Senior Hydro Operations Data Analyst

Position Description

Tacoma Power's Power Management division is looking for a Senior Hydro Operations Data Analyst to join the Resource Operations team.

The Resource Operations team is an integral part of the Power Management division. The unit is responsible for bringing affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly power to our customers. This mission critical role will direct the operations of our four hydroelectric projects and our BPA Slice contract while balancing the various requirements such as flood control, river flows for downstream fisheries, hydro unit outages, and power production.

This position works collaboratively with the team’s wholesale energy traders with the goal of optimizing the value of our resources and our interaction with the wholesale market. This entails modeling and fundamentally understanding our portfolio constraints and quantifying tradeoffs between our different stakeholders including Wholesale Trading, System Operations, Natural Resources, Engineering, Risk Management, and hydro plant staff.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for hydroelectric power, be committed to supporting our team, and providing value to our community. The candidate will use scientific methods to write and update analytical models and have a mindset to add value to our team, to learn and teach. This is not a typical 9-5 job, during unusually volatile periods, this position requires management of our resources and support of wholesale energy trading after-hours and on weekends. This position serves in a rotating 24/7 on-call capacity to ensure continuous operational support. At least 2 days in office per week are required with the remaining time being allowed to work from home.

Responsibilities Include:

• With guidance support the team using scientific methods, processes, algorithms to help maintain and improve our operational tools.
• Model near-term and mid-term operations and optimization of Tacoma Power’s resource portfolio to maximize value, ensure reliability, and maintain compliance with regulatory, contractual, and license requirements.
• Develop and implement operations plans based on hydrologic conditions, market forecasts, load projections, and unit availability to support efficient resource dispatch and trading strategies.
• Provide guidance and technical expertise to wholesale trading, power scheduling, and operations staff; participate in daily and monthly strategy meetings to align near-term and forward operations.
• Maintain, enhance, and utilize decision support tools and models to optimize water management, unit efficiency, and resource planning; monitor technological advancements to improve operational capabilities.
• Represent Power Management in internal and external meetings, coordinating generation and transmission outages, negotiating operational needs, and supporting cross-departmental collaboration.
• Serve as subject matter expert and on-call resource, including training staff, supporting BPA Slice contract operations, and contributing to forward sales and hedging strategies.

Qualifications

Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree in engineering, economics, business or public administration or directly related field

Minimum Experience*
4 years of experience in electrical power operational modeling, trading or quantitative analysis

* Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis

Knowledge & Skills

Preferred Knowledge & Skills

Tacoma Power is looking for the following knowledge, skills, and experience for this position. Candidates who do not meet all of these qualifications are still encouraged to apply.

• Ability to provide technical expertise on a rotating 24/7 on call-rotation.
• Strong investigative and exploratory skills.
• Experience with statistical modeling tools such as R or Python.
• Ability to present technical information clearly and concisely to a variety of stakeholders and leadership

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

This recruitment is being managed by Elise Drennen, if you would like to be notified of similar opportunities or stay connected with things going on at Tacoma Public Utilities and the City of Tacoma, connect with me on LinkedIn !

Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Hourly Rate: $54.60 - $76.88
Annual Salary: $113,568.00 - $159,910.40

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

Tacoma Power
Tacoma Power is an almost 100% hydroelectric, municipally-owned public power utility, located in Tacoma. We serve approximately 180,000 customers as one of the three operating divisions of Tacoma Public Utilities, alongside Tacoma Water and Tacoma Rail. As one of the most livable, walkable cities in the country, you'll find that Tacoma is a great fit for all interests with places to bike, run, hike, and explore, the perks of a big city, and the charm of a small town. We welcome you to take a look at our website and discover how the City of Tacoma can make your next career move part of our combined destiny:
http://www.cityoftacoma.org/ https://www.mytpu.org/ http://www.traveltacoma.com/

City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A Commitment to Equity & Diversity

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Application Process

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process. Applicants who have the strongest backgrounds related to the responsibilities of this position may be invited to participate in the interview process, which may include a work problem. Appointment is subject to passing a background check.

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 1/23/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

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• City of Tacoma

• 253-591-5400

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