Associate Principal/Wholesale Power Markets Consultant (Energy practice)

About Charles River Associates

Since 1965, Charles River Associates has been a premier consulting firm that offers employees a place to learn from a diverse group of consultants, industry experts, and academics. At CRA you will be exposed to leading minds who use economic, financial, and business analysis to solve complex world problems for an impressive roster of clients, including major law firms, Fortune 100 companies, and government agencies. Through a collegial environment, formal and informal training opportunities, and a broad array of professional development resources, your experience at CRA will open doors for you as you your career.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and knowledgeable individual with at least 7+ years of experience in U.S. electricity markets to join our growing team. This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of market design, commercial strategy, and regulatory insight. You will work closely with utilities, developers, investors, and other market participants to help them navigate complex electricity market rules and design strategies for interconnection, capacity, and energy market participation.

1. Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) on North American electricity market structures, policies, and rules, including CAISO, PJM, MISO, SPP, ERCOT, NYISO, ISO-NE, AESO, and IESO..
2. Advise clients on the implications of market rule changes, including FERC filings, interconnection queue reforms, capacity market design, and transmission planning initiatives.
3. Conduct strategic analyses of market participation pathways for new generation, storage, hybrid resources, and demand-side technologies.
4. Support clients in interconnection strategy development, including navigating queue timelines, deliverability, and network upgrade risks.
5. Develop and review technical reports, white papers, and regulatory filings to inform or influence market design.
6. Lead or support engagements across a range of project types, including:

• Resource planning and procurement strategy
• Market entry assessments and due diligence
• Transmission access and congestion analysis
• Capacity accreditation and resource adequacy strategy

7. Mentor junior staff and contribute to business development through proposal writing and client engagement.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree in a related field (economics, engineering, public policy, energy systems) is a plus;
• 7+ years of professional experience in the electricity sector, with direct experience with ISO/RTO markets (e.g., CAISO, PJM, SPP, ERCOT, MISO, ISO-NE).
• Exposure to modeling or analytics tools used in electricity markets (e.g., PROMOD, PLEXOS, GridView, ABB, ISO data APIs, etc.) preferred;
• In-depth knowledge of market design and interconnection processes, including: Generation and storage interconnection rules and timelines, Capacity market structures and performance requirements, and Energy market operations, bidding behavior, and congestion management;
• Experience working with or for utilities, grid operators, project developers, or market advisory firms;
• Experience with policy and regulatory engagement, such as participation in stakeholder processes or filings before FERC/state commissions preferred;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to both technical and executive audiences;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities across client engagements.