Regulatory Affairs Manager

📍 Location: Arlington, VA (HQs/hybrid) preferred; open to Denver (remote) or Boston (hybrid)

✈️ Travel: up to 20% for hearings and stakeholder meetings

👥 Team: Policy

🧭 Reports to: Regulatory Affairs Manager

💼 Type: Full-time (exempt)

📌 Job details

We are seeking an energy policy and regulatory professional to lead our utility rebate and incentive efforts. You will join a growing Policy and Regulatory team that delivers Dandelion's policy priorities and grows the market for geothermal heating and cooling.

You will help shape and carry out the regulatory strategy that defends and expands utility incentives for geothermal heat pumps, with a focus on Dandelion's community-scale new construction business model. Our current markets are the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Colorado.

🛠️ Responsibilities

Drive utility incentive strategy

• Develop and carry out our utility incentive engagement strategy across Dandelion's markets.

• Work with the Policy and Regulatory team to decide which regulatory efforts are most strategic for the business.

• Defend existing incentives by monitoring evolving markets and engaging in ongoing regulatory proceedings.

• Write clear, detailed comments, memos, and presentations for utilities, regulators, and program administrators.

Represent Dandelion with decision makers

• Represent Dandelion transparently and persuasively to utility rebate program staff, regulators, and other decision makers.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with utility, government, and industry stakeholders, drawing on your existing network or building a new one.

• Engage trade groups and coalitions where they can advance our goals.

• Communicate Dandelion's interests in ways that push building decarbonization and electrification policy forward.

Turn policy into business results

• Train and support the sales team so they understand the rebates and incentives available in their regions.

• Partner with internal experts to develop well-grounded policy recommendations, getting into the details where it matters.

• Keep business strategy and ROI at the center of your work.

We have a track record of policy wins and expect this role to have a measurable impact. Joining a coalition and getting a seat at the table is not enough.

✅ Must-haves

• 5+ years of experience with utility regulation, energy efficiency programs, or the public sector, ideally at the intersection of business and policy. Relevant paths include policy advocacy, work at a utility, work in federal, state, or local government, or a similar role at another company.

• Direct familiarity with utility incentive and energy efficiency programs, and a genuine interest in energy policy and utility regulation.

• Experience collaborating across multiple external groups.

• An analytical mindset and a willingness to dig into the details of regulatory issues and utility proceedings.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to turn complex topics into clear, simple messages.

• Strong interpersonal skills: you work well with colleagues across teams and backgrounds, influence outcomes, and build credibility with senior leaders.

• The ability to operate within business constraints, including limited resources, tight timelines, and a focus on ROI. Business experience is not required.

• Comfort in a fast-paced, low-structure environment where change is the norm.

• A bachelor's degree from a four-year university.

🌟 Bonus points for

• Familiarity with new construction energy efficiency programs, builder incentives, or building energy codes.

• Experience in one or more of our markets: the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, or Colorado.

🌼 About Dandelion

Dandelion Energy is transforming how homes are heated and cooled—starting from (below) the ground up. As the nation’s leading residential geothermal company, we design, install, and maintain all-in-one heating and cooling systems that are cleaner, quieter, more affordable, and up to 4× more efficient than traditional HVAC. Our focus is on large, enterprise deployments with major homebuilders, helping bring geothermal to more homes, faster.

Backed by Google Ventures (GV) and other top tech investors, our end-to-end geothermal solution is challenging the status quo in residential heating and cooling. We’re scaling strategically and intentionally to meet growing demand. Our mission is simple and bold: to make geothermal the default choice for heating and cooling in the U.S.

🌳 Why Dandelion

Dandelion Energy is at the forefront of the transition to clean, efficient home energy. Our team has delivered thousands of high-quality geothermal installations across the country, helped elevate geothermal heat pumps nationally, and played a meaningful role in advancing electrification-friendly policy at both the local and federal levels.

We’re a multidisciplinary, mission-driven team spanning hardware engineering, HVAC, drilling, solar finance, behavioral economics, and startup operations. Together, we’re building something complex, impactful, and designed to scale … work that directly shapes how homes are powered for decades to come.

At Dandelion, you’ll find a collaborative, fast-paced, and inclusive culture where curiosity, ownership, and cross-functional teamwork are core to how we operate. Our nationwide team is united by a shared commitment to sustainability and a belief that clean, affordable heating and cooling should be the standard.

We’re driving a wholesale shift in how homes are heated and cooled. Join us.

🎁 Benefits & Perks

• Medical (including mental health), dental, vision, and pet insurance

• 401(k) plan

• Commuter benefits

• Generous paid sick leave, vacation, and parental leave

• Learning & development support, including on-the-job training and virtual courses

• Pet insurance