Clean Tech: Why the best time to net a climate-tech job is probably now

When Labour’s Spending Review 2025 landed on June 11th 2025, the clean tech sector eagerly scanned it for proof that Westminster had finally heeded its call, writes Charlie Garner, policy associate at Cleantech for UK (CfUK).

For technology workers, the question was much simpler:

Will this potentially big moment for clean tech unlock fresh demand for my tech skills?

Below, and exclusively for Free-Work, is the answer from us at Cleantech for UK.

And don’t miss the practical advice throughout for any IT job board user considering swapping SaaS, for example, for a future in the delivery of clean technology -- also known as climate technology.

What 3 things did the clean tech community need from the Spending Review 2025?

In an open letter to HM Treasury, and with cleantech founders and investors in mind, we at Cleantech for UK (CfUK) urged chancellor Rachel Reeves to do the three things:

1. Close the scale-up funding gap through a ‘ladder’ of public finance that crowds in private capital.

2. Ring-fence R&D and manufacturing support for next-generation technologies, especially those supporting the Clean Power 2030 agenda, such as electricity grid innovations.

3. Create clear delivery pathways so projects move quickly from pilot to procurement, particularly for ‘first-of-a-kind’ projects.

Did the chancellor deliver for clean tech?

The headline numbers in the 2025 Spending Review indicate that the chancellor did listen.

The 137-page document commits £14.2billion to Sizewell C (nuclear) and £2.5bn for small modular reactors.

Rachel Reeves also retained £13.2bn for the Warm Homes Plan (including insulation, heat pumps, and rooftop solar), and allocated £9.4bn to carbon capture, usage, and storage.

Where else is the UK government boosting our clean tech industry?

An additional £300million was pledged at Spending Review 2025 for offshore wind supply chains via Great British Energy; £4bn went to the British Business Bank, and up to £27.8bn in equity and loans will be available through the new National Wealth Fund.

Meanwhile, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero received a 16% budget uplift -- the largest of any department under the Spending Review.

The chancellor also used her June 12th Spending Review to confirm clean technology’s place in the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, backed by £22.6bn per year in public R&D by the end of the decade.

Our verdict on Spending Review 2025’s clean tech boost

These numerous investments by Rachel Reeves tick two key boxes for us.

First, larger capital envelopes, and second, a clear signal that clean growth is central to the UK’s economic strategy.

The challenge now is delivery and scale.

So we’ll be keenly watching both Autumn Budget 2025 (date tbc) and the just-unveiled Industrial Strategy, for the policy tools that will turn these commitments into real-world outcomes.

Four clean-tech areas now looking ‘hot’ for IT/technology freelancers

Clean technologies encompass both hard technologies (for example, green steel and cement, batteries, electrolysers) and software, with rising demand for skills in:

1. Grid Analytics.

2. Internet of Things (IoT)

3. AI.

4. Digital Platforms.

Out of these four key areas, IoT technologies (i.e. networks of connected devices like smart meters, EV chargers, heat pumps, industrial sensors, or grid transformers), are arguably the most critical, particularly for real-time data collection and coordination across energy systems.

Climate tech jobs outlook: five roles to watch in 2025-26

As the clean tech sector grows, it will need tech talent for roles such as the following five (which are already sought-after by clean tech hirers) :

1. Energy Data Engineers.

2. Cloud Architects.

3. Machine Learning Modellers (for climate simulation).

4. Resilience Testers.

5. DevOps specialists (to support carbon capture and storage).

Are traditional IT skills transferable to clean-tech jobs?

Many ‘traditional’ technology skills are indeed transferable to climate tech or clean tech, notably:

• Python.

• Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP).

• Specialist in real-time data pipelines, front-end dashboards, and IoT frameworks.

What soft skills are sought by climate-tech start-ups and employers?

But it’s not just the technical skills that the UK’s clean tech industry requires and will require from information technology workers.

Equally valuable are ‘soft skills’ or competencies like:

-      Systems Thinking.

-      Regulatory Awareness.

-      Stakeholder Communication.

-      Mission-Driven Adaptability.

-      Experience with Generation of Technical Documentation

Is the clean tech sector right for you as a technology career professional?

Unlike fast-paced consumer tech, cleantech often operates in regulated environments.

That means you should expect longer timelines and complex stakeholder landscapes.

Therefore, an ability to understand the policy and delivery context would be a real asset.

How to get hired in climate-tech

While some clean-tech employers work with specialist recruiters, many rely heavily on ecosystem networks to find their talent.

Niche climate-tech job boards like Climatebase and Terra.do are great starting points.

Clean tech on LinkedIn: job search terms to target

If you prefer more of a DIY approach, consider targeted searches on LinkedIn using terms like:

• “Energy tech”

• “Grid digital”

• “Carbon capture software.”

Connecting with investors and accelerators such as Zero Carbon Capital, Tech Nation, or Green Angel Syndicate, and exploring VC portfolios like Breakthrough Energy or Octopus Ventures, can uncover and open up clean tech roles at portfolio startups.

Climate-tech: what’s next?

The 2025 Spending Review has laid a strong financial foundation for the climate tech and clean tech industries.

The chancellor said in her Spending Review speech: “I am determined to make sure that the energy technologies of the future are built here and owned here and that those jobs come to Britain.”

However, real progress now depends on the Autumn Budget 2025, the newly announced 10-year Industrial Strategy, and policy rollouts.

For tech workers and especially IT freelancers or contractors, your skills will matter too. The growth of clean tech offers mission-driven work where your code can make a tangible climate impact.

And finally, let’s connect…

We invite you to stay engaged with CfUK via our updates, while sharpening your portfolio and growing your green-tech networks. You are also welcome to reach out to me directly if you’re an IT professional and would like to take that all-important first step of building connections in the seminal, IT-led 'space' of clean tech.