Former 12-term Florida Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns has landed a post-congressional job at the communications and business strategy firm APCO Worldwide.

Stearns, who became very familiar in energy circles over the past two years for leading the House Energy and Commerce Committee's 18-month-long probe of the failed Solyndra LLC solar energy company, will serve as a senior adviser on APCO's International Advisory Council, according to a company release today.

"Cliff adds extensive expertise in telecommunications and international trade to APCO and I am delighted to welcome him to our dynamic team," APCO Worldwide CEO Margery Kraus said in the release.

Before leaving Congress, Stearns had said that his post-congressional career would likely involve international commerce issues and that his efforts as chairman of the U.S. delegation to the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue had opened up some opportunities (E&E Daily, Dec. 12, 2012). But in his new role, Stearns also appears set to draw on his previous work as ranking member of the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce panel.

"I look forward to contributing my breadth of experience in telecommunications and technology, as well as international trade, to such a strong team of former government officials, corporate communicators, business leaders and media experts," Stearns said in a statement.