Regulatory Analyst 3

Salary: $80,496.00 - $105,612.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Lacey, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:
Department: Utilities and Transportation Commission
Division: Energy Planning
Opening Date: 10/14/2026
Closing Date: 10/28/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description
WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Regulatory Analyst 3
Salary Consideration: Range 65, Step A ($80,496) - Step L ($105,612) annually.

The starting employment offer will be determined based on the successful candidates' qualifications. Typically Step M of the pay range is a longevity step.

This recruitment is open until October 28, 2026, at 11:59pm.UTC reserves the right to make a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process may contact the recruiter via telephone at (360) 664-1130 or email the UTC HR office at humanresources@utc.wa.gov. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Services at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
The Opportunity:

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is seeking to fill one (1) Regulatory Analyst 3 (RA3) position within the Energy Planning Section of the Regulatory Services Division. This expert-level position directly supports the agency's mission by providing technical analysis and recommendations necessary for the commission's decision-making processes with respect to electricity and natural gas utility services, with a particular emphasis on the clean energy transition. The Energy Planning Section provides regulatory oversight of seven (7) electric and natural gas utilities serving approximately three (3) million customers in Washington State with annual revenues exceeding $4.5 billion.
Hybrid:

Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and must be available to report to the Lacey, Washington headquarters building when needed.
Travel:

Moderate travel may be required, typically within the state and to conduct business at a utility headquarters. Occasionally, travel outside of the state may be required. Travel may occur outside of normal work hours.

Duties
What you'll do:

The RA3 provides advanced-level knowledge as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) working on utility filings related to energy planning and the clean energy transition by providing detailed analysis that balances the public interest. The incumbent makes recommendations necessary for the commission's decision-making processes with respect to energy planning, implementation plans and reports. This expert-level position performs work on complex issues with significant and broad impact on multi-billion-dollar gas and electric utilities, energy customers, and other communities in the state.
You will research and analyze a wide variety of subjects to evaluate utility energy filings, which may include:

• Clean energy planning and implementation
• Energy storage and emerging technologies
• Energy equity
• Transportation electrification
• Energy efficiency
• Distributed energy resources
• Building electrification

The RA3 provides the commission with recommendations on decisions for utility filings through formal written memoranda, commissioner briefings, public presentations, and in formal adjudications, such as general rate proceedings with written and oral testimony. This is achieved by communicating clearly and concisely, describing issues in easy-to-understand terms. Expert-level recommendations are guided by the application of standard rules, procedures, orders, or processes, but also require exercising judgment or creativity.
The successful candidate will independently undertake research that is directly relevant to the regulation of investor-owned utilities in Washington state. This is accomplished by reviewing key commission orders, policy statements, industry trends, and developments across the United States for information relevant to current and future commission proceedings. They will also engage with policy makers, agency leaders, commissioners, industry advocates, company representatives, and other persons or groups affected by commission decisions in a collaborative manner.

Additional duties include, but aren't limited to the following:

• Reviews, analyzes, and reaches conclusions on complex and critical utility filings that may be broadly scoped and have significant impacts to consumers and utilities.
• Leads teams of analysts to assess energy planning filings by identifying and prioritizing key issues, collaborating with Energy section leaders and assigned attorneys, serving as the point of contact, ensuring team members are apprised of significant issues or events, providing quality control on analytical and written deliverables, writing testimony summarizing staff's position or overarching policy, and displaying emotional intelligence and intellectual humility as a leader.
• Initiates and leads complex, specialized staff investigations concerning a utility's business practice or potentially problematic regulatory issue, quantifies the financial impact of that practice or issue (if any), identifies the qualitative and quantitative impacts of the practice or issue to ratepayers and the public interest, identifies the root cause of the issue, and recommends resolution through a specific course of action to appropriate decision makers including agency leaders.
• Provides information and process guidance to utilities, utility customers, and other persons or groups affected by Commission decisions.
• Leads rulemaking teams and/or contribute as a participant by drafting administrative rules to implement new legislation, streamline or improve existing administrative procedures, or eliminate or replace outdated processes.
• Leads and participates in agency processes as a representative of the UTC. This includes preparing fiscal notes and detailing how a proposed bill would affect the agency's workload, providing responsive materials for requests for public records, and attending section meetings and the agency-required meetings.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications:

The commission values diverse career paths and recognizes that competencies may be acquired through a combination of education, training, certifications, research, volunteer service, lived experience, military service, professional practice, or other demonstrated accomplishments.

• Advanced knowledge in one or more of the following disciplines: engineering, physical or social sciences, statistics, economics, law, public utility regulation, public policy, or a closely related field.

Applicants must also be able to demonstrate the following:

• Extensive experience in conducting research and analytical work involving regulatory, policy, financial, economic, legal, scientific, technical, or public administration matters.
• Highly proficient in the evaluation of quantitative and qualitative information; identifying trends or issues; drawing supported conclusions; and developing recommendations based on data, research, and analysis.
• Advanced practitioner with interpretation and application of laws, rules, policies, procedures, or regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively in writing and verbally with diverse audiences in both formal and informal settings.
• Strong practitioner in building and maintaining productive, respectful, and collaborative working relationships with stakeholders, partners, and coworkers.
• Consistently manages complex projects, assignments, timelines, priorities, or process improvement objectives.
• Highly proficient in conducting research, analysis, regulatory, policy, compliance, auditing, investigative, or closely related experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities in:

• Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking - Formulates judgments on complex issues, conclusions, and assertions through the identification, organization, and analysis of quantitative, qualitative, and anecdotal data, evidence and research; Reaches conclusions through the holistic review of multiple forms of evidence and identifies connections, gaps, discrepancies, and key data necessary to reach an informed decision; Distinguishes information that is and is not pertinent to a decision or solution. Assesses the workload impact versus the value to the public interest of new proposal.
• Fundamental Regulatory Skills - Applies economic theory, accounting standards and principles, Commission policy and interpretive statements, legal precedents, administrative rules, and statutes in a manner consistent with the subject matter; examines issues to understand and discuss historical context; researches general fields of study to understand implication on regulatory mechanisms and practices including: economics, accounting, business administration, engineering, and computer science. Effectively persuades others to voluntarily accept recommendations or advice.
• Writing and Communication - Writes clearly and concisely using the Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking competency and holistically reasoned arguments; Effectively translates complex technical concepts into messages non-technical audiences can readily understands; Listens carefully, reflects upon what is being said, and responds appropriately; Presents information clearly, accurately, and in an audience-specific manner; Demonstrates situational awareness by adapting communication styles and tools to ensure that information is accessible to everyone including people of non-white cultures and backgrounds.
• Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct - Takes responsibility for actions and impacts; Works collaboratively as a part of a team; Respects the point of view of others and approaches disagreements about work matters with active listening and good will; Ensures individual interactions incorporate equitable treatment of BIPOC and other marginalized communities and promptly reports incidences of inequity to a supervisor or leader; Demonstrates UTC's Values at all times, through the lens of antiracism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Leadership - Leads by example, always demonstrating the Inclusive and Collaborative Conduct core competency, exhibiting balance and fair handedness in considering various perspectives, maintaining composure and level-headedness in difficult situations; Demonstrates emotional intelligence and intellectual humility; Pursues compromise and collaboration.
• Project Management - Plans, designs, organizes, leads, and executes the work of an individual or team project, ensuring a high-quality work product within specific time constraints; Leads the development of project plans which includes, but is not limited to: establishing realistic timelines, identification of attainable project deliverables, articulating clear roles and responsibilities for team members, and specifies criteria for successful project completion; Regularly monitors progress and provides updates to direct supervisor and applicable leaders on the status of the project, including but not limited to risks and issues that affect the completion of project deliverable(s) and general status updates; Displays the Leadership competency, and facilitates the building and managing of interpersonal relationships to ensure project success; demonstrates personal accountability and commitment to the success of a project; If applicable, is responsible for managing and facilitating in