Junior Programmatic Trader

The Shipyard; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 69,700 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Open PTO

Paid holidays

Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k program with employer matching

Dog-friendly offices

Job summary

An innovative marketing agency is looking for a Junior Programmatic Trader in Sacramento. This role involves setting up campaigns, optimizing performance, and collaborating across teams. Ideal candidates should have experience in programmatic media and a strong analytical mindset. This position offers a competitive salary range and various employee benefits, including flexible working hours.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years' experience in programmatic media or related fields.
• Hands-on familiarity with DSPs, preferably The Trade Desk.
• Strong analytical skills connecting campaign data with outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Set up and QA campaigns across DSPs with guidance.
• Monitor campaign delivery and optimize for performance.
• Pull and analyze reporting data for insights.

Skills

Programmatic media

Ad operations

Digital media buying

Effective communication

Analytical mindset

Detail-oriented

Creative thinking

Tools

The Trade Desk

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

The Shipyard is a leading, independent agency that builds performance-driven brands audiences can't help but love. We are looking for a sharp, driven, and collaborative Junior Programmatic Trader to join our San Diego or Sacramento team. This role offers a path from campaign support into hands-on ownership of programmatic activations, with growth into campaign management within DSPs, optimization, reporting, and cross-department collaboration.

At The Shipyard, we align bold creativity with individual consumer motivations to engineer brand love throughout the consumer journey. We value diverse backgrounds and perspectives and encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every checkbox.

What You'll Do

• Independently set up and QA campaigns across DSPs (e.g., The Trade Desk, Amazon, etc.) with guidance from Traders and Senior Traders
• Monitor campaign delivery and pacing daily, proactively flag issues, optimize for performance, and communicate updates to internal teams
• Tagging & trafficking creative assets and accurately utilize standard naming conventions
• Pull, format, and analyze reporting data to identify early insights and trends
• Contribute tactical recommendations in RFP responses, including vendor selection, audience targeting, and budget allocation support
• Communicate clearly with internal planning, creative, and data teams to ensure smooth campaign launches and troubleshooting
• Participate in vendor trainings and platform certifications, staying current on programmatic best practices and emerging tools
• Ownership and implementation of quality assurance standards for the Programmatic media team
• Maintain and update team documentation, ensuring learnings and optimizations are shared consistently

What You'll Bring

• Has 1-3 years' experience in programmatic media, ad operations, or digital media buying
• Hands-on familiarity with DSPs (The Trade Desk experience preferred)
• Can work in a fast-paced environment and continuously learn as the market changes and new platforms/ways of working develop
• Has worked in a team environment
• Is a self-starter
• Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to balance multiple accounts
• Effective communicator with cross-functional teams; able to explain technical details in clear, digestible ways
• Desire to become a product expert in Programmatic buying
• Knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, especially pivot tables and formulas
• Ambition for career progression in Programmatic and AdTech
• Strong analytical mindset; able to connect campaign data with performance outcomes
• Passion for your work and your clients' satisfaction
• Proactive and curious, eager to learn and apply new strategies and tools
• Outstanding written and verbal communication
• Creative thinking, research, and problem-solving skills
• Imaginative, bold, and out-of-the-ordinary thinking
• Enthusiastic with a positive attitude

What You'll Get

• The overall target range of base compensation for this role is $69,700 - $82,000. Compensation offered will be determined by location and experience
• Open PTO
• 40 hours of paid sick time (annually)
• Flexible work hours and remote work
• Paid holidays + holiday closure between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and disability benefits
• 401k program with employer matching
• 6 weeks paid parental leave
• Employee bonus referrals
• Dog-friendly offices
• Company-provided snacks and beverages (beer/wine included)

Requirements

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship