Extended Day Ahead Market Fellow

Position Summary

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is hiring an Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM) Fellow. This position will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the development of business practices and market rules in the day-ahead electricity market offering from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO).  This market is known as the Extended Day Ahead Market or EDAM. Specifically, the Fellow will track the CAISO EDAM implementation plan, with a focus on three market policy elements – greenhouse gas accounting, transmission use and access, and market performance. This position will be responsible for: (1) understanding the components of the EDAM tariff recently approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and identifying corresponding EDAM business process rules development efforts; (2) identifying where proposed business practices or market rules deviate from WRA’s public interest goals and principles; and (3) develop a roadmap for WRA’s future engagement. These work products will inform WRA’s advocacy strategy related to energy market and transmission expansion issues to ensure public interest goals are sustained. This is a 1-year fellowship. This position will start on or after January 6, 2025.

About Western Resource Advocates

WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.

Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.

Location

This position may work remotely in our seven-state region, in one of our six offices, or a hybrid of the two. Our seven-state region includes Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. WRA has offices located in Boulder, CO; Carson City, NV; Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Santa Fe, NM. Access to a major airport required, as this position involves some travel.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a framework to track and compare the approved EDAM tariff provisions against corresponding proposed and adopted business practices and market rules, with a focus on: greenhouse gas accounting, transmission use and access, and market performance.
• Review and understand WRA’s positions in prior CAISO advocacy related to greenhouse gas accounting, transmission use and access, and market performance.
• Attend CAISO stakeholder proceedings related to greenhouse gas accounting, transmission use and access, and market performance and regularly report out to internal WRA staff.
• As a final deliverable, prepare a gap analysis that identifies which provisions in the FERC-approved EDAM tariff have already been addressed through adopted business practices or market rules and develop a roadmap for areas of focus for future WRA advocacy.
• Represent WRA in external regional market coalition calls and public interest and nongovernmental entities’ forums and respond to, or update on EDAM activities related to WRA’s priorities of greenhouse gas accounting, transmission use and access, and market performance.
• Share relevant information about EDAM stakeholder developments with other teams across WRA.
• Travel to CAISO EDAM stakeholder forums if needed.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES:

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, will be considered.  For example, the requisite experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities would include:

• Degree or equivalent experience in energy economics, energy policy or power systems engineering.
• An understanding of the electric system and intellectual curiosity about regional energy market expansion and/or transmission expansion issues in the West.
• Understanding and appreciation of the larger western electric grid and the interactions between states, market operators, and FERC.
• Strong oral and written communication and active listening skills.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to effectively manage multiple complex workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s in energy economics, energy policy or power systems engineering.
• A minimum of two years of relevant regional wholesale energy market or grid expansion or transmission policy experience.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• An existing understanding of regional energy market expansion issues in the West and/or transmission expansion issues in the West.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.

• The work environment is a typical office environment with minimal exposure to excessive noise or adverse environmental issues.
• Prolonged periods of time at a desk and working on a computer.
• Position requires substantial travel by automobile, airplane, etc.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel to meetings, conferences, and other work-related events is required. This is in addition to travel required for retreats, and other internal organizational meetings within WRA’s region (approximately 25% to 35% depending on the location of work). 

Salary And Benefits

The salary for this position is $65,000. WRA’s excellent benefits package includes a 401(k)-retirement plan with up to 5% matching and health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance with 100% of premiums paid by WRA. Annually, staff receive seventeen days paid vacation leave to start, twelve paid sick days, one paid volunteer day, twelve paid holidays, and WRA is closed for Winter Break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for additional paid time off. Employees are eligible for up to twelve weeks of parental leave, and after five years, staff are eligible for up to twelve weeks of paid sabbatical leave. Position is full-time exempt.