A novel electron analyzer for rapid x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra acquisition and operation at 10−5Torr pressure was modeled, constructed, and tested. The electron energy analyzer uses spherical retarding grids in conjunction with a post‐monochromator to achieve bandpass operation, while maintaining the large transmission of a conventional retarding grid analyzer. The goal of modeling was to investigate the interaction between the retarding grids and the post‐monochromator on the analyzer transmission and resolution. Both electron scattering at the retarding grids and fringe electric fields were found to be key factors in the overall analyzer performance. Based on the modeling results, an electron energy analyzer was constructed and tested using both gold samples and thin polystyrene films. 20‐eV‐wide scans could be obtained in 100–200 s with analyzer resolution of 1.0 eV. Monitoring of the polystyrene surfaces during and after exposure to molecular and atomic fluorine, indicated that the analyzer is useful for the collection of rapid, medium resolution XPS scans during the exposure of surfaces to reactive beams at background pressures as high as 10−5Torr.