What does a Climate Change Policy Analyst do?

Research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Day to day that includes work like provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change and Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change.

What skills should a Climate Change Policy Analyst put on a resume?

O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, and Writing among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Climate Change Policy Analyst list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes C++, Community Climate System Model CCSM, ESRI ArcGIS software, Ferret, and Formula translation/translator FORTRAN. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Climate Change Policy Analyst work?

O*NET records 21 titles for this occupation, including Climate Analyst, Climate and Energy Program Associate, Environmental Policy Analyst, and Policy Analyst. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Climate Change Policy Analyst need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 61% reported their level of education as "Master's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Climate Change Policy Analyst role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Climate Change Policy Analyst resume example

A resume for a Climate Change Policy Analyst needs to show the work itself: research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Day to day that means work like this: provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change; propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

Climate Analyst
Climate and Energy Program Associate
Environmental Policy Analyst
Policy Analyst
Climate Advisor
Climate Economist
Policy Associate
Policy Research Associate
Regional Science Advisor
Clean Energy Policy Analyst
Climate Change Analyst
Climate Change Risk Assessor
Climate Change Specialist
Cumulative Effects Analyst
Ecological Risk Assessor
Environmental Change Analyst
Environmental Risk Assessor
Global Climate Change Analyst

O*NET records 21 titles for this occupation in total.

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change.
Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change.
Prepare study reports, memoranda, briefs, testimonies, or other written materials to inform government or environmental groups on environmental issues, such as climate change.
Analyze and distill climate-related research findings to inform legislators, regulatory agencies, or other stakeholders.
Make legislative recommendations related to climate change or environmental management, based on climate change policies, principles, programs, practices, and processes.
Present climate-related information at public interest, governmental, or other meetings.
Gather and review climate-related studies from government agencies, research laboratories, and other organizations.
Review existing policies or legislation to identify environmental impacts.
Promote initiatives to mitigate climate change with government or environmental groups.
Research policies, practices, or procedures for climate or environmental management.
Write reports or academic papers to communicate findings of climate-related studies.
Develop, or contribute to the development of, educational or outreach programs on the environment or climate change.

14 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Prepare study reports, memoranda, briefs, testimonies, or other written materials to inform government or environmental groups on environmental issues, such as climate change, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Analyze and distill climate-related research findings to inform legislators, regulatory agencies, or other stakeholders, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

C++
Community Climate System Model CCSM
ESRI ArcGIS software
Ferret
Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
Geographic information system GIS systems
Grid analysis and display system GrADS
Interface definition language IDL
Linux
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
NCAR Command Language NCL

25 software entries are recorded in total.

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Computer data input scanners
Computer laser printers
Desktop computers
High-performance cluster HPC computers
Laptop computers
Mainframe computers
Multi-line telephone systems
Personal computers

Skills an ATS reads for

Worth naming only if they are genuinely yours. Keyword overlap is one input to a resume's score, not a verdict.

Community Climate System Model CCSM
Ferret

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Reading Comprehension
02Active Listening
03Critical Thinking
04Speaking
05Writing
06Active Learning
07Complex Problem Solving
08Systems Evaluation
09Systems Analysis
10Time Management

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

Law and Government
English Language
Mathematics

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

61%Master's Degree
13%Bachelor's Degree
13%Doctoral Degree

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Extensive Preparation Needed”. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Common questions

What does a Climate Change Policy Analyst do?: Research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Day to day that includes work like provide analytical support for policy briefs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or climate change and Propose new or modified policies involving use of traditional and alternative fuels, transportation of goods, and other factors relating to climate and climate change.
What skills should a Climate Change Policy Analyst put on a resume?: O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, and Writing among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Climate Change Policy Analyst list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes C++, Community Climate System Model CCSM, ESRI ArcGIS software, Ferret, and Formula translation/translator FORTRAN. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Climate Change Policy Analyst work?: O*NET records 21 titles for this occupation, including Climate Analyst, Climate and Energy Program Associate, Environmental Policy Analyst, and Policy Analyst. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Climate Change Policy Analyst need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 61% reported their level of education as "Master's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Climate Change Policy Analyst role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.