Power Trader

Base Power
Austin, TX
On-site

Who this role is best for

Geared toward mid-level power traders comfortable with building statistical models and operating in fast-moving startup environments.

Best fit for

  • Traders with direct experience in ERCOT or PJM markets seeking hands-on portfolio construction.
    — “Deep experience in any ISO. Base is currently ERCOT-focused”
  • Quantitative professionals who independently implement trading models without analyst support.
    — “Hands-on proficiency building statistical and pricing models yourself”
  • Operators comfortable contributing to both short-term trading and long-term fundamental views.
    — “Contribute to Risk & Trading's in-house long-term price forecasts”

Things to consider

  • In-office presence required with no indication of remote flexibility.
    — “We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5”
  • Role responsibilities may shift rapidly as startup priorities evolve.
    — “Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly”

How to stand out

  • Demonstrate concrete examples of portfolio-construction approaches to hedging.
    — “architecting hedges across a book of exposures”
  • Show Python modeling samples that reflect market fundamentals awareness.
    — “incorporating market fundamentals into views that inform trading”
  • Highlight experience articulating trading rationale to non-technical leadership.
    — “Articulate market views, trading rationale, and P&L drivers clearly”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • build a strategy for short term power products
  • strengthen existing hedge strategy
  • contribute to in-house long-term price forecasts
Typical background
bank, utility, or merchant trading desk experience

Skills & requirements

Required

Trading Power ProductsPortfolio-constructionStatistical And Pricing ModelsFundamentals-based Market ViewISO Experience

Preferred

Python

Stack & domain

PythonPower Products TradingPortfolio ConstructionMarket FundamentalsIso ExperienceLeadershipCommunicationProblem SolvingStrategic ThinkingFinanceEnergy Trading

About the role

Original posting from Base Power via Ashby

ABOUT BASE

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Power Trader to trade around both Base’s retail load book and battery fleet. Your immediate focus would be to build a strategy for the short term (up to 30 days out) for ERCOT with near term scope to build out the strategy in PJM and eventually other ISOs. You’ll also help supplement Base’s existing longer term strategy by bringing a rigorous, portfolio-construction driven approach to how we manage exposure across generation and load. This will also involve contributing directly to the Trading & Risk’s own long-term, fundamental based price views.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

  • Trade short-term power products to capture incremental margin, with room to extend into longer-horizon and structured positions
  • Strengthen Base's existing hedge strategy with a more rigorous, portfolio-construction-based approach to exposure management across the battery fleet and retail load book
  • Contribute to Trading & Risk’s in-house long-term price forecasts - incorporating market fundamentals (congestion, transmission constraints, load/generation balance) into views that inform trading and hedging decisions
  • Articulate market views, trading rationale, and P&L drivers clearly to leadership, shaping desk-level strategy
  • Evaluate capacity markets and other structured products where they offer real hedge or trading value, in ERCOT and (as we expand) PJM and beyond

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

  • At least 3-5 years of experience trading power products on a bank, utility, or merchant trading desk, with direct exposure to forward curves, hedge instruments, and short-term markets
  • Demonstrated experience in portfolio construction - architecting hedges across a book of exposures, not just single-position trades
  • Strong fundamentals-based market view: understands how congestion, transmission constraints, and load/generation balance flow into price formation
  • Deep experience in any ISO. Base is currently ERCOT-focused, with PJM expansion imminent and additional ISOs to follow
  • Comfort operating as an individual contributor in a small, fast-moving team - no analyst bench to lean on
  • (Nice to have) Hands-on proficiency building models yourself (Python; not dependent on an analyst to implement your ideas)

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Trading & Risk team at Base is tasked with ensuring the grid-support performance and profitability of Base’s distributed battery fleet. This encompasses device communications with balancing authorities, telemetry analysis, algorithms for fleet aggregation and economic dispatch, through to financial portfolio management in wholesale energy markets. Our team is made up of physicists, economists, computer scientists, and engineers; the best candidates will bring the day-over-day intensity of an operator with the foresight to drive the long term development of simpler, more performant automated control. Success looks like building the airplane as it falls out of the sky.

Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.

OUR VALUES

  • First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.
  • Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.
  • Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.
  • Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.
  • Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.
  • Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in.
  • Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.

DO THE BEST WORK OF YOUR LIFE AT BASE.

Source: Base Power careers (Ashby)

Similar roles

More roles at Base Power