Principal Analyst – Large Loads

Wood Mackenzie • Boston, MA

2d

About The Position

Wood Mackenzie is a global leader in analytics, insights, and proprietary data for the energy and natural resources sectors. With over 50 years of experience, their work influences key decisions across energy producers, utilities, financial institutions, and governments. In an increasingly complex energy landscape, Wood Mackenzie offers an interconnected view of the entire value chain through fused proprietary data, analytical expertise, and Synoptic AI. Their team of 2,700 experts in 30 countries connects industries, markets, and regions, enabling customers to identify risks, spot opportunities, and confidently recalibrate strategies.

This Principal Analyst role is within Wood Mackenzie’s Power & Renewables group, focusing on Large Loads such as data centers, advanced manufacturing, and facility electrification. The Power & Renewables team is at the forefront of the energy transition, covering topics like data centers, electrification, microgrids, and utility modernization. Their research and thought leadership shape strategies for key industry players, fostering innovative business models and accelerating the energy transition.

The Principal Analyst will be responsible for authoring research and client-facing insights on large loads, including regulatory developments, market dynamics, and technology trends. They will also contribute to the team's long-term demand forecast. A key aspect of the role involves serving as an expert reference for Wood Mackenzie's product and data teams, understanding customer needs for tools, defining use cases and requirements, and collaborating on the product roadmap. Qualified candidates will possess deep, current expertise in the data center and large load sector, with a strong preference for candidates with AI infrastructure expertise, including a working understanding of compute, DC vs. AC power infrastructure, and the factors driving data center demand growth.

Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise in AI infrastructure: compute (chip types, training vs. inference workloads, and how compute demand translates into power and siting requirements), the distinction between DC and AC power infrastructure within data center design, and the technical, commercial, and policy factors driving data center demand growth.
• 7+ years of industry or research experience in the power sector, with substantial, recent, hands-on exposure to data centers or other large electricity loads.
• A track record of authoring research or client-facing analysis (reports, forecasts, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience translating market or customer needs into product or data requirements, ideally through direct client- or stakeholder-facing work.
• Comfort partnering with product, data science, or other non-research teams in ongoing, iterative workflows (standups, refinement sessions, and similar).
• A Bachelor's or Master's degree, preferably in engineering, energy, economics, finance, or policy.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to represent Wood Mackenzie externally with clients and at conferences.
• Strong organizational and project management skills — able to drive forward a workstream with multiple collaborators and moving parts.
• Ability to leverage AI tools for efficiency without compromising the correctness of the final data or product deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Author research reports and one-off insights (regulatory changes, market insights, technology advancements) and contribute to the long-term demand forecast assumptions.
• Serve as subject matter expert on data center technology, policy, siting, and energy supply for large loads; provide authoritative technical and market context to product and data teams.
• Serve as the team’s go-to expert on AI infrastructure – compute trends, DC vs. AC power architecture, and the factors driving data center demand – informing both research and product.
• Participate in customer and client conversations to gather feedback, use cases, and data requirements; represent Wood Mackenzie research in these product-facing conversations.
• Guide and QA the work of data analysts and data scientists in classifying, extracting, and vetting large-load data from documents and other sources.
• Support Sales and Marketing in existing or new client conversations/presentations and internal webinars.
• Represent Wood Mackenzie at client meetings, conferences, and other Wood Mackenzie offices as needed.
• Support Wood Mackenzie's consulting team on large load-related engagements as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: Associate degree