25 Careers in 2025
Every time you flip a switch, you’re connected to a network of over six million energy professionals working behind the scenes to keep the power flowing. From engineers and lineworkers to communicators and IT specialists, public power is a diverse and essential industry. Careers in public power aren’t just impactful––they’re rewarding, with competitive pay often above national averages.
Ready to jump into a career in public power? Whether you’re just starting out and want to learn about the wide variety of energy careers available, or you’re ready to take the next step with job shadowing, paid internships or even submitting your resume, Missouri River Energy Services can help. We also offer a scholarship program for graduating high school students pursuing courses of study for careers related to the electric industry.
No matter where you are in your career path, we can help you discover all the possibilities that come with a career in public power.
Learn more about our careers at https://careers.mrenergy.com.
From engineers and lineworkers to communicators and IT specialists, public power is a diverse and essential industry.
SPOTLIGHT CAREER:
ATTORNEYS
The Important Work of Legal Counsel in Public Power
Public power operates in a complex regulatory environment, and legal counsel plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, protecting resources and shaping policies that impact communities. From contract negotiation to regulatory oversite, attorneys help navigate legal challenges.
Protecting and Strengthening Public Power
Attorneys monitor state and federal polices and advise on risk management and regulatory proceedings. They provide expert legal guidance on contracts, environmental regulations and compliance matters. Their work ensures that public power operates within the law while advocating for policies that benefit communities.
Driving Policy and Compliance
Legal professionals are more than advisors –– they are strategic partners. They collaborate with industry experts, policy makers and utility leaders to develop sound legal strategies, address regulatory challenges and support long-term planning. Their expertise helps public power remain strong and resilient.
Why Their Work Matters
Legal counsel helps safeguard the future of public power by ensuring utilities operate within a fair, transparent and well-regulated framework. Their work enables public power to provide affordable, sustainable and reliable electricity to homes and businesses, ensuring communities remain powered today and prepared for tomorrow.
GENERATION RESOURCE ENGINEERS
The Essential Role of Generation Resource Engineers in Public Power
Electricity generation is the foundation of reliable energy delivery. Generation resource engineers are the experts who ensure that power plants operate reliably, efficiently and safely. From maintaining power plants to optimizing performance and ensuring regulatory compliance, they play a crucial role in keeping public power strong and dependable.
Powering Communities with Expertise
Generation resource engineers support the operations, maintenance and development of power generation facilities. They analyze plant performance, oversee equipment procurement and manage capital projects to enhance efficiency and reliability. Their work ensures that public power utilities can generate energy affordably while meeting environmental and operational standards.
Driving Innovation and Reliability
Public power depends on forward-thinking solutions and generation resource engineers are at the forefront. They collaborate with operations teams, environmental specialists and industry experts to improve power plant performance, develop new generation strategies and ensure compliance with evolving regulations. Their expertise helps public power adapt to changing energy needs while maintaining long-term reliability.
Why Their Work Matters
Generation resource engineers play a vital role in public power. Their work makes sure communities have access to affordable, reliable electricity –– powering homes, businesses and everyday life. By maximizing generation resources, they’re not just keeping things running today –– they’re shaping a stronger, more resilient energy future for generations to come.
ACCOUNTANTS
The Important Work of Accountants in Public Power
Behind every reliable public power utility is a team of skilled accountants ensuring financial stability and efficiency. From managing budgets to tracking expenses and financial reporting, accountants play a critical role in keeping public power utilities running smoothly.
Balancing the Numbers That Power Communities
Accountants in public power oversee essential financial functions, making sure that every dollar is accounted for and used wisely. They handle payroll, accounts payable and receivable and budgeting, all while remaining in compliance with financial regulations. Their work helps municipalities maintain transparency, optimize financial resources and reinvest in infrastructure that benefits the communities they serve.
Working Together to Keep Public Power Strong
Accounting in public power isn’t just about numbers –– it’s about collaboration. Accountants work closely with leadership, engineers and policymakers to provide financial insights that drive smart decision-making. Whether it’s tracking costs for new energy projects or preparing financial reports, they help public power stay financially strong and ready to meet future energy needs.
Why Their Work Matters
Public power accountants help ensure utilities remain financially healthy, allowing them to provide reliable electricity at cost-based rates. Without their expertise, utilities couldn’t make informed investments in infrastructure and technology. Their work supports long-term financial planning, making sure public power utilities continue to serve communities for generations to come.
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS LIAISONS
The Important Work of Government Relations Liaisons
Policies shape how energy is produced, delivered and priced. At the heart of those decisions are government relations liaisons––advocates who connect public power utilities with lawmakers to ensure communities have the reliable, affordable and sustainable energy they need.
Building Bridges Between Policy and Community
Government relations liaisons review proposed legislation to understand how it might impact municipal electric utilities and the people they serve. When opportunities or challenges arise, they spring into action by breaking down complex policy issues into clear, simple ways to help municipalities and lawmakers work together on practical, community-focused solutions.
Working Together to Make a Difference
This work is all about collaboration. Government relations liaisons help local public power utility representatives share their stories and perspectives with lawmakers. They make sure that the voices of public power communities are heard. They also strategize, plan grassroots efforts, and prepare municipal utility teams to confidently navigate the legislative process.
Why Their Work Matters
Without government relations liaisons, the voices of the public power communities might not reach the halls where decisions are made. These liaisons protect public power’s seat at the table and assist in shaping the policies of our energy future from the people they serve. Their work leads to stronger connections, better legislation and a brighter future for public power.
The next time you enjoy the reliability of your local municipal utility, remember the advocates working behind the scenes to make it all possible.
TRANSMISSION ENGINEERS
The Important Work of Transmission Engineers
We use energy every day, but most of us don’t think about how it gets to us. When we flip a light switch or charge a phone, we rely on electricity to be there. That power travels a long way, and transmission engineers play a key role in making sure it gets where it needs to go.
How Electricity Travels
Electricity is made at power plants using things like water, wind, solar, natural gas, nuclear or coal. But homes and businesses are often far away from where the power is generated. Transmission engineers design and maintain the big power lines and stations that move electricity across long distances. They make sure energy travels safely and efficiently to the places we need it.
Building and Fixing Power Lines
Transmission engineers figure out the best way to build power lines and stations, and they make sure the lines can handle bad weather like storms or extreme temperatures. Once the lines are built, engineers keep an eye on them to make sure everything is working well. If something breaks, they work quickly to fix it and restore power.
Preparing for the Future
As more power comes from wind and solar, transmission engineers are finding new ways to bring this energy to homes and businesses. They are also helping to create smarter electrical grids that are better at handling power outages and changes in energy use.
Why Their Work Matters
Without transmission engineers, the electricity we use every day wouldn’t get to us as reliably. They make sure the power system is safe, strong, and ready for the future. The next time you charge your phone or turn on the lights, you can thank a transmission engineer for making it happen.