Grid Connectivity Engineer
The job description
Tech stack. Interconnection studies, IEEE 1547, utility coordination, PSS/E or PSCAD, protection coordination, SCADA point mapping, NERC compliance awareness, interconnection agreement management
About the role
You will connect large energy projects to the grid at a renewable energy developer building utility-scale solar and storage plants across multiple ISO territories. Getting a plant energized means navigating utility interconnection queues, technical study phases, and witness testing, and you will own the electrical side of that entire journey. Your work turns signed interconnection agreements into plants that export power on schedule, and your relationships with utility engineers determine how smoothly each project moves through a process full of potential delays. You will shepherd generation projects through the interconnection queue, from application through system impact studies to executed agreements. Your technical analysis will identify upgrade requirements early so project economics stay honest.
What you will achieve
- Manage the electrical scope of utility interconnection from application through energization, keeping projects on track through feasibility, system impact, and facilities study phases with disciplined milestone tracking.
- Deliver interconnection study support packages (load flow data, short-circuit contributions, dynamic models) that satisfy utility and ISO requirements without costly rework cycles or restudies.
- Coordinate protection settings and relay coordination with the interconnecting utility, achieving approval on first submission through thorough preparation and clear technical communication.
- Lead witness testing and commissioning of the point of interconnection, resolving utility findings within days to protect commercial operation dates worth millions in revenue timing.
- Build standardized interconnection templates, checklists, and study libraries that shorten the development timeline for every future project in the portfolio.
What you will bring
Must-haves
- 2 to 5 years in utility interconnection, transmission planning, or protection engineering with real project experience.
- Understanding of the interconnection process: queue management, feasibility studies, system impact studies, and facilities studies with their typical timelines.
- Knowledge of IEEE 1547 requirements for distributed and utility-scale inverter-based resources.
- Ability to read and produce protection one-line diagrams and to coordinate technically with utility protection engineers.
- Familiarity with SCADA, telemetry, and metering requirements at the point of interconnection.
- BS in Electrical Engineering with a power systems focus.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience with battery energy storage interconnection specifically, including augmentation and augmentation planning.
- Familiarity with FERC Order 2023 reforms and NERC generator interconnection procedures.
- Background in PSCAD or PSS/E modeling for interconnection and ride-through studies.
- Knowledge of reactive power and voltage control requirements for large plants.
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