Principal Data Scientist

NextEra Energy•Juno Beach, FL

20d•Onsite

About The Position

This Director role combines deep technical expertise with strategic leadership. You will set the vision for grid modeling and congestion analytics, ensure analytical rigor at scale, and translate complex power system and market dynamics into actionable commercial and risk management decisions. In addition to owning the technical roadmap, you will partner closely with traders and other senior stakeholders. This position is responsible for leading the development of algorithms, modeling techniques, and optimization methods that support many aspects of NextEra and FPL business. Employees in this role use knowledge of machine learning, optimization, statistics, and applied mathematics along with abilities in software engineering with a focus on distributed computing and data storage infrastructure (i.e., “Big Data”).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (Master’s or PhD preferred) in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Applied Math, Physics, Computer Science, or related field.
7+ years of progressive experience in ISO/RTO market modeling, congestion analytics, or power systems analysis.
Deep expertise in DC/AC power flow, contingency analysis, FTR/CRR/ARR markets, and settlement mechanics.
Proficiency with industry tools (e.g., PSS/E, PowerWorld, Dayzer, Enelytix/TARA, Enverus Mosaic/Panorama, YES Energy or similar) and strong programming skills (Python, SQL, etc.).
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, influence senior stakeholders, and translate analytics into business decisions.
Bachelor’s Degree
Experience: 6+ years

Nice To Haves

Operational experience in PJM and/or ERCOT markets.
Experience collaborating with congestion trade desks.
Master’s Degree
Doctoral Degree

Responsibilities

Own and advance detailed DC/AC power flow and contingency models for PJM, ERCOT, and other ISO/RTOs.
Model and forecast flowgates, interface constraints, thermal and voltage limits impacting DA/RT markets and FTR/CRR/ARR outcomes.
Build, calibrate, validate, and back-test market simulation engines that replicate ISO dispatch, pricing (LMP, congestion, losses), and auction mechanics.
Monitor and model transmission topology changes, outages, new project interconnections, and load growth trends.
Translate ISO tariffs, FERC regulations, and market rule changes into modeling assumptions and logic.
Design and govern automated, production-grade data pipelines integrating grid, market, weather, and asset data into trading, risk, and settlement systems.
Define the multi‑year strategy and roadmap for grid modeling and congestion analytics aligned with NextEra’s trading, development, and risk objectives.
Quantify and communicate congestion risk, nodal margin drivers, sensitivities, and scenario outcomes to trading desks and executive leadership.
Partner with development, origination, and asset optimization teams to support build/no‑build decisions, merchant valuations, and hedging strategies.
Identify and incubate new analytical capabilities (advanced optimization, ML/AI, cloud-native architectures) and drive them from POC to production.
Provide thought leadership, set technical strategy, and identify possible uses of data science methods.
Explain methods and results to upper-level executives.
Develop machine learning, optimizations or other modeling solutions.
Oversee related employee work, learn new techniques being developed.
Prepares comprehensive documented observations, analyses and interpretations of results including technical reports, summaries, protocols and quantitative analyses.
Works with big data and distributed computing platforms.
Develops software and contributes to product development.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned