How to hire an energy trader

How to hire an energy trader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step energy trader hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an energy trader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new energy trader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The energy trader hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An energy trader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, energy traders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of energy traders.

   Type of Energy Trader	Description	Hourly rate
   Energy Trader		$31-95
   Finance Representative	A finance representative, also known as a financial advisor, provides sound financial proposals to clients. Primarily, financial advisors guide and plan the financial decisions of clients based on their needs, goals, and requirements... Show more	$10-37
   Natural Gas Trader	A natural gas trader facilitates the buying and selling of natural gas, ensuring a safe and steady flow of supply to customers. Although the extent of their responsibilities varies upon their company of employment, it typically includes overseeing stock and market exchanges, meeting the clients to identify their short and long-term goals, monitoring natural gas prices, and conducting regular assessments to determine the losses and profits... Show more	$29-90

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Algorithmic Trading
   • Renewable Energy
   • Financial Instruments
   • NERC
   • ISO
   • Risk Management System
   • Market Trends
   • Commodities
   • Fundamental Analysis
   • PnL
   • CME
   • PJM
   • Technical Analysis
   • Derivative

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage business, sales, marketing, international negotiation and communication for a commodities business.
   • Automate the trade allocation and reconciliation procedures using VBA programming which is leveraged to systematically detect any trade breaks or discrepancies.
   • Integrate into an existing trading pit on the CBOE, illustrating success in new, challenging work environments.

   More energy trader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your energy trader job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An energy trader can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, energy traders' average salary in south dakota is 45% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level energy traders 67% less than senior-level energy traders.
   • Certifications. An energy trader with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an energy trader's salary.

   Average energy trader salary

   $114,844yearly

   $55.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level energy trader salary

   $66,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average energy trader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$136,397	$66
   2	New Jersey	$116,956	$56
   3	Oregon	$115,071	$55
   4	Florida	$113,932	$55
   5	Massachusetts	$110,426	$53
   6	Colorado	$98,779	$47
   7	Illinois	$96,910	$47
   8	Texas	$93,848	$45
   9	Kansas	$82,617	$40

   Average energy trader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NRG Energy	$127,359	$61.23	9
   2	ABN AMRO Chicago Corporation	$125,342	$60.26
   3	Tullett Prebon	$117,767	$56.62	1
   4	Rainbow Energy Marketing	$114,274	$54.94
   5	Pacifi	$110,683	$53.21	1
   6	Xcel Energy	$78,490	$37.74
   7	SEC, Inc.	$62,400	$30.00	2

4. Writing an energy trader job description

   An energy trader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an energy trader job description:

   Energy trader job description example

   Functional Area: Commercial Position Type: Full Time
   Experience Required: 1 - 3 Years Relocation Provided: May be Considered
   
   Education Required: Bachelors Degree
   
   RC/Department: 1117 -KINETREX COMMERCIAL ADMIN G&A :CO2
   
   Position Description
   
   Job Description:
   
   The Energy Trader is primarily responsible for supporting the risk management, RINs trading, and gas supply operations. The role also assists in the monitoring of corporate board-level risk limits, federal trading regulations and market pricing curves for valuation and sales proposals. The position has client responsibilities as well including gas market consulting. The Energy Trader may execute financial (futures and options) trades for hedging the natural gas marketing and LNG production businesses. In addition to financial natural gas trading, the Trader acts as the backup physical gas trader and renewable natural gas trader that markets RINs to obligated parties.
   
   Responsibilities and Duties:
   
   + Risk Analytics: Assist with creating daily, weekly, monthly and yearly position reports so that top management can accurately control the business units. Advise leadership on the riskiness of certain transactions and devise the corporate risk policy. Creatively investigate total firm for weaknesses. Investigate former transactions for successfulness
   
   + Financial Trading: Assist in the execution of futures and options trading for the LNG and PNG businesses. Ensure a non-speculative trading book and develop create strategies for maximizing portfolio
   
   + Pricing: Support the creation of proprietary pricing curves for PNG, LNG and RNG business segments. Retain historical pricing for Value-At-Risk metrics and trade management systems. Actively participate in the customer RFP process.
   
   + Audit/Compliance: Establish and monitor corporate risk controls, ensure delegation-of-authority limits are obeyed and assist the yearly audit committee with its review of corporate procedures
   
   + Backup Physical Trading: Trade and balance all physical gas supply and demand for PNG and LNG businesses. Increase supply liquidity with new counterparties
   
   + Pipeline and Utility Nominations: Assist with
   
   + Client Relationships: Consult customers on the fundaments of the natural gas markets
   
   + RINs Trading: Assist in establishing relationships and the marketing of RINs to obligated parties.
   
   + Regulatory: Support the production of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filings
   
   Position Requirements
   
   Requirements and Qualifications:
   
   + Bachelor's degree in related field required.
   
   + 1-3 years risk analytics and/or financial trading experience.
   
   + 1-3years developing and executing trade and balance of physical gas supply.
   
   + 1-3 years of experience in a similar role in a fast pace, high growth environment required.
   
   Salary commensurate with experience
   
   EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right energy trader for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with energy traders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit energy traders who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your energy trader job on Zippia to find and recruit energy trader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with energy trader candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new energy trader

   Once you have selected a candidate for the energy trader position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new energy trader first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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