A FEMP DOE Scholars placement can lead almost anywhere, from federal research to hands-on technical work. See how it led Leon Murray to NASA and, from there, to a career evaluating energy performance projects nationwide.
Federal Energy Management Program
September 17, 2026
Estimated Read Time min
As a FEMP DOE Scholar, Leon Murray reviewed energy management projects in NASA’s Facilities and Real Estate Division, experience that helped launch his career as an energy engineer. Photo from Leon Murray
When Leon Murray was preparing to graduate from The Citadel, he didn’t think he would one day have a plaque from NASA hanging on his wall.
“I was just a student looking for internships, and one of my teachers shared information about the DOE Scholars program,” he said. “I applied to the program with an open mind. I didn’t have any specific expectations. I just knew I wanted to try it,” said Murray.
So, he left his home in South Carolina to live in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Scholars Program. The program gives undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, hands-on experience and a chance to explore career opportunities in federal science, technology, research, and policy.
The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) administers a track of the DOE Scholars Program that places interns within energy management divisions not just at DOE, but across other federal agencies in the Washington, D.C., area. Through this track, Leon was assigned to NASA, where he applied his skills to a mission outside FEMP’s own walls while still drawing on the training and support provided by FEMP.
FEMP caught up with Murray to hear how he is using the skills he learned as a DOE Scholar and how the experience has informed his career path. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
FEMP: When you were accepted into the DOE Scholars Program, how did you feel when you heard you were assigned to NASA?
Murray: I played it cool, but I was very excited. NASA did a great job integrating and introducing me into their workflow and across different managers. They clearly explained the role of the Office of Strategic Infrastructure within the broader agency and how I would assist with their deliverables.
FEMP: What kind of work did you do for NASA?
Murray: I worked in their Office of Strategic Infrastructure, in the Facilities and Real Estate Division. I helped them review all 12 of their facilities and rank their energy management projects based on cost and energy savings, energy usage intensity, development, and other metrics. Mainly I would look at the project payback, which is the amount of time it takes for the energy cost savings from a project to equal its upfront investment. The shorter the payback period, the faster the project pays for itself.
FEMP: Were you already familiar with energy management when you joined DOE Scholars?
Murray: No, a lot of it was very new to me, so I had to learn on the spot. I didn’t always understand some of the technologies that were included in the projects, so I would have to research them. I also had mentors who explained the goals of the project and made sure I understood the meaning behind my work.
FEMP: What was it like working at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.?
Murray: One of the coolest things I remember was feeling like every day I had something important to do. I would get dressed up, catch the metro subway, and walk downtown. I liked that experience of being in the city and having a purpose, a goal to chase.
FEMP: Do you think mentorship is an important piece of the DOE Scholars Program?
Murray: Yes, because they would evaluate my work process and give me tips on how to improve it. I was even able to reach out to them and maintain my relationships after I left the program.
FEMP: What did you get out of the DOE Scholars Program?
Murray: I got way more than I expected. The DOE Scholars Program inspired my direction and helped me to discover what I wanted to do with my electrical engineering degree. Electrical engineering is very broad—you can do a lot of different things. You could work in signals, power line transmissions, electronics. But the type of work that I wanted to do was in energy management, and I figured that out through this internship. NASA and FEMP even gave me a plaque to commemorate my time with them when my Scholars internship was over, which is still hanging on my wall.
FEMP: What have you been up to since you finished the DOE Scholars Program?
Murray: Where I am now is a direct reflection of my DOE Scholars experience. I went on to get my MBA because I knew I needed a certain level of business acumen to evaluate projects. Then I got my master’s in electrical engineering.
I started my first job in 2022 as an energy engineer at a consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia. I did that for about a year, and then I went to Eaton Corporation as a sustainability engineer. Now I’m a manager at Eaton, doing similar work to my FEMP intern experience, with even more involvement on the technical side of the field. It is a very full circle. Moving forward, I am also starting my journey as an entrepreneur with an aim to launch a startup in 2027.
FEMP: What’s your day-to-day work like?
Murray: In my current role, I develop energy performance roadmaps for a portfolio of 60 manufacturing facilities. Tactically, I conduct energy audits in the field, collect measurements, develop reports, and build energy models. On the strategic side, I develop initiatives to prioritize projects, manage annual funding, and execute projects across the portfolio. This includes integrating considerations for advanced technologies, water, and waste.
FEMP: What are some of the opportunities you identify for energy savings?
Murray: Programmable logic controls for machinery, variable frequency drives for motor controls, process optimization, repairing air leaks, building automation systems, and lowering PSI [pounds per square inch] air compressors all typically have high efficiency and financial returns.
FEMP: What would you say to people who are thinking of applying to be a DOE Scholar?
Murray: Definitely apply. It’s a great program for discovering what you want to do in your career. For me, it was the last missing piece to advance my career.
That plaque still hanging on Murray’s wall marks more than a summer internship. It marks the start of a career path that runs from a NASA facilities office to the energy management work he leads today. The DOE Scholars Program is designed for exactly this kind of outcome. It offers more than just a summer of exposure; it gives its participants a foothold that turns them into energy leaders long after their time as a Scholar ends.
Stay tuned for a future application period for the next FEMP DOE Scholars cohort—and learn more about Scholar opportunities with other DOE offices.