field. Knowledge of energy management principles, building mechanical and electrical systems, HVAC systems and controls, utility rate structures, municipal or institutional operations/processes.
• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent professional work experience) in a professional track related to sustainability or energy efficiency.
• Practical experience writing, applying for, or managing state and federal grants.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, talk, walk, hear, use hands to fingers, handle or operate mechanical tools and equipment, reach with hands and arms, and bend and stoop. Position requires ability to inspect municipal facilities, including climbing ladders, stairs, and accessing mechanical rooms, ability to occasionally lift up to 30 pounds, and possess ability to travel between municipal facilities.

Working Conditions:

• Primarily office environment with regular field inspections of municipal facilities.
• Occasional evening meetings with elected officials and community groups.
• Occasional exposure to construction sites and mechanical equipment rooms.

Performance Measures

Success in this position may be evaluated through:

• Annual reduction in municipal energy use (kBtu/sq. ft.)
• Annual utility cost savings achieved
• Greenhouse gas emissions reductions
• Grant funding secured
• Completion of energy efficiency projects on schedule and within budget
• Renewable energy generation installed
• Building ENERGY STAR scores and benchmarking improvements
• Staff engagement in sustainability initiatives
• Progress toward municipal sustainability goals

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly Wage: $22.00-25.00/hour
• Time Off: Paid personal time off and paid holidays.

Selection Guidelines

Application, letter of interest, resume, references, review of education and/or experience, and rating resulting from job related tests, interview.