Sr. Grid Integration Engineer
Location: Mountain View/San Jose Bay Area
Team: System Engineering
The Impact You’ll Make:
As a Sr. Grid Integration Engineer, you will architect the software and control fabric that turns our power conversion hardware, energy storage, and balance-of-plant equipment into a single, dispatchable power plant. You will build the EMS/PPC layer that sits above our PCS, MPPTs, batteries, meters, and switchgear — defining how every device talks, how setpoints flow from the grid operator down to the silicon, and how the plant behaves under every operating condition the grid can throw at it. This is a high-agency role where your concept of operations, sequence diagrams, and control logic become the operating system of our power plants.
Key Responsibilities:
- Architect and build the Energy Management System (EMS) and Power Plant Controller (PPC) software stack that orchestrates inverters, MPPTs, battery systems, meters, and balance-of-plant equipment as a single grid-interactive plant.
- Own the plant Concept of Operations — author sequence diagrams, state machines, and control narratives that describe power flow under every operating mode (PV-only, charging, discharging, curtailment, frequency response, voltage regulation, black start, night-mode transitions, fault ride-through).
- Integrate power electronics (inverters, MPPTs, DC-DC converters), revenue and protection-class meters, BOP equipment, and PV systems into a unified software fabric using industry-standard protocols: DNP3, IEC 61850 (MMS, GOOSE, Sampled Values), Modbus TCP/RTU, SunSpec Modbus, MESA-ESS, IEEE 2030.5 (CSIP), OPC UA, and CAN.
- Develop plant-level control logic for active power dispatch, reactive power / voltage support, ramp-rate control, frequency response (PFR / AGC), autonomous curtailment, and setpoint coordination across all device classes.
- Implement and tune grid-following and grid-forming control strategies at the plant level — coordinating inverter modes, virtual inertia, droop response, and ride-through behavior between the PPC and underlying device controls.
- Build the SCADA architecture for the plant: HMI, historian, alarms, event logging, time synchronization (PTP / IRIG-B), redundancy, and cybersecurity hardening (IEC 62443, NERC CIP awareness).
- Develop control logic on SEL RTAC, Codesys (IEC 61131-3) PLCs, and model-based platforms (MATLAB / Simulink) — moving cleanly from simulation to deployable runtime code.
- Use MATLAB / Simulink for control design, model-based development, plant dynamics modeling, and tuning of EMS/PPC loops before field deployment.
- Ensure plant compliance with IEEE 1547-2018, IEEE 2800, UL 1741 SB/SC, FERC Order 2023, and applicable ISO/utility interconnection requirements through correct implementation of protection, ride-through, and grid-support functions.
- Partner closely with embedded software, power electronics, and hardware teams to define interface requirements and translate plant-level behavior into firmware and device-level requirements.
- Lead commissioning and on-site bring-up of EMS/PPC — protocol mapping verification, end-to-end signal tracing, control loop tuning, FAT/SAT, and grid-code witness testing with the utility/ISO.
- Document controls architecture, protocol maps, point lists, and operating procedures to a standard that supports independent engineering review, AHJ approval, and operator training.
The Skills You Bring:
- Degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls, or equivalent experience with a focus on Power Systems, Control Theory, and software-defined controls.
- 5+ years of experience building EMS, PPC, or plant-level controls for utility-scale solar, storage, hybrid, or wind power plants.
- Deep working knowledge of utility and industrial communication protocols: DNP3, IEC 61850, Modbus TCP/RTU, SunSpec, MESA-ESS, IEEE 2030.5, OPC UA, CAN — including hands-on protocol mapping, point list design, and debugging (Wireshark, protocol analyzers, simulators).
- Hands-on experience with SEL RTAC, Codesys, and MATLAB / Simulink for model-based control development. Experience with industrial HMIs and historians (Ignition, AVEVA/Wonderware, Canary, OSIsoft PI) is a strong plus.
- Strong understanding of grid-following and grid-forming inverter control, droop response, virtual inertia, and the trade-offs between them at plant scale.
- Familiarity with IEEE 1547-2018, IEEE 2800, UL 1741 SB/SC, IEEE 519, FERC Order 2023, and applicable NERC reliability standards.
- Proven ability to author concept of operations documents, sequence diagrams, state machines, and control narratives that engineering, operations, and external stakeholders can all build against.
- Proficiency in Python (or similar) for tooling, point list automation, and SCADA data analysis.
- Fluency with AI-assisted development — daily use of LLM coding assistants and agentic workflows to accelerate control code, test harnesses, point list generation, protocol parsing, and documentation. Working knowledge of applying ML/AI to operational data (forecasting, anomaly detection, optimization) is a strong plus.
- Strong understanding of LV/MV power plant architecture — transformers, switchgear, BOP, metering, and protection coordination at the plant level.
- Experience supporting commissioning, FAT/SAT, and grid-code witness testing in the field.
- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate between control engineers, power engineers, software developers, and utility/ISO counterparts.
- Self-driven, with the grit to solve ambiguous, cross-disciplinary plant-level problems in a fast-paced, clean-slate environment.
Nice to Have:
- Hands-on experience with the complete lifecycle of utility-scale renewable energy power plant development.
- Experience with industrial communication protocols such as Modbus TCP, CAN, and Ethernet.
- Proven ability to perform failure analysis (FMEA) at both system and subsystem levels.
About the Tech Stack
- Languages: Python, go, C/C++
- Frameworks: MATLAB, Typhoon HIL, RTDS, Opal-RT, SIL frameworks, CI/CD pipelines automation
- Infrastructure: High-voltage DC systems (up to 1500V), PV emulators, battery simulators, and Electrical Design architectures. AWS IOT core
- Tools: Git, Jira, Power Analyzers, Oscilloscopes, and Logic Analyzers
Benefits and Perks:
Competitive Compensation Package
Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.
Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.
Additional Information:
Minimum salary of $120,000 to maximum salary of $205,000 + equity + benefits.
The range provided is 1AP’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.
About 1st Avenue Power:
At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.
You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles’ power.
When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night.
Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.
1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Join our team and make a real difference in the world.
[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]
California Pay Range
$120,000—$205,000 USD