Quick Facts About Colleen
Job Title and Organization: Associate Data Scientist at Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Sunnyvale, CA
Sector: Local Government (Community Choice Energy)
Field: Energy
Years at the Organization: 6 years
Years in the Field: ~6 years
Connect with Colleen: LinkedIn Profile
Can you tell us about your work as a Data Scientist?
Describe your job in 5 sentences or fewer.
As an Associate Data Scientist at Silicon Valley Clean Energy, I help generate and answer questions related to the mission of providing clean, reliable, and affordable electricity and innovative programs to help the community electrify. I do this by advancing strategic and exploratory analysis that encourages data-driven decisions. Through these analyses, I focus on connecting communities and stakeholders to energy insights that help guide policies, encourage action, and amplify equitable energy solutions.
How did you find out about and land your current position?
I had been working for Silicon Valley Clean Energy for several years before the MEDS program on a range of projects supporting decarbonization through a digital engagement, communications, and marketing lens. I made a career jump to get my Master of Environmental Data Science at Bren and continued to work part-time with Silicon Valley Clean Energy during the program. When the time came to think about career options post MEDS, I knew that I felt passionate about Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s mission, and I worked with the career team in identifying my goals for a future position. After determining that continuous learning, team culture, and mission alignment were important, I connected with the data team and my current manager at Silicon Valley Clean Energy about my career goals and how I [could] apply the new skills from MEDS to support the team. I applied for the Associate Data Scientist position and got the role! This position was in a new team and department within the organization, and I am learning lots with the support of amazing team members and managers.
Can you tell us more about how Bren career services helped you land this position?
How has your Bren School experience or training helped you in your career/job?
The MEDS program was instrumental in launching me into a career in data science. I went into the program with a background in clean energy and a passion for environmental solutions but had zero coding and data science experience. Not only did the program provide the tools and structure to efficiently learn data science, but it also built a strong foundation on how to approach environmental problems through a data lens. I use these skills and this foundation every day in my role now, and they help me adapt to new projects, tools, and the inevitable error messages.
What job search tips/tactics can you recommend to help someone find a job in a highly competitive job market (what has worked well for you or other people you know)?
I think it is helpful to keep a running list of organizations, companies, and agencies that you could be interested in working for. I tend to jot down different organizations in my notes app that I come across in different newsletters, articles, or conversations. Then when you are thinking of looking for a job, you have a starting place to look for openings at places that already interested you.
Another tried-and-true tactic is to reach out to people at different organizations to chat with people who work there to learn about the mission, team roles, and culture. Plus, you can use the list of organizations that you are interested in as a list of organizations to reach out to.
Do you have any advice or encouragement you’d give other alumni or current students about networking?
I may be in the small subset of people that love to network! My biggest piece of advice is to go into networking with the goal of learning one interesting fact about the people that you talk to. This takes off any pressure to feel like you need to learn everything about what they do. It also helps to focus the conversation on asking questions rather than providing a monologue of your resume.
What was the best advice you received while at Bren?
One of the best pieces of advice I received was from Dr. Allison Horst. In the first weeks of the program, Dr. Horst noted that if you are stuck on a project and are getting new error message after error message—close the laptop and step away for a little bit. This has helped in many different scenarios where stepping away and taking a walk or even getting a full night’s sleep leads to the solution. Not only in coding, but this advice expands to other aspects of life where you may feel stuck, and taking a little break can bring new perspectives and insights.
What are some sources of motivation and inspiration for your work?
What environmental challenge do you think you have the most chance of positively impacting in your field, why, and how? Please feel free to include any trends/directions you see your field/sector going.
The energy industry and data science fields both have high entry points and can feel like intimidating spaces to jump into. I hope to make an impact by molding these spaces to feel more welcoming and approachable. I am already motivated by seeing new ways of thinking emerge to address stagnant energy systems and clean energy barriers. I hope that I can help open the doors for more to join!
What is your favorite book or magazine that has impacted your career?
The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke provides a robust narrative on the history of the electrical grid in the US, barriers that we face in terms of energy infrastructure, and a glimpse into clean energy possibilities. The way that the book unveils the story of the grid in an approachable and entertaining manner was a very warm welcome into the industry and got me hooked on all things energy!