A day in the life of an energy and climate analyst

Following a degree in physics at QUT, Adrienne Josefski took her maths skills to solve problems in energy and climate.

Adrienne Josefski got her start in future energy and climate by chance. After a stint working in medical physics, Adrienne jumped online and started applying for grad programs in other fields. “I went crazy and applied for everything!” she says.

Her impressive skillset landed her a graduate role with Deloitte’s energy and climate advisory team where she took a deep dive into renewable technologies, policy, and financial modelling. “I get to work on so many different projects, from modelling to regulatory reform,” says Adrienne.

Adrienne studied physics at QUT where she learnt some powerful maths skills that she uses in her role as an analyst, such as working with massive datasets and taking an evidence-based approach to solving problems.

Overcoming fear and learning to ask questions has helped Adrienne switch
careers smoothly. “If you don’t know something, don’t be shy in asking the next best person on how to do it,” says Adrienne. “Be confident in putting yourself out there.”

Here’s what a typical day looks like…

7:00am
I hit the gym to kickstart my day. This always gives me an endorphin rush prior to starting work.

8:00am
I log on to check my emails and calendar for the day. I prepare for any meetings I have coming up or check in with my project manager to determine what needs doing for the day.

9:30am
I’m involved in a project where we are modelling solar farms with battery components
to see if it’s financially viable. We create financial models and simulate generator types coming in and out of the market up until 2050 to help investors make the right decision.

1:15pm
On my lunch break I go and check on how my cat Sam is doing. We’ll share a cuddle or two and then I’ll make lunch. The perks of working from home!

2:00pm
I continue on with my work and maybe sneak in a coffee depending on which day of the week it is.

4:40pm
When work is all done for the day, I’ll check my emails again for any outstanding actions and revisit my calendar to what is ahead for the next day.

5:00pm
Once I log off, I check in with how my partner’s workday went before making plans for dinner. And feed Sam of course!

Adrienne’s study and career path to becoming an energy & climate analyst

• Bachelor of Science, (Physics), QUT
• Research Assistant, Field Orthopaedics
• Graduate, Energy and Climate Advisory, Deloitte
• Analyst, Energy and Climate Advisory, Deloitte
• Business Analyst, Hatch

This article originally featured in our Future Energy Specialist Job Kit. Check out the kit for more info on future energy careers and download it for future use. You can also register for our Next Gen Careers: Future Energy webinar here.

Author: Gemma Conroy

Gemma is a freelance journalist with a passion for making science accessible to everyone. Gemma has a degree in biology from Macquarie University and loves sharing amazing discoveries with the world.

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