Energy Trader

Job Description:

Energy Trader

Description

JOIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TEAM

At the City of Austin, we are more than just an employer-we are a vibrant community dedicated to shaping one of the nation's most dynamic and innovative cities. Our guiding principles-Empathy, Ethics, Excellence, Engagement, and Equity - anchor our approach in delivering services that significantly impact the lives of Austin residents. Joining the City of Austin means embarking on a purposeful career, contributing to the community, and being part of a forward-thinking organization that values every employee.

What Makes the City of Austin Special?

• Make a Difference: Join a team driving meaningful change in one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.
  
• Diverse and Inclusive Workplace: Work in an environment where every voice is valued, and Innovation thrives.
  
• Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive compensation package that includes generous leave, work-life balance programs, and extensive benefits.
  
• Retirement Security: Plan for the future with the City of Austin Employees' Retirement System.
  
• Sustainable Transportation Options: Commute easily with access to public transit and bike-friendly infrastructure.
  
• Focus on Wellness: Stay healthy through wellness programs, on-site fitness centers, and mental health support.
  
• Career Growth: Advance your skills and expertise with professional development and leadership opportunities.
  
• Modern Workspaces: Work in innovative and sustainable environments designed to foster collaboration and inspiration.
  

By joining us, you become part of a community that values its people and is committed to making Austin the most thriving and resilient city in the country.

Job Description:

Purpose:

Under minimal supervision, manages the Day-Ahead position of Austin Energy’s generation portfolio and executes spot fuel purchases to supply Austin Energy with electrical power.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Performs complex market analysis, forecasting and submissions into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) portal, using financial instruments to hedge Austin Energy’s (AE’s) position in the energy market.
  
• Performs Day-Ahead (DA) market analysis and creates Locational Marginal Price (LMP) Forecast using in house and 3rd party tools, natural gas price information, outages and de-rates, and information from planning meetings, to develop hedging strategies for submission to ERCOT.
  
• Performs DA natural gas needs analysis using in house tracking tools, previous day burn, commodity pricing for natural gas (NG), fuel storage levels, line outages or de-rates, and forecasted unit commitment, and coordinates with 3rd parties to purchase natural gas.
  
• Submits DA plan and market instruments to ERCOT, determines 3rd party analysis, and makes recommendations on DA sales or purchases based on LMP forecast, Ancillary Services, term power trades and resource availability.
  
• Manages Austin Energy outage schedule, submits outage requests and de-rates, and coordinates with Austin Energy critical partners.
  
• Schedules natural gas and performs tracking and accounting, communicates with natural gas traders, tracks natural gas settlements, enters deals into OpenLink, and ensures purchases and schedules match contracts.
  
• Reconciles natural gas purchases with mid offices.
  
• Reports to executive management.
  

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of ERCOT protocols and procedures.
  
• Knowledge of power and financial markets including natural gas commodities
  
• Knowledge of wholesale fuel and electric markets and evolving industry and regulatory developments, both nationally and in Texas.
  
• Knowledge of Austin Energy's wholesale fuel and energy requirements.
  
• Knowledge of the impacts of recent deregulation trends in the fuel and energy markets.
  
• Knowledge of systems used to forecast, evaluate, and transact business in the wholesale fuel and energy markets.
  
• Knowledge of applicable processes, techniques, and methods.
  
• Knowledge of City of Austin and Austin Energy contracts processes and procedures.
  
• Knowledge of Federal, State, Local laws, and ordinances governing fuel and energy markets.
  
• Skill in analyzing in Real-Time and Day-ahead power market operations and transactions.
  
• Skill in organizing thoughts and quickly making independent decisions.
  
• Skill in communicating clearly both orally and in writing.
  
• Skill in handling conflict resolution.
  
• Skill in operating computers and related software applications.
  
• Skill in analyzing data and solving problems.
  
• Ability to carry out duties with a high level of attention to detail.
  
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
  
• Ability to train others.
  
• Ability to accurately present and explain complex information to executive management.
  
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
  
• Ability to quickly recognize and analyze irregular events.
  
• Ability to perform job functions and assignments as part of a project team.
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, plus five (5) years’ experience in a related field.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  

Licenses and Certifications Required:

None.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with the ERCOT Day Ahead Market, market instruments, and outage reporting.
  
• Experience with term power trading/risk management strategies, building load and LMP forecasts, and PPA contracts.
  
• Knowledge and experience with natural gas market, fuel contracts, and commodity pricing for natural gas.
  
• Knowledge/experience with OpenLink and Power Costs Inc. (PCI).
  

Notes to Candidate:

This position, under minimal supervision, manages the Day-Ahead position of Austin Energy's generation portfolio, executes spot fuel purchases to supply Austin Energy's generation fleet, coordinates with Austin Energy's generation resources and PPA resources for the scheduling of outage and testing, and develops and implements risk management strategies for power and natural gas including bi-lateral trading, ICE, and EBB.

Work Location: 4815 Mueller Blvd., Austin, TX 78723

Pay Range: Commensurate with experience based on current City of Austin approved pay scale.

Days/Hours: Monday through Friday; 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Work hours may change according to departmental needs. Work hours may include after core hours of operation, holidays, and weekends.

Critical:

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.

Working with Austin Energy provides a number of health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, career development opportunities and more. Please click HERE for more information.

Employment Application:

The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please be sure to detail on the application all current and previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.

The Employment Record should be complete with job titles, employment dates, job duties, functions, and responsibilities for each position held. Starting salary will be based on overall relevant experience from your application.

Statements such as “see résumé” will not be accepted. You may use “N/A” for fields that are not applicable.

Please note that Austin Energy may close the job posting at any time after 7 days from the date of the initial advertisement.

Once the job posting has closed, applications cannot be changed.

If you are selected as a top candidate:

Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) will

be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization/institution. You must also provide proof of

your professional licenses or certifications.

If you are identified as a top candidate and are in the military or a veteran, you will need to provide a copy of your DD-214 prior to confirming a start date.

NERC

This position will require yearly NERC Clearance

ERCOT

This position requires the use of an ERCOT Digital Certificate (EDC) and therefore will require a Security Review to determine if the candidate meets all the requirements for issuance of the EDC.

Important Note to Applicants:

Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the date listed. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.

We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable

in the system.

EEO Statement for City of Austin:

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

Closing Date/Time: 2025-09-19