What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Analyst / Principal Analyst (SmartBidder) position at Ascend Analytics?
Senior Analyst / Principal Analyst (SmartBidder), Boulder, CO (Hybrid)
SmartBidder analysts manage and advise on the trading strategy and wholesale market operations for 5 GW of battery energy storage assets. This cross-functional role spans trading, market analytics, customer success, sales, engineering, product, and operations. We're looking for someone who brings industry expertise, opinions about power trading, and a desire to make an impact. The ideal candidate has excellent communication and analytical skills, a strong background in economics, finance, or engineering, and exhibits high levels of leadership and professionalism.
SmartBidder provides custom bid optimization for battery storage in power markets through a suite of probabilistic and AI-assisted models, incorporating forecasted nodal price dynamics, asset-specific constraints, and risk-based optimization. From fully managed to self-service, SmartBidder customers have unparalleled control and flexibility to use built-in strategies based on profit and risk tolerance or integrate their own models into the platform.
Our Mission @ Ascend
At Ascend Analytics, our mission centers on creating sustainable economic value for energy buyers and producers to transform the power industry. Our team combines advanced analytics, cloud-based technology, and deep market expertise to help our clients solve complex challenges across grid reliability, power market volatility, renewable integration, infrastructure development, and energy investment strategy. As a high-growth, private equity–backed company, Ascend continues to expand its market leadership while investing in innovation, talent, and scalable solutions for an increasingly dynamic energy market.
Your Impact @ Ascend
Real influence. Real outcomes. At every level.
Key Qualifications
Ascend Analytics Promotes a Culture Of Teamwork, Inclusion, Work-life Balance, Creative Thought, And Learned Ideas. We Operate By Five Core Pillars
We offer competitive compensation — calibrated to your experience and structured to grow with you — along with a comprehensive benefits package:
We offer a competitive salary range of $100,000–$160,000 USD Annually. Compensation is flexible and will be tailored to your experience and background — we're proud to offer pay that is often above industry average. But the perks don’t stop there — we’re committed to creating a workplace where people can do meaningful work, grow their careers, and still have a life outside the office. You’ll enjoy flexible work hours, a collaborative environment, and real opportunities for advancement.
Collaboration is in our DNA, and we thrive on the energy of working together — the spontaneous ideas, face-to-face teamwork, and culture you can only build in a room.
But we also value the focus and freedom that remote flexibility brings. That's why our Boulder, CO office runs on a hybrid schedule (3 days in-office, 2 days remote). We prefer candidates who can work from Boulder HQ, though we're open to strong remote candidates as well.
Need accommodations? Contact us at recruiting@ascendanalytics.com.
Ascend Analytics is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment for all employees regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, or genetic information.
SmartBidder analysts manage and advise on the trading strategy and wholesale market operations for 5 GW of battery energy storage assets. This cross-functional role spans trading, market analytics, customer success, sales, engineering, product, and operations. We're looking for someone who brings industry expertise, opinions about power trading, and a desire to make an impact. The ideal candidate has excellent communication and analytical skills, a strong background in economics, finance, or engineering, and exhibits high levels of leadership and professionalism.
SmartBidder provides custom bid optimization for battery storage in power markets through a suite of probabilistic and AI-assisted models, incorporating forecasted nodal price dynamics, asset-specific constraints, and risk-based optimization. From fully managed to self-service, SmartBidder customers have unparalleled control and flexibility to use built-in strategies based on profit and risk tolerance or integrate their own models into the platform.
Our Mission @ Ascend
At Ascend Analytics, our mission centers on creating sustainable economic value for energy buyers and producers to transform the power industry. Our team combines advanced analytics, cloud-based technology, and deep market expertise to help our clients solve complex challenges across grid reliability, power market volatility, renewable integration, infrastructure development, and energy investment strategy. As a high-growth, private equity–backed company, Ascend continues to expand its market leadership while investing in innovation, talent, and scalable solutions for an increasingly dynamic energy market.
Your Impact @ Ascend
Real influence. Real outcomes. At every level.
- High-impact work. Shape the tools and decisions that drive the clean energy transition.
- Direct exposure. Work alongside executive leadership and key utility and corporate clients.
- Room to grow. A rapidly scaling SaaS business with real advancement opportunities.
- Collaborative culture. A team that values creative thought, inclusion, and work-life balance.
- Provide expertise in wholesale electricity commodity and derivatives trading, wholesale market fundamentals, and market operations.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on SmartBidder performance and operations.
- Provide leadership on the analyst team to scope and conduct quantitative analysis aimed at improving algorithmic trading performance and results.
- Collaborate with Engineering, Data Science, and Product to advance SmartBidder features and improve bidding performance.
- Monitor regulatory and market design changes across ISOs and assess their impact on customer operations and strategies.
- Participate in customer-facing webinars and newsletters covering market trends, operational best practices, and platform updates.
- Support Sales through product demos, trials, and demonstrating subject matter expertise.
- Act as liaison between clients, third-party providers, and internal engineering teams to ensure smooth operations and resolve issues efficiently.
- Participate in on-call rotations to support real-time trading decision-making and live market operations, including occasional evenings or weekends.
Key Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, data science, economics, or other relevant field.
- 4 years of professional experience in wholesale power markets, energy trading, or market analytics; relevant experience at a utility, IPP, trading firm, energy software company, strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with energy modeling systems and methods, including price forecasting, dispatch optimization, or related analytical frameworks; knowledge of market rules in ERCOT, CAISO, and PJM preferred.
- Experience with and proclivity to using AI tools for research, coding and workflow automation.
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills; proficiency in Python preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to explain complex market dynamics clearly to both technical teams and executive audiences, and to produce polished customer-facing materials.
- Experience in customer-facing, consulting, or advisory roles with demonstrated ability to build trust with clients and manage relationships effectively.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor junior team members and contribute to a collaborative, high-performance team culture.
- Self-directed and highly organized; able to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and maintain rigor in a fast-paced operational environment.
- Graduate degree in economics, engineering, finance, business, with concentration in energy.
- 10 years of professional experience in wholesale power markets, energy trading, or market analytics; relevant experience at a utility, IPP, trading firm, energy software company, strongly preferred.
- Electricity trading experience specifically in CAISO, ERCOT, and/or PJM.
- Project management experience is a plus.
Ascend Analytics Promotes a Culture Of Teamwork, Inclusion, Work-life Balance, Creative Thought, And Learned Ideas. We Operate By Five Core Pillars
- Integrity: We act with honesty and uphold the highest ethical standards, doing the right thing even when it's difficult.
- Purpose Driven: We are united by a shared purpose — to deliver meaningful impact for our customers, our industry, and the energy transition to a low carbon future.
- Belonging: We foster a respectful, inclusive environment where everyone is valued, diverse perspectives are embraced, and equitable opportunities for all are ensured.
- Innovation: We anticipate and address new challenges, embracing change and continuous improvement
- One Team Mindset: We collaborate across teams and functions, supporting one another and prioritizing shared success over individual wins.
We offer competitive compensation — calibrated to your experience and structured to grow with you — along with a comprehensive benefits package:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Life and disability insurance.
- Parental leave for growing families.
- FSA, HSA, and dependent care accounts.
- 401(k) with 3% non-elective contribution.
- Flexible PTO to take time when you need it.
We offer a competitive salary range of $100,000–$160,000 USD Annually. Compensation is flexible and will be tailored to your experience and background — we're proud to offer pay that is often above industry average. But the perks don’t stop there — we’re committed to creating a workplace where people can do meaningful work, grow their careers, and still have a life outside the office. You’ll enjoy flexible work hours, a collaborative environment, and real opportunities for advancement.
Collaboration is in our DNA, and we thrive on the energy of working together — the spontaneous ideas, face-to-face teamwork, and culture you can only build in a room.
But we also value the focus and freedom that remote flexibility brings. That's why our Boulder, CO office runs on a hybrid schedule (3 days in-office, 2 days remote). We prefer candidates who can work from Boulder HQ, though we're open to strong remote candidates as well.
Need accommodations? Contact us at recruiting@ascendanalytics.com.
Ascend Analytics is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment for all employees regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, or genetic information.
Salary : $100,000 - $160,000