Energy Market Analyst Senior

City of Austin•Austin, TX

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

This position performs a variety of tasks related to the optimization of electric power generation, fuel usage and energy purchases and sales. The Senior Energy Market Analyst performs the analysis that optimizes Austin Energy’s generation portfolio, fuel usage, and energy purchases and sales — work that helps the utility deliver reliable, affordable power to the community it serves. This position analyzes wholesale market activity across multiple market timeframes to evaluate portfolio performance and strategy effectiveness, examining the net power supply costs, margins, and market factors that drive risk across the portfolio. In this role, the analyst models conventional generation, renewables, load, and battery storage; conducts scenario analysis and what-if studies to evaluate portfolio performance and risk; and evaluates and recommends power and gas products and instruments to offset that risk. As a senior member of the team, the analyst is expected to translate complex market data into clear, defensible recommendations that inform how Austin Energy positions and manages its portfolio. This position has been designated as a Critical Employee position. Critical Employees are considered necessary and vital and supports activities that impact City or department operations. This work can be done while at a designated work site or while working at an alternate work location. Critical employees who are able to work at an alternative work location are required to do so. Schedules may be modified, and employees may be reassigned to another area during extraordinary situations or emergency conditions to provide essential services.

Requirements

Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, plus five (5) years of experience in a related field
Graduation with a Master's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to the job may substitute for experience up to one (1) year
Graduation with a PhD. from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to the job may substitute for experience up to two (2) years
Knowledge of AE's wholesale fuel and energy requirements.
Knowledge of the impacts of recent deregulation trends in the fuel and energy markets.
Knowledge of applicable processes, techniques, and methods.
Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances governing fuel and energy markets.
Skill in communicating effectively both orally and in writing to convey information in a clear and concise manner.
Skill in handling multiple tasks in a fast pace environment.
Skill in using computers and related software applications.
Skill in analyzing complex data and solving problems.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to quickly recognize and analyze irregular events.
Ability to cross train in related areas.
NERC Clearance
ERCOT Digital Certificate (EDC) and Security Review

Nice To Haves

Advanced Microsoft Excel expertise, with experience handling large datasets using SQL, Power Query, or similar tools
Experience analyzing ERCOT wholesale markets or other nodal markets, including congestion patterns
Familiarity with power and gas products and instruments, particularly within the context of ERCOT
Experience with commercial energy modeling and valuation tools such as Ascend Analytics or cQuant
Experience modeling conventional generation, renewables, load, and battery storage
Experience analyzing trade P&L and trade strategies and forecasting Day-Ahead and Real-Time energy prices

Responsibilities

Determines optimum solutions for short-term and long-term generating capacity requirements.
Designs, develops and implements complex load forecasting systems (based on unique time horizons) for use in Fuel and Electric Operations Planning.
Designs, develops and implements software and solutions to facilitate wholesale power, fuel and hedging transactions.
Develops and recommends optimum strategies to hedge transmission congestion risk.
Designs, develops and implements solutions to facilitate Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) functions including scheduling, bidding, settlement and market monitoring .
Provides technical expertise and participates in the ERCOT market design and development process.
Determines unit commitment schedules for generating resources using generation simulation software.
Determines dispatch schedules for generating resources using generation simulation software.
Projects short-term and long-term energy consumption, energy cost, and generation requirements to serve Austin Energy (AE) system load.
Performs quantitative analysis of the financial impacts of various power, fuel and hedging transaction opportunities.
Procures, administers and utilizes AE's Electric System Generation Simulation/Production Costing models.
Evaluates economics of projects related to Conservation, Renewable Energy and other projects that support AE's Strategic Plan.
Provides the analytics for determining the sales of excess generation capacity and energy.
Analyzes and validates generating unit heat rate curves and performance data.
Conducts research and provides technical expertise regarding weather impacts to customer demand and power requirements.
May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.