Job Description
GDS Associates, Inc. has an exciting and challenging opportunity with advancement and growth potential for an experienced professional to work in our Power Supply Planning group.
This person will provide project management and analytical support with an emphasis on Pacific Northwest and Western power supply projects.
GDS is a nationwide multi-service engineering and consulting firm specializing in the energy utilities industry. We have a significant and growing practice in the power supply planning area representing utility and developer clients in strategic procurement, planning, optimization, and effective management of power supply resources in the Pacific Northwest, West and other markets across the U.S.
Responsibilities : Working under low supervision, the position requires strong mid-career-level experience in understanding complex power market issues and in project management fundamentals to perform the following :
- Lead and manage projects from initiation to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and meet the required scope and quality.
- Prepare and oversee energy and capacity price forecasts, provide assessments of market fundamentals, analyze changing landscape of market design in power markets, provide insight on changing market rules and impact to client critical planning functions.
- Evaluate various forms of supply resources on an economic and risk basis with support staff.
- Develop Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) for clients throughout the western interconnection with focus on Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and CAISO systems .
- Monitor and provide insights to community choice aggregators (CCAs), cooperatives and public power clients on the key market regionalization issues, including Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM), Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP), SPP Markets+, and SPP regional transmission organization (RTO) West.
- Portfolio management analytics and oversight for western supply planning clients with opportunity for integration into national projects, as desired.
- Provide comments and support in review of Post-2028 BPA Provider of Choice discussions and BPA rate cases while developing an understanding of supply and rate fundamentals.
- Review and monitor CPUC slice-of-day policy for Resource Adequacy and report on quantitative and qualitative developments.
- Manage gap analyses for client implementation of market readiness procedures (WRAP, EDAM).
- Use common industry models to perform detailed analytics.
- Contribute to consulting projects as required and as driven by business needs by creating spreadsheets and graphics and seeking out peer review of material to support delivery of high-quality client-specific projects.
- Continuously develop subject matter expertise in a particular practice or focus area by actively contributing to above listed activities and pursing activities / work in various disciplines and staying abreast of current / hot topics to broaden and build upon subject matter knowledge.
- Communicate with clients by phone and make presentations to clients as part of team effort.
Experience and Skills
Bachelor's degree required with a preference for engineering, statistics, economics, business, public administration or other energy industry-related field.
Master's degree preferred.
Experience managing projects, including developing project proposals, project plans and directing project teams. Project management certification a plus but not required.
Minimum of 7 years directly related work experience in the Pacific Northwest or western power markets, including understanding of BPA tiered supply and rates.
Additional familiarity with other markets, including Western EIM or EIS, CAISO, ERCOT, MISO, NYISO, ISO-NE, PJM, SPP or other markets is a plus.
- Familiarity with BPA tiered supply, rates and / or post-2028 preference customer supply alternatives is a plus.
- Background familiarity with production cost models a plus but not required. (e.g., GridView, Aurora, PLEXOS, PROMOD IV, Market Analytics, MIDAS, Dayzer).
- Experience in evaluating and understanding congestion, transmission rights, resource adequacy, RPS requirements.
- Experience with renewable resources, battery storage, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), energy efficiency as a resource and financial planning a plus.
- Must have the ability to work independently with limited supervision.
- Solid problem-solving, judgment and decision-making skills.
- Detail-oriented and strong organizational skills.
- Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency with MS Office applications required (Excel, Word and PowerPoint).
- Business development skills are a plus.
Preferred Locations :
- Greater Seattle, WA Area
- Greater Sacramento, CA Area
- West Coast Remote Employment Will be Considered
GDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. GDS does not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S.
Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual's particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements.
The projected compensation range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 (annualized USD). The typical salary range for this position is just one component of the firm's total compensation package.
Job Benefits
Your Compensation and Benefits :
- Flex Benefits (Flexible Hours, Telecommuting)
- Competitive Pay
- Excellent Health Insurance Benefits
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, Floating Holiday, Holidays)
- 401(k)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Tuition Reimbursement