By Ed Weirauch
Job Taminiau could spend two hours a day making his way to and from his company’s office in Newark. Instead, he calls The Mill’s community space his office, trading commuting hassles for a pleasant walk or bike ride from his home in Trolley Square.
Job (pronounced like “Job” except with a “Y”) is a Research Principal with the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment (FREE), researching climate change and energy efficiency issues for this global company. His work ultimately plays a role in client service, mostly for cities and towns looking to improve their energy efficiency. Recently, a group of 35 municipalities around Philadelphia improved their street lighting systems based on guidance from FREE.
A Netherlands native, Job came to the US eight years ago to pursue his education; he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in Energy and Environmental Policy.
“I could work from home, but for me, it’s better to be with people and in the atmosphere of The Mill,” Job says. “I like just being around here, with people and activity that I couldn’t experience at home or in other places.”