The world is eager to address climate change. But climate tech startups desperately need talented professionals like you with transferable skills and experience in various technology fields. These hirings can lead to real strides and solutions for stewarding our planet.
The Growing Demand for Climate Tech Jobs
Here’s a simple definition: A climate tech job is any professional role that uses scientific or electronic know-how to help combat the climate crisis and achieve sustainability. Such occupations work toward making digital and physical products that positively impact climate control. These roles range from mechanical engineers to computer programmers.
That means you have exciting job opportunities to support climate action if you have a tech-based skill set. What jobs are needed to fight climate change? Climate tech jobs are crucial for achieving climate solutions. These available jobs include:
Product managers
Project managers
Product designers
Data scientists
Software engineers
Designers
Business development specialists
Renewable energy scientists
Environmental engineers
How many people are employed in climate tech jobs? A 2023 IEA reportestimates that nearly 14 million clean energy manufacturing jobs could exist by 2030, with the majority focused on clean energy. Currently, half that number of people already have part-time, full-time, and freelance jobs in clean tech.
Recent clean energy bills and funding opportunities indicate that climate tech jobs will be highly in demand in the coming years. That’s why many workers are leaving their traditional tech jobs for new careers at climate-first startups and nonprofits.
Some benefits of a tech-driven climate career are:
Satisfaction of contributing to environmental preservation. You can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enable resource sustainability, and support environmental justice in practical ways.
Long-term job stability. Big tech companies are making massive layoffs, while climate tech startups are flourishing. Climate-first companies are receiving substantial funding to hire more workers, putting climate jobs in high demand.
Use your existing skills. Much tech expertise applies to green tech without having to upskill drastically.
Tackling real problems. Climate jobs appeal to big-picture problem-solvers. Climate change poses a severe challenge beyond simply how to make more money.
Want to shift your occupational path to a climate career? Your existing skills in tech professions are crucial to build a greener future.
Project Managers
If there’s one job role that climate tech startups need most, it’s a project manager. Why? Project managers are responsible for the successful execution of strategic plans.
Entrepreneurs begin clean-tech startups with brilliant ideas for products and systems that could change the world, but many hire others with complementary organizational or management skills. Project managers manage risks, coordinate operations, and influence stakeholders.
Project managers help startups organize their endeavors into manageable tasks that follow a regimented schedule. They ensure projects have a higher chance of succeeding by:
Stays on schedule
Remains within budget and scope
Can overcome unexpected problems
Follows a clear objective and processes
Has an efficiently working staff
Climate tech companies need project managers to drive their operations and meet their targets. They pave the way for success by cultivating an environment where teams can flourish — whether that involves communication, budgeting, supply chains, sustainability or other business development issues. You can serve as a role model and mentor to a fledgling team.
Product Managers
Supervise the development and maintenance of climate tech products. As head of product, you can lead the company’s product team as they generate deliverables that meet client, market, or environmental needs.
A product manager in climate tech is a highly versatile role based on the company’s needs. It could involve:
Defining and owning the product roadmap
Embedding environmental science governance values into product designs
Being the point of contact between clients, leaders, and designers
Understanding and advocating for clients
Translating needs into specific features
Knowing the ins and outs of the product
Collaborating with cross-functional teams
Monitoring and reporting on KPIs
Overseeing quality control
Leading the product life cycle
Engineers
Many types of engineers can find climate tech jobs that use their skills:
Computer and software engineers
Environmental engineers
Manufacturing engineers
Aerospace engineers
Transportation and automotive engineers
Civil engineers
Web development engineers
Why do climate tech companies need engineers? Engineers are the brains of climate tech companies. They systemize creating climate change solutions by solving problems that produce actual results.
Engineers’ work on climate is indispensable for developing technologies and systems that mitigate emissions and protect ecosystems. Many clean-tech startups are hiring experienced engineers to staff their project and product teams; they need your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Developers
While the engineers conceive of solutions for climate tech companies, developers do the specific tasks of creating the products. They’re the hands that execute what the mind has already conceived.
Climate tech companies always need freelance and contract-based developers to do the nitty-gritty work of product construction. These tech professionals are usually relegated to specific tasks within the product development lifecycle. They use the tools they’re given to follow the blueprints formed during the development stage. This often involves managing front-end and backend product creation.
Data Scientists
Deep tech companies thrive off of the knowledge they bring to an industry. They have the privileged understanding of how technology could and does impact the environment. Where does a company get that level of insight? From the data scientists, analysts, and modelers that they employ.
Data science experts give clean tech companies the climate change information they need to make important decisions. They control the data pipeline by adapting incoming data to stream to internal parties like R&D.
Thus, a major element of your job as a climate data analyst is running computational models. You use the real-world information you receive from climate researchers to run simulations to determine statistical outcomes. By managing data and running models, you will forecast outcomes that the company can leverage to make impactful results.
Creatives
Yes, even creative professionals can assist climate tech companies. You don’t have to be an engineer or administrator to get a climate tech job. Organizations need all types of skilled climate people to perform vital tasks. This includes:
Graphic designers
UX/UI designers
Product advertisers and digital marketers
Communications and content managers
Brand directors
Connect with Climate Tech Founders
New jobs in climate tech are multiplying across Europe and the rest of the globe. Don’t wait to make the jump.
Want the best chance of finding a fitting climate tech job that matches your skills?Contact MVP Match.We can connect you to hiring managers of climate-first tech companies and startups around the globe. We help freelance and full-time job seekers by matching them to open roles. It’s much easier than scouring job boards for relevant job postings!
Do you lead a company pursuing climate action and need I.T. experts for your team? MVP Match can help hire freelancers so your efforts can flourish.
