Energy Market Analyst Senior - Austin Energy

City of Austin • Austin, TX

1d

About The Position

The Energy Market Analyst performs analysis to optimize Austin Energy’s generation portfolio, fuel usage, and energy purchases and sales. The role supports reliable, affordable power by analyzing wholesale market activity across multiple timeframes, assessing portfolio performance and strategy effectiveness, and examining net power supply costs, margins, and market factors that affect portfolio risk.

The analyst models conventional generation, renewable resources, load, and battery storage; conducts scenario analyses and what-if studies; and evaluates and recommends power and gas products and instruments to manage risk. The position translates complex market data into clear, defensible recommendations to inform Austin Energy’s portfolio decisions. It also performs quantitative analysis, develops forecasting and market-operation systems, and supports ERCOT market functions and design.

This is a Critical Employee position. Work may be performed at a designated work site or alternate work location; critical employees able to work at an alternate location are required to do so. Schedules may be modified, and employees may be reassigned during extraordinary situations or emergencies to provide essential services. The work location is 4815 Mueller Blvd., Austin, TX 78723. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with possible evening, weekend, or holiday work to support 24-hour utility operations. The position requires a criminal background investigation, NERC clearance, and an ERCOT Digital Certificate security review.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and five years of experience in a related field.
• A related master’s degree may substitute for up to one year of experience; a related Ph.D. may substitute for up to two years of experience.
• Knowledge of Austin Energy’s wholesale fuel and energy requirements.
• Knowledge of the effects of recent deregulation trends in 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.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Skill using computers and related software applications.
• Ability to analyze complex data and solve problems.
• Ability to work through frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Ability to recognize and analyze irregular events quickly.
• Ability to cross-train in related areas.
• Ability to perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Must obtain NERC clearance and pass the security review required for issuance of an ERCOT Digital Certificate.
• Must undergo a criminal background investigation.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced Microsoft Excel expertise and experience handling large datasets with 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 in 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 profit and loss and trade strategies, and forecasting Day-Ahead and Real-Time energy prices.

Responsibilities

• Determine optimum solutions for short- and long-term generating capacity requirements.
• Design, develop, and implement complex load-forecasting systems for different time horizons for Fuel and Electric Operations Planning.
• Develop and implement software and solutions for wholesale power, fuel, and hedging transactions; recommend strategies to hedge transmission congestion risk.
• Develop and implement solutions supporting ERCOT Qualified Scheduling Entity functions, including scheduling, bidding, settlement, and market monitoring; provide technical expertise and participate in ERCOT market design and development.
• Determine generating-resource unit commitment and dispatch schedules using generation simulation software.
• Project short- and long-term energy consumption, energy costs, and generation requirements to serve Austin Energy system load.
• Analyze the financial impacts of power, fuel, and hedging transaction opportunities; procure, administer, and use electric-system generation simulation and production-costing models.
• Evaluate the economics of conservation, renewable energy, and other projects that support Austin Energy’s Strategic Plan.
• Provide analytics for sales of excess generation capacity and energy; analyze and validate generating-unit heat-rate curves and performance data.
• Research and provide technical expertise on the effects of weather on customer demand and power requirements.
• Analyze wholesale market activity, portfolio performance, strategy effectiveness, net power supply costs, margins, and portfolio risk.
• Model conventional generation, renewables, load, and battery storage; conduct scenario analysis and what-if studies to evaluate portfolio performance and risk.
• Evaluate and recommend power and gas products and instruments to offset portfolio risk.
• May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Benefits

• Comprehensive compensation package with generous leave, work-life balance programs, and extensive benefits.
• City of Austin Employees’ Retirement System.
• Access to public transit and bike-friendly infrastructure.
• Wellness programs, on-site fitness centers, and mental health support.
• Professional development and leadership opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior