Research Analyst - Large Loads (Data Centers and Industrial Demand)

Wood Mackenzie is the global leader in analytics, insights and proprietary data across the entire energy and natural resources landscape.

For over 50 years our work has guided the decisions of the world’s most influential energy producers, utilities companies, financial institutions and governments.

Now, with the world’s energy system more complex and interconnected than ever before, sector-specific views are no longer enough. That’s why we’ve redefined what’s possible with Intelligence Connected.

By fusing our unparalleled proprietary data with the sharpest analytical minds, all supercharged by Synoptic AI, we deliver a clear, interconnected view of the entire value chain. Our trusted team of 2,700 experts across 30 countries breaks siloes and connects industries, markets and regions across the globe.

This empowers our customers to identify risk sooner, spot opportunities faster and recalibrate strategy with confidence – whether planning days, weeks, months or decades ahead.

Wood Mackenzie
Intelligence Connected

WoodMac.com

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Wood Mackenzie Values

• Inclusive – we succeed together
• Trusting – we choose to trust each other
• Customer committed – we put customers at the heart of our decisions
• Future Focused – we accelerate change
• Curious – we turn knowledge into action

Job Description 

• We are looking for a Research Analyst to join Wood Mackenzie’s Power & Renewables group, reporting to a Principal Analyst on the team. The P&R team consists of leading analysts covering some of the most cutting-edge topics in the energy transition, including data centres, electrification, microgrids, and utility modernization. Our research and thought leadership inform the strategies of key players throughout the energy industry, driving innovative business models while hastening the energy transition. 

• The analyst will support our research and product development on large electric loads, including data centres, advanced manufacturing, and facility electrification. The emphasis will be two-fold: evaluating and providing feedback on proposed datasets, workflows and designs for product and supporting policy data collection and analysis, leading to the delivery of policy databases and client reports.
• The analyst will also closely support the development of AI and data tools through which large load data is sourced and delivered to clients. They will be a key liaison between the research, product, and data teams, ensuring the tools developed serve WoodMac research and client needs.
• Experience within the data centre industry is not required, but recent experience with respect to the technological, financial, or commodity side of the power sector is expected. The analyst should be well-versed in gathering, evaluating the quality of and distilling significant amounts of data into focused, client-relevant insights, with a knack for writing and editing high-quality reports. The analyst should have experience in project management, demonstrating skills to drive projects involving multiple teams and concurrent workflows.

The salary range for this position is $90K - $100K, which represents base pay only and does not include short-term incentive compensation or commission. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. This base salary maps to the Primary Metropolitan Location.

Responsibilities 

• Become a subject matter expert on data centre technology, policy, energy supply, siting and deployment 
• Drive and contribute to the development of AI-enabled data gathering tools, including by identifying and vetting new data sources, and supporting data science teams in classifying and extracting data from documents 
• Work closely with product and data teams to provide research input and expertise in the development of new platforms and tools 
• Conduct hands-on research, including tracking policy, market and regulatory developments pertaining to large loads, and tracking large load projects themselves 
• Contribute to teamwide research insights and deliver individual reports, from content development to practical client recommendations – with this part of the role expanding over time as product needs stabilise
• Support Wood Mackenzie clients upon request and assist with customer acquisition and retention 
• Support Wood Mackenzie’s consulting team on large load-related engagements 
• Travel infrequently, but as necessary, to clients, conferences, and other Wood Mackenzie offices 

 Qualifications 

• 3+ years of industry or research experience in the power sector or an adjacent industry 
• The knowledge base and ability to quickly gain expertise in the financial, policy, technology, and energy dimensions of large loads, particularly data centers 
• A Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree, preferably in engineering, energy, economics, finance, or policy 
• Willingness to dive into any task that needs doing in a project, whether hands-on data gathering, parsing dense regulatory documents, or guiding and QAing the efforts of data analysts 
• Ability to leverage AI tools for efficiency while not compromising on correctness of the final product  
• Excellent organizational skills, able to drive forward a project with many collaborators and moving parts, leveraging process tools and best practices 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to articulate key takeaways and craft compelling data-driven visuals 
• Strong evaluative instincts – comfort in thoroughly validating product deliverables
• Clear communication skills and ability to work independently, self-direct, and stay flexible
• Experience or comfort working alongside product, data, or other non-research internal teams

 Nice to haves 

• Experience in the data center or power generation development industry 
• Experience as a research analyst, with a track record of publications and presentations 
• Technical capabilities in python, databases, and AI tool development

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. This means we are committed to recruiting the best people regardless of their race, colour, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability or protected veteran status. You can find out more about your rights under the law at www.eeoc.gov