Career opportunities

The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) has responsibility for delivering evidence-based policies and programmes, overseeing regulation, conducting operational fieldwork, and ensuring compliance and governance across the areas of Climate, Energy, and the Environment.

Our vision is a climate neutral Ireland, powered by clean energy, where our environment, society and economy thrive. Our mission clearly outlines the collaborative work required to turn this vision into a reality: we work together to deliver climate action; the transformation of our energy systems; the protection and resilience of our environment and a resource-efficient economy. Our areas of focus range from developing the Climate Action Plan, implementing our Offshore Wind Energy Programme, delivering the Circular Economy Strategy, supporting the implementation of Energy Security in Ireland to 2030, to continuing our residential retrofitting programme and developing district heating.

DCEE comprises just under 700 staff members, located across offices in Dublin, Booterstown, Wexford, and Cavan. We are supported in our mandate by 11 State bodies, encompassing commercial semi-state, non-commercial, and regulatory agencies.

The Department’s operations are underpinned by a set of core values that reflect our identity, inform our interactions, and guide our day-to-day work. Our work impacts nearly every aspect of daily life in Ireland, and our staff take pride in their contribution to a more sustainable and equitable future. We draw on a diverse range of expertise and are united by a strong commitment to public service for the benefit of all citizens.

We are proud to be the first Government Department to achieve ‘Gold’ Certification from the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). This certification recognises the Department’s dedication to continuous improvement in areas such as business planning, communication and collaboration, leadership and management, learning and development, human resources, and employee wellbeing.

Our Statement of Strategy - Le Chéile 28 sets out five strategic goals, which frame the Department's work for the next three years, 2025-2028:

1. Accelerate climate action and prepare Ireland for the impacts of a changing climate
2. Transform Ireland’s energy systems to be sustainable, affordable and secure
3. Protect and enhance our environment and improve the circular and resource-efficient economy
4. Advance our climate, energy and environment objectives through effective EU and international leadership, engagement and collaboration
5. Sustain a high-performing, innovative and inclusive organisation focused on collaboratively delivering our vision and mission

DCEE comprises just under 700 staff members, located across offices in Dublin, Booterstown, Wexford, and Cavan. We are supported in our mandate by 11 State bodies, encompassing commercial semi-state, non-commercial, and regulatory agencies.

The Department’s operations are underpinned by a set of core values that reflect our identity, inform our interactions, and guide our day-to-day work. Our work impacts nearly every aspect of daily life in Ireland, and our staff take pride in their contribution to a more sustainable and equitable future. We draw on a diverse range of expertise and are united by a strong commitment to public service for the benefit of all citizens.

Our Values guide our behaviour in our organisation and ensure that we all contribute to a culture where everyone feels respected and motivated to do their best work for the Irish public.

Our Values are:

• Working Together
• Delivering High Standards
• Having an Impact

In line with our commitment to developing our people and culture, the department was recently awarded Gold certification by the National Standards Authority of Ireland under its 'Excellence Through People' framework, highlighting the importance and the department's commitment to fulfilling, impactful roles and working with our people to ensure a supportive, collaborative working environment and culture.

Our department is dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace, where everyone is encouraged to be themselves, knowing that they will be accepted and treated fairly with dignity and respect. Our aim is to have an organisation where Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is embedded and embraced, where EDI enables our operating model, informs policy development and decision making, and is echoed in our values and behaviours. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy supports the implementation of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan and shows how we will deliver on our commitment to promote equality and fairness and combat discrimination, as an employer and a public body. This commitment applies to everyone, regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community.

In March 2025, the department was awarded "Bronze" Investors in Diversity Accreditation, which recognises our commitment to becoming a more equitable and inclusive organisation.

You can read more about Equality Diversity and Inclusion in DCEE on our website at this link Human Rights and Equality

The department has specific recruitment procedures. In common with other government departments, most permanent posts in the department are filled from panels of candidates selected by competitive examination. These examinations are run by publicjobs, which is the central recruiting body for the whole of the Irish civil service.

Recruitment competitions are advertised on www.publicjobs.ie or alternatively, the national newspapers and relevant trade magazines. They will also advise you as to what qualifications or experience may be needed.

The Public Jobs website offers an email alert service which notifies one automatically when jobs of interest are advertised.

We recommend you keep in contact with the Careers' Office of your university for any internship opportunities available in the Department.

Please see below the list of our current vacancies in the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.

Reasonable Accommodation

A reasonable accommodation is an appropriate measure to ensure every person with a disability has equal opportunities when applying for employment, be treated the same as co-workers, and have equal opportunities for promotion and training.
We are committed to equality of opportunity for all candidates. Reasonable accommodation in our selection process refers to adjustments and practical changes which would enable all candidates to have an equal opportunity in the process.
Any request for reasonable accommodation will be treated in strict confidence.
If you need any reasonable accommodations at any stage of the recruitment processes, you should contact the department's Disability Liaison Officer at dlo@dcee.gov.ie in strict confidence.

Principal Adviser Marine - (Principal Officer - Higher) in the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment

Closing date for all applications: Friday, 14 November 2025 at 5pm.

Applications received after this time will not be accepted.