Data Scientist

Location: Austin, VA (Hybrid: In-person 3 days/week)

Job Type: Full-time

Salary Range: $90,000 – $150,000

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About the Role:

Can competitive electricity markets coordinate the production of electricity from all supply resources in order to minimize costs, produce reasonable prices, and keep the lights on?

At Potomac Economics, you would be a valuable member of a market monitoring team that studies wholesale electricity markets throughout the United States. This includes designing, creating, and utilizing databases and custom software to analyze a wide array of market data. The team uses this monitoring software to evaluate the performance of competitive electricity markets, identify potential improvements in market design, and detect attempts to manipulate the market or exercise market power.

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Responsibilities and Expectations:

- Develop efficient python code to process, analyze, and visualize large electricity market datasets.

- Build and maintain databases, dashboards, figures, and tables to clearly communicate analytical results.

- Develop and manage an ETL process and end-use data mart for use by the automated monitoring system and market analysts.

- Troubleshoot, debug, and enhance existing data processing tools and software.

- Identify and implement improvements to analytical methods and software systems.

- Summarize and communicate analytical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

- Write well-structured, maintainable, and reusable code.

- Work productively and independently while contributing to team goals.

- Demonstrate initiative and creativity in addressing analytical challenges.

- Collaborate closely with market experts to interpret results and refine analyses.

- Apply strong quantitative and problem-solving skills to complex market questions.

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Qualifications:

Required

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Data Science, or another relevant field of study or equivalent work experience.

- Strong analytical and data management skills, with attention to accuracy and reproducibility.

- Strong Python skills and experience with common database management systems.

- Ability to design and develop clean automated workflows for data and analysis.

Preferred

- 2 or more years of experience with data analysis and programming experience in Python.

- Experience working with large energy market datasets.

- Knowledge of wholesale electricity market design or operations.

- Familiarity with packages such as Pandas, SQLAlchemy, Matplotlib, and Plotly.

- Interest and ability to use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, coding agents) to enhance coding, data analysis, and workflow efficiency.

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Benefits:

- Medical / Dental / Vision / Life

- HSA / FSA

- 401(k)

- Paid time off

- Employee discounts