Principal Energy Trader (SmartBidder

Principal Energy Trader (Smart Bidder), Boulder, CO (Hybrid or Remote)

As a Principal Energy Trader, you will shape the strategic direction of Smart Bidder’s trading strategy and lead efforts to improve performance across our growing fleet of renewable and energy storage assets. This is a senior individual contributor leadership role with broad influence across market analytics, customer success, sales, product, and engineering reporting to the Smart Bidder Managing Director. You will establish the frameworks used to evaluate trading performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate market insight into analytical, operational, and product priorities.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned power market professional with deep wholesale electricity market expertise, a strong point of view on bidding strategy and market dynamics, and the ability to influence both internal stakeholders and executive‑level customer audiences.

Although remote applicants will be considered, we strongly prefer candidates who can work in a hybrid capacity from our downtown Boulder office.

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.

Smart Bidder delivers tailored bid optimization solutions for wholesale assets using advanced probabilistic and AI‑driven models that integrate forecasted nodal price trends, asset‑specific operational constraints, and risk‑adjusted optimization strategies. The platform is trusted to manage over 5 GW of battery storage assets across ERCOT, CAISO, PJM, and ISONE. From fully managed to self‑service, Smart Bidder 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.

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.

• Set the strategic direction forSmart
  
  Bidder’strading analytics by defining success metrics and leading initiatives that improve performance across the fleet.
• Serve as a senior individual contributor and thought leader within the Smart Bidder analyst and engineering teams, establishing best practices for performance monitoring, analytical rigor, and ongoing strategy refinement.
• Act as the team’s primary subject matter expert on wholesale electricity trading, market fundamentals, bidding strategy, and ISO protocols and operations.
• Own fleet‑level trading performance monitoring, benchmarking, and reporting across customers and markets. Identify trends, diagnose underperformance, surface emerging opportunities, and direct the team’s analytical response.
• Develop and maintain repeatable processes for evaluating bidding strategies, model performance, market outcomes, and customer‑specific constraints.
• Partner closely with product and engineering to manage the market performance backlog, translate analytical findings into product requirements, and inform roadmap prioritization.
• Monitor regulatory developments and market design changes across relevant ISOs. Evaluate their commercial and operational implications and communicate proactively with internal teams and customers.
• Serve as a technical expert and trusted advisor to customers and sales prospects, including leading executive‑level discussions, supporting strategic account…