Energy Optimization Manager

Role Overview

The Energy Optimization Manager oversees the strategic, operational, and real‑time execution of Applied Digital’s energy optimization programs across North Dakota data center sites. This leadership role is responsible for developing and executing curtailment strategies, shaping forecasting and optimization workflows, and aligning market‑driven decisions with site‑level operational needs.

This position requires deep knowledge of utility behavior, power system operations, market fundamentals, and industrial load management. Unlike a traditional speculative trading role, this role focuses on operational energy optimization
, leveraging price formation, grid conditions, and commercial structures to minimize cost and maximize efficiency.

The ideal candidate comes from a utility, power plant, ISO, or merchant generation background, where they have led or executed real‑time decisions affecting system dispatch, load balancing, or price exposure management.

• Own Applied Digital’s energy optimization program across North Dakota, including real‑time, day‑ahead, and intraday decision‑making.
• Develop optimization strategies tailored to market rules, operational constraints, and facility‑level performance characteristics.
• Build and maintain a decision‑making framework for Operators and support staff to ensure consistent, safe, and financially optimized outcomes.
• Lead peak‑volatility operational windows (~6–10 AM and ~5–9 PM), ensuring high‑quality, time‑sensitive decisions.
• Partner with Finance, Engineering, Operations, and Data Center Site Leads to align optimization strategy with business outcomes.
• Determine curtailment windows using day‑ahead forecasts, congestion patterns, historical pricing behavior, and weather‑driven load variations.
• Oversee execution of real‑time curtailment actions and verify proper operational compliance.
• Review performance of prior‑day curtailments, identifying improvement opportunities and updating SOPs.
• Implement operational guardrails around ramp rates, cooling cycles, generation interactions (if applicable), and facility constraints.

• Serve as the primary liaison with utilities, cooperatives, transmission providers, and relevant market operators.
• Interpret transmission constraints, outage notifications, system advisories, and tariff implications.
• Ensure compliance with utility protocols, curtailment communication requirements, and reporting expectations.
• Maintain strong working relationships with external market and operations partners.
• Collaborate with Analysts to continuously improve load forecasting, weather analysis, LMP prediction models, and congestion risk assessments.
• Establish KPIs to track optimization accuracy, response speed, and value capture.
• Develop dashboards and reporting workflows to provide leadership with real‑time visibility into optimization performance.

• Mentor Operators, Analysts, and Schedulers to expand overall real‑time coverage capability.
• Build structured training programs that teach Operators foundational concepts such as LMP formation, system constraints, curve interpretation, and escalation logic.
• Support recruitment efforts for additional optimization team members.

• 7–10+ years of experience in power system operations, utility/ISO dispatching, power plant control room management, industrial load management, or real‑time market operations.
• Strong understanding of:
  • LMP pricing and congestion dynamics
  • Transmission constraints, outages, and grid reliability principles
  • Industrial or flexible load operations
• Experience using SCADA systems, forecasting tools, dispatch consoles, or ISO/utility portals.
• Demonstrated ability to make high‑pressure operational decisions with financial impact.
• Experience in creating SOPs, operational frameworks, or training programs.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and cross‑functional coordination skills.

• Experience managing or leading a real‑time operations desk or control room team.
• Practical exposure to major wholesale markets such as MISO, SPP, ERCOT, PJM, or…