Welcome 2026!

January has a very different feel than December, and not just because most of the US is in a deep freeze. The decorations are packed away, inboxes are filling back up, and everyone in renewable energy is settling into the realities of the new year. I’m catching up on conversations that paused in late December — the “let’s reconnect in January” emails that always seem to carry more weight once the calendar flips.

After nearly a decade of writing this Recruiter’s Outlook, January has become one of my favorite months for reflection. Not just because it’s a busy time for hiring—it usually is—but because it’s honest. Less optimism-fueled speculation, more cautious planning, and, frankly, more honesty. The idealism of Q4 forecasts meets finalized budgets, revised project timelines, and teams taking a hard look at what they can actually execute this year.

And in renewable energy, execution is everything right now.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve had dozens of conversations with developers, manufacturers, and EPCs reassessing their hiring plans for 2026. Some roles that were “nice-to-haves” last fall are now on hold. Others that weren’t even discussed in December have suddenly become urgent. That’s typical of January. What’s different this year is how deliberately companies are evaluating every single hire. As 2026 begins, renewable energy hiring isn’t rebounding across the board, but it is, at least, recalibrating. And for companies willing to be strategic, that recalibration creates opportunity. We're seeing clearer signals about where hiring will happen, and where it won’t.

Project development teams are still lean, but the focus has shifted. Instead of expanding early-stage teams, many developers are prioritizing construction readiness. Engineering, permitting, interconnection, and construction management talent are already becoming harder to find as projects race to qualify for remaining federal incentives. January is when that talent competition quietly begins, long before it shows up in job postings.

On the manufacturing side, the conversations feel more confident than they did a year ago. Reshoring efforts are real, but hiring is paced carefully, tied directly to production milestones and contracted demand. We’re seeing fewer speculative hires and more roles tied to immediate operational needs — plant leadership, quality, supply chain, and project-based engineering support.

Energy storage continues to stand out as the most resilient hiring vertical as we head into 2026. The longer runway on incentives has given companies the confidence to plan beyond the next election cycle, and that stability is showing up in hiring decisions. We expect storage-related roles to remain competitive throughout the year, particularly for candidates who can bridge development, construction, and operations.

One thing January always exposes is a common hiring misconception: that slower activity means more available talent. In reality, experienced clean energy professionals are still selective. They may be more willing to listen right now, but they’re not desperate — and they’re paying close attention to project certainty, leadership credibility, and long-term stability. Companies that underestimate this in January often find themselves scrambling later in the year.

If there’s a theme emerging early in 2026, it’s discipline. Disciplined hiring plans. Disciplined growth expectations. Disciplined compensation strategies. The renewable energy industry has learned, sometimes the hard way, that hiring ahead of certainty creates just as many problems as hiring too late.

For those planning to hire this year, January is the time to get aligned. Finalize your org charts. Pressure-test your salary ranges. Be honest about which roles are truly mission-critical. The companies doing that work now will be the ones best positioned to move quickly when hiring momentum inevitably picks up.

As always, we’ll continue to share what we’re seeing from the front lines of clean energy hiring as the year unfolds. After nearly ten years of writing this Outlook, one thing remains constant: the market never moves exactly how we expect, but it always rewards those who prepare.

Hiring advice for young professionals

Do you know young climate-minded professionals looking for job searching opportunities and advice? I recently worked with Rob Jordan at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment on his recently published article geared to graduate students pursuing careers in the environmental sector. Read my take, along with the input of other CEOs in the field, here.

Hiring top clean energy talent in 2026?

If you’re planning to build or expand your team this year, now is the time to start the conversation. We’re happy to help you think through timing, compensation, and hiring strategy — before the market gets crowded again. Let me know if you'd like to discuss this virtually or we can meet in-person next week at RE+ Northeast in Boston if you plan on being there. Either way, you can book time with me using the link here.

Receive a bonus for a referral to our website

If you are currently exploring a new job in your renewable energy career, we invite you to have a look at our careers portal. Refer a candidate to EnergeiaWorks and if they get hired, we’ll send you an EnergeiaWorks solar backpack with a $1,000 check. Visit our website to submit!