Promotions

Promotions at ITAC are earned, not granted by tenure. Moving up from Class II to Class III to Class IV reflects what you can actually do across technical, leadership, and professional competencies. Finishing Class III also lines up with eligibility for the DOE Certificate of Participation.

How to Apply

Promotions are self-initiated. When you think you are performing at the next class level across the competencies below, submit a promotion application using the Airtable promotion form. Your application is reviewed by the center director and senior staff.

You can apply at any time. There is no fixed promotion cycle.

What Your Application Must Include

For each competency you are claiming at the next level, your form response needs to include:

Specific evidence. Concrete examples of work you have actually done that show the level. Vague claims like "I write good reports" do not count. Specific references like "I wrote the compressed air leak survey recommendation for the Acme assessment, and it went to the client with no substantive edits" do count.
Attached artifacts. At the end of the form, attach the specific deliverables you reference. For example, if you cite a recommendation as evidence of analysis software use, attach that recommendation only, not the full report. Keep artifacts targeted to the claim you are making.

Handling a Below-Level Competency

Within a single category (Technical Competencies, Leadership & Collaboration, Knowledge & Development, or Professionalism), you can be performing below the required level in one competency and still be eligible for promotion in that category, as long as you exceed expectations in a different competency in the same category.

If this applies to you, note it explicitly in your Airtable response. Identify the competency where you fall short, identify the competency where you exceed, and explain how the latter makes up for the former.

This exception applies per category. You cannot offset a Technical shortfall with a Leadership & Collaboration strength. This does not apply for Professionalism. You have to meet all professionalism criteria to be eligible for a promotion.

Responsibility Matrix

The matrix below lays out expectations at each class. Class III completion lines up with DOE Certificate of Participation eligibility, and the rightmost column maps each competency to its DOE core skill.

Technical Competencies

Competency	Class II	Class III	Class IV	DOE Skill Alignment
Assessment Recommendation Identification	Identifies standard ARs from checklists with guidance; recognizes common energy waste patterns	Independently identifies ARs during site visits; recognizes nonstandard opportunities; contributes to AR scoping	Identifies complex or novel ARs; leads AR scoping for full assessments; trains others in identification methodology	1) Assessment Recommendation Identification
Energy Savings Calculations	Performs standard calculations using existing templates; guided troubleshooting of errors	Develops full calculations independently using engineering fundamentals; checks and validates others' work	Designs new calculation models for nonstandard problems; develops or refines calculation templates	3) Energy Savings Calculations
Report Writing	Drafts recommendation content under guidance; needs substantive edits for clarity and accuracy	Writes full recommendation sections with minimal edits; produces client-ready narrative and technical detail	Drafts complete client-ready recommendation documents; mentors others in technical writing standards	2) Report Writing
Utility Data Analysis	Reads utility bills and enters data into templates; performs basic consumption and cost analysis with guidance	Independently analyzes utility data to identify trends, anomalies, and baseline conditions; contextualizes findings for ARs	Develops analytical methods for complex rate structures or multi-facility comparisons; trains others in utility analysis	6) Utility Data Analysis
Conceptual AR Designs	Understands basic AR design logic (e.g., equipment sizing, setpoint adjustments) with supervision	Independently develops conceptual designs for standard ARs, including system configurations and operating parameters	Designs solutions for complex or novel ARs; integrates multiple systems into cohesive recommendations	7) Conceptual Assessment Recommendation Designs
Analysis Software Use (Excel, SAM, etc.)	Performs basic analysis with provided tools and templates	Independently modifies tools and templates for specific assessment conditions; troubleshoots tool errors	Develops new analysis methods, software scripts, or modeling tools for the center	Supports multiple DOE skills

Leadership & Collaboration

Competency	Class II	Class III	Class IV	DOE Skill Alignment
Client Interaction	Observes client meetings; asks clarifying questions when prompted	Speaks in client meetings about assigned areas; presents data and recommendations clearly	Leads sections of client presentations; manages ongoing client relationships; handles difficult conversations	5) Client Interaction
Teamwork and Group Interaction	Works cooperatively within assigned teams; communicates task status to leads	Actively supports team coordination; fills gaps during assessments; facilitates peer collaboration	Shapes team culture and norms; resolves interpersonal friction; models constructive collaboration	4) ITAC Teamwork/Group Interaction
Site Leadership	Follows team leads' direction; does not lead teams	Leads small sections of field work or analysis tasks; delegates effectively within scope	Manages full site teams; assigns tasks based on team capabilities; makes real-time judgment calls during assessments	8) Leadership
Mentorship and Training	N/A	Supports onboarding new hires; answers procedural and technical questions	Trains and mentors junior students; designs and runs training sessions; contributes to curriculum development	8) Leadership

Knowledge & Development

Competency	Class II	Class III	Class IV	DOE Skill Alignment
Technical Research	Supports with background research for recommendations	Independently researches and summarizes technical options; evaluates vendor claims and product specifications	Researches and proposes new technical offerings for ITAC; contributes to center knowledge base	Supports multiple DOE skills
Special Projects	Participates in team projects under close supervision	Takes ownership of a defined section of a special project; delivers on time with minimal oversight	Independently leads and delivers special projects from scoping through completion	Supports multiple DOE skills

Professionalism

Competency	Class II	Class III	Class IV	DOE Skill Alignment
Communication and Responsiveness	Responds to messages and emails within a reasonable timeframe; communicates basic status updates when asked	Proactively communicates progress, blockers, and schedule changes; writes clear and professional messages to team and clients	Models professional communication norms for the team; manages multi-stakeholder communication during assessments	Crosscutting
Reliability and Accountability	Attends scheduled activities; completes assigned tasks with reminders	Consistently meets deadlines without prompting; takes ownership of deliverables; acknowledges and corrects mistakes promptly	Tracks and manages complex deliverables across multiple assessments; holds others accountable constructively	Crosscutting
Safety and Site Conduct	Follows PPE requirements and safety briefings; behaves appropriately on client sites	Anticipates safety considerations during assessment planning; ensures team compliance; represents ITAC professionally to host facilities	Leads safety briefings; identifies and mitigates site-specific risks; sets team expectations for professional site conduct	Crosscutting
Intellectual Curiosity and Initiative	Asks questions and seeks to understand assessment context beyond immediate tasks	Independently deepens technical knowledge; identifies process improvements; volunteers for challenging work	Drives innovation in center practices; proposes and executes improvements to tools, methods, or training	Crosscutting