How to hire a real time trader

How to hire a real time trader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step real time trader hiring guide:

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

What does a real time trader do?

Post a real time trader job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the real time trader you need to hire. Certain real time trader roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect real time trader also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of real time trader salaries for various roles:

   Type of Real Time Trader	Description	Hourly rate
   Real Time Trader		$28-86
   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
   Trader	A trader is responsible for buying and selling financial instruments for a firm or an individual, monitoring stock movements, and analyzing price fluctuations. Traders focus on short-term and long-term trades, depending on their customers' demands and best interests... Show more	$26-69

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • NERC
   • Caiso
   • Ercot
   • Arbitrage
   • PJM
   • Nyiso
   • Wecc
   • Oati
   • Physical Transactions
   • Real-Time Market
   • MLB
   • Independent System
   • Generation Assets
   • Market Prices

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage generation and load hourly in SERC.
   • Procure gas on WBI and manage power costs against CIG and Cheyenne gas markets.
   • Manage generation and contract resources for members and clients in the CAISO, SPP, and WECC.
   • Manage risk and ensure delivery of power positions in NEISO and NYISO to protect and enhance value.
   • Maximize the MW output of 8 gas combustion turbine generators while managing the real-time PJM LMP price signals to maximize profits.
   • Manage daily trading activities for multiple portfolio teams encompassing domestic and international equities including Forex.

   More real time trader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, real time traders' average salary in south dakota is 53% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level real time traders 67% less than senior-level real time traders.
   • Certifications. A real time 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 a real time trader's salary.

   Average real time trader salary

   $104,519yearly

   $50.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level real time trader salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average real time trader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Virginia	$118,658	$57
   2	New York	$109,037	$52
   3	California	$107,964	$52
   4	Arizona	$100,916	$49
   5	Oregon	$89,589	$43
   6	New Mexico	$87,921	$42
   7	Washington	$84,098	$40
   8	Texas	$80,393	$39
   9	Nebraska	$79,176	$38
   10	South Dakota	$58,841	$28

   Average real time trader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Energy Authority	$102,786	$49.42
   2	New York Power Authority	$101,217	$48.66	1
   3	NRG Energy	$100,207	$48.18	6
   4	Tenaska	$99,841	$48.00
   5	Arizona Public Service	$99,299	$47.74
   6	Leprino Foods	$98,904	$47.55
   7	Sempra Energy	$96,368	$46.33
   8	EDF	$95,855	$46.08
   9	Pinnacle West Capital	$94,696	$45.53	2
   10	Florida Power and Light	$94,602	$45.48
   11	Portland General Electric	$89,508	$43.03
   12	Capital One	$89,499	$43.03	49
   13	Amazon	$85,955	$41.32	6
   14	Omaha Public Power District	$72,509	$34.86
   15	PNM Resources	$70,015	$33.66
   16	El Paso Electric	$68,059	$32.72
   17	Black Hills	$65,813	$31.64
   18	San Diego College of Continuing Education	$57,091	$27.45

4. Writing a real time trader job description

   A good real time trader job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a real time trader job description:

   Real time trader job description example

   The Real Time Trader is responsible for optimizing Avista's resources to serve all obligations in the most economical and reliable manner while integrating current system and market conditions. This position purchases and sells energy on an hourly/daily basis to meet fluctuations in supply and demand; ensures that pricing and terms are favorable and consistent with company risk management guidelines. Optimize Avista's system in EIM, Real Time and future time horizons.
   Requirements
   
   4 years' experience in energy trading, derivatives, marketing or bulk electric and gas system management. Bachelor's degree in mathematics, finance, business, economics or other related field or equivalent experience. This person must be able to perform while working rotating shifts. Excellent math, Excel, communication, sales and negotiating skills are required. Other combinations of education/experience may be considered.
   
   To Apply
   
   Complete an online application and attach your resume and cover letter to your profile. All documents must be attached to your application at the time of submitting your application for review. No documents can be attached after you click "Submit".
   
   Pre-employment screening requirements
   
   Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a drug test, background check and motor vehicle records review.
   
   Avista's Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
   
   Avista is committed to the goal of Equal Opportunity Employment and Affirmative Action. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, sensory, mental or physical disability (unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification), Veteran status or any other classification protected by nondiscrimination law.
   
   Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here. Avista will make reasonable accommodation to assist a qualified person with a disability in the job application, interview process, and to perform the essential functions of the job whenever possible, where undue hardship would not be created for Avista. Please let us know if you would like assistance.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find real time traders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any real time traders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level real time traders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find real time trader candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with real time 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 real time trader

   Once you've found the real time trader candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a real time trader?