Job Description

As part of the Autobidder team, you will be Tesla's first trading and operations hire in Japan, playing a foundational role in establishing our presence in Japan’s electricity markets. You will oversee the daily operations of grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Japanese electricity markets via Autobidder — Tesla's in-house algorithmic trading platform — while building the analytical and operational foundations that will define how we trade and grow in Japan.

This is a high-ownership, 0-to-1 role. You will bring deep Japan market expertise to sharpen our algorithms, serve as the primary interface between our Australian and US based teams and the Japanese market, and potentially grow into the Ops Lead for Japan as the business scales. You will work closely with Tesla's APAC Autobidder team, Japan policy colleagues, and external stakeholders including TSOs and customers.

This role requires a rare combination of technical depth, market knowledge, and communication skills — someone who can operate independently in a fast-paced environment, translate complex market dynamics into algorithmic insights, and represent Tesla credibly in the Japanese energy industry.

This position is based in Japan.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of BESS assets participating in Japanese electricity markets (JEPX, EPRX, capacity markets) via Autobidder, managing real-time trading performance and escalating issues as needed.
• Analyze Autobidder algorithm outputs and trading performance; develop and communicate concrete, data-driven hypotheses for trading and forecasting improvements to the global algorithms team.
• Build and maintain Python- and Excel-based analytical tools and reports for internal performance tracking and external reporting obligations to TSOs and METI.
• Monitor and interpret Japanese electricity market rule changes, regulatory developments, and policy shifts — translating these into actionable guidance for Autobidder engineers to inform algorithm design and updates.
• Develop a deep understanding of Japan-specific market dynamics (e.g. area demand patterns, capacity surplus contracts, interconnector constraints) and surface insights that give Tesla a competitive edge.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customer and TSO relationships in Japan, managing communications with professionalism and technical credibility.
• Support regulatory and operational compliance efforts, including reporting responsibilities to TSOs and METI, in collaboration with Tesla's Japan policy team.
• Collaborate with the global Autobidder algorithms, software, and market analysis teams to co-design scalable tools and workflows tailored to the Japanese market.
• Contribute to origination and business development efforts by providing market analysis and operational insights to support deal evaluation and new customer engagement.
• As the business grows, take on hiring and team leadership responsibilities to build out the Japan Autobidder operations function.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in the Japanese electricity industry, with hands-on experience in energy trading, BESS operations, or electricity market analysis.
• Strong technical understanding of Japanese electricity markets, including JEPX and EPRX, and familiarity with the rules and operational requirements for front-of-meter battery storage assets.
• Experience advising on or executing trading strategies for grid-scale BESS, with the ability to translate complex market rules into concrete feedback for engineering teams.
• Quantitative analytical skills with proficiency in Python and Excel for data processing, performance analysis, and report generation.
• Familiarity with TSO/METI reporting obligations and regulatory compliance requirements for electricity market participants in Japan.
• Native Japanese communication skills with strong English fluency — able to bridge Tesla's global engineering and commercial teams with local stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical and market topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Highly self-motivated and comfortable operating autonomously in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Economics, Finance, or a related quantitative field preferred.