Career path of a Business Development Director Clean Energy Transition at American Bureau of Shipping
Kirk's career trajectory showcases a deliberate shift from environmental engineering ("environmental remediation, water treatment") and consulting roles at Parsons Corporation and Arch Rock to business development, culminating in their current position at American Bureau of Shipping focusing on "the maritime industry in the environmental compliance space." This progression reflects a consistent interest in environmental compliance within evolving industry contexts, demonstrating a clear career intention to transition from technical expertise to broader business leadership.
Environmental Engineering, Clean Energy, Business Development, Career Transition, Consulting
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Kirk Waltz
Director, Business Development - Clean Energy Transition
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (MS), Rice University (MBA)
Engineering - Civil, Engineering - Environmental
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management
Sales and Client Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Kirk interned at the California regional Water Quality Control Board as an environmental engineering student, gaining valuable experience in environmental remediation and water treatment.
2. He transitioned from a technical role in environmental consulting at Parsons Corporation and Terrin (now Arch Rock) to a business development director position, fulfilling his career aspirations.
3. His current role at ABS focuses on the environmental compliance and future opportunities within the maritime industry, showcasing a career path combining technical expertise and business development within the clean energy sector.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? What about any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
Absolutely. I graduated from Cal Poly in 2008. While I was there, I interned as a student intern at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.
As an environmental engineer, that's a great way to get industry experience in environmental remediation and water treatment, specific aspects of the environmental engineering major.
From there, I moved to Houston, Texas, for an environmental consulting job with Parsons Corporation. My work mostly centered on industrial wastewater treatment consulting for the oil and gas and chemical industries. I was there for about three and a half years.
Then I moved from external environmental consulting to a company called Terrin, which is now called Arch Rock. It's a midstream oil and gas industry services company.
From there, I transitioned to a broader consulting role as a Business Development Director, moving from technical support to a more business-focused role. That was always my career intention and aspiration from the beginning.
Now, I'm focused on a much broader aspect within the shipping industry with the American Bureau of Shipping. It's all environmental consulting, environmental compliance, and looking at what could be potentially useful for the maritime industry in the environmental compliance space.