Quantitative Developer Intern

Base Power; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Base Power in Austin, Texas, is seeking a highly motivated Software Engineer Intern to work on critical problems facing the company. The role involves designing algorithms for energy trading, validating models, and automating trading processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong problem-solving mind and skills in Python and SQL.

The Markets team ensures profitability through device communications and algorithm development within the energy sector. This is a dynamic startup environment, where responsibilities may evolve.

Qualifications

• Strong problem-solving mindset and first-principles thinker.
• Expertise in optimization and decision-making algorithms.
• Proficient in statistics and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong software engineering skills, including test-driven development.
• Proficient in Python and SQL with clean coding practices.

Responsibilities

• Design algorithms for trading energy storage resources in ERCOT.
• Validate models in a simulation environment.
• Implement and deploy algorithms to production trading stack.
• Quantify long-term financial risk under different strategies.
• Develop software for automating trade valuation and execution.

Skills

Problem-solving mindset

Optimization techniques

Proficiency in statistics

Machine learning skills

Software engineering skills

Proficiency in Python

Proficiency in SQL

Job description

About Base

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

About the Role

We’re looking for a highly motivated, intellectually curious, mission-driven software engineer to join our Markets team. As an intern, you’ll work on high-impact problems critical to Base’s success and deliver solutions alongside full-time team members.

What You’ll Do

Algorithms & Optimization:

• Designing algorithms for trading a fleet of energy storage resources in ERCOT.
• Validating physics- and economics-based models in a simulation environment.
• Implementing and deploying new algorithms to our production trading stack.

Risk & Trading:

• Quantifying long-term financial risk under different operating strategies.
• Identifying and assessing new products and contract structures.
• Developing software to automate valuation and execution of trades.

What You’ll Bring

• First-principles thinker with a strong problem-solving mindset.
• Expertise in optimization techniques and sequential decision-making algorithms.
• Proficiency in statistics, machine learning, and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong software engineering skills, including test-driven development and CI/CD workflows.
• Proficiency in Python and SQL; ability to write clean, maintainable, and scalable code.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of energy markets, energy systems, or wholesale power trading.
• Experience in commodities, equities, or derivatives trading.

About the Team

The Markets team at Base is tasked with ensuring the grid-support performance and profitability of Base’s distributed battery fleet. This encompasses device communications with balancing authorities, telemetry analysis, algorithms for fleet aggregation and economic dispatch, through to financial portfolio management in wholesale energy markets. Our team is made up of physicists, economists, computer scientists, and engineers; the best candidates will bring the day-over-day intensity of an operator with the foresight to drive the long term development of simpler, more performant automated control. Success looks like building the airplane as it falls out of the sky.

Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.