Senior Electrical Engineer – Microgrid Controls, Automation Architecture

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Arizona, +2 more states.

📋 Description

• Oversee the development and integration of control systems for utility-scale generation, distributed energy resources, battery energy storage systems, renewable assets, and mission-critical data center microgrids.

• Establish hierarchy and interfaces among plant distributed control systems, microgrid controllers, energy management systems, generator controls, protection systems, utility interconnections, and supervisory SCADA platforms.

• Create integrated controls and automation architectures for microgrids, distributed generation facilities, and behind-the-meter power systems.

• Define interfaces among plant DCS, microgrid controllers, EMS, SCADA, generator controls, BESS controls, protection relays, and utility systems.

• Develop control philosophies, functional specifications, sequence-of-operations documents, cause-and-effect matrices, and communications architecture diagrams.

• Formulate operating strategies for islanding, synchronization and resynchronization, black start, load following, generation dispatch, reserve management, voltage and frequency control, and rapid load shedding.

• Lead multi-vendor controls integration and coordinate technical requirements with generation OEMs, BESS suppliers, microgrid controller vendors, protection engineers, utilities, EPC teams, and customers.

• Review vendor submissions and assist in factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, performance testing, and operational troubleshooting.

• Integrate secure control system architecture and relevant cybersecurity requirements, including ISA/IEC 62443 and NERC CIP where applicable.

• Support power system studies and align control strategies with protection, short-circuit, dynamic stability, grounding, and utility interconnection requirements.

• Perform additional duties as required.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in power generation, utilities, industrial automation, microgrids, or distributed energy systems, including substantial plant-level controls integration experience.

• Proven experience in developing or integrating microgrid controls architecture for both grid-connected and islanded systems.

• Capability to review confidential US security information.

• Strong working knowledge of DCS, SCADA, PLC, EMS, microgrid controllers, generator controls, synchronizing systems, protective relay integration, and power management systems.

• Familiarity with IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus TCP/IP, OPC UA, and Ethernet/IP.

• Ability to produce and review technical specifications, control narratives, logic diagrams, network architectures, and commissioning procedures.

• Experience with utility-scale or data center microgrids and hybrid plants incorporating RICE, gas turbines, fuel cells, renewable generation, and BESS.

• Background in hardware-in-the-loop testing, real-time simulation, dynamic modeling, or controls validation.

• Understanding of IEEE, UL, NFPA, utility interconnection, and mission-critical resiliency requirements.

• Professional Engineer licensure or the capability to obtain licensure.

• Systems thinking across generation, storage, utility, protection, controls, and customer load systems.

• Effective technical communication with engineers, project managers, executives, and customers.

• Ability to align multidisciplinary teams, OEMs, vendors, utilities, and field personnel.

• Capacity to resolve complex technical issues while ensuring safety, reliability, cybersecurity, schedule adherence, and commercial awareness.

• Skill in managing competing priorities while maintaining technical rigor.

• Capability to mentor junior staff and contribute to reusable standards and lessons learned.

• Ability to lead technical workshops, design reviews, risk discussions, and executive-level presentations.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health insurance.

• Retirement plans.

• Paid time off.

• Performance incentives.

• Bonuses.

• Commissions.

• Equity.

• Comprehensive and competitive employee benefits.

• People-oriented insurance, investment, and incentive plans.