Head of Energy

Job description

Job Type:  Full-time | Location:  Austin or Houston, TX | Department:  Operations | Reporting to:  CEO | Work Location Type:  #hybrid

 

IREN is a leading AI Cloud Service Provider, delivering large-scale GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN’s vertically integrated platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and data centers in renewable-rich regions across the U.S. and Canada.  

 The Head of Energy at IREN (based in Houston or Austin) will own the company's energy strategy and execution across our global portfolio, with a primary focus on the ERCOT market. The role spans wholesale procurement and hedging, CRRs, demand response and ancillary services, regulatory engagement across the markets we operate in (ERCOT, AESO/IESO, SPP, and the Spanish market), and energy-related support to data center financing. The successful candidate will combine deep ERCOT expertise with experience leading an energy team inside a large-load or asset-heavy organization.

With 100% renewable energy, we build, own and operate our data centers and take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the ever-evolving applications of high-performance compute. We believe that human progress is invaluable, but it should be done in the right way – responsibly, sustainably and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in.  

Job requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MS in Engineering, Finance, Economics or related) preferred.
• Minimum twelve (12) years of progressive experience in wholesale power markets, energy management or asset optimization, with significant time spent in ERCOT.
• Demonstrated experience managing an in-house energy team within a large-load or asset-heavy organization — for example, large data center, LNG, oil & gas, chemicals, mining or heavy manufacturing operator, utility, IPP, or large retail electric provider.
• Deep ERCOT market expertise: nodal pricing, CRRs, ancillary services, demand response, ORDC, settlements and QSE operations.
• Strong track record designing and executing hedging strategies at portfolio scale, with appropriate risk governance and reporting.
• Experience supporting energy-related workstreams in financing transactions (project finance, debt, PPAs, hyperscaler offtakes) and engaging with lenders, rating agencies and counterparties.
• Solid understanding of the regulatory landscape; familiarity with multi-jurisdictional operations is an advantage.
• Excellent commercial judgment, with the ability to translate complex market dynamics into clear recommendations for the CEO, CFO and Board.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication; comfortable representing the company to regulators, ISOs, investors and counterparties.
• Existing relationships across ERCOT market participants, regulators and service providers strongly preferred.
• Willingness to travel across IREN’s North American sites, Spain and Australian HQ as required.

Job responsibilities

• Set and execute IREN's energy strategy across our multi-jurisdictional portfolio (Texas, Oklahoma, Canada and Spain), with primary focus on ERCOT.
• Develop and execute the company's hedging strategy for wholesale power exposure, including governance, risk limits, mark-to-market reporting and Board-level risk communication.
• Lead participation in CRRs, demand response programs and ancillary services to optimize energy cost and capture revenue opportunities.
• Support data center-backed financings by designing and executing site and portfolio level power strategies that mitigate energy risk for lenders or investors.
• Stay across regulatory and market-design changes (ERCOT, PUCT, NERC, FERC and equivalent regulators in our other jurisdictions) and translate the impacts into commercial actions.
• Represent IREN externally with ISOs, regulators, QSEs, retail electric providers, counterparties and industry associations.
• Partner with Site Development on interconnection, nodal price analysis, real-time load management, coincident peak (4CP) management and curtailment economics for AI / HPC workloads.
• Define and govern QSE and energy service provider relationships, scheduling, settlements and the supporting technology and data stack.
• Develop the energy function as the portfolio scales, hiring selectively over time and partnering closely with external advisors and service providers in the interim.

Job benefits

Operates renewable-powered data centers for AI and Bitcoin mining