Davies is a political scientist who, during the last 30 years, has written several books and numerous articles about environmental policy. He chaired the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Decision Making for Regulating Chemicals in the Environment. In addition, while serving as a consultant to the President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization, he co-authored the reorganization plan that created the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Davies has held positions as assistant professor of public policy at Princeton University; executive vice president of the Conservation Foundation; assistant administrator for policy at the EPA; and executive director of the National Commission on the Environment.