Microgrid Control Systems Design Engineer - Morrisville/Raleigh, NC

Who We Are

 

Delta, founded in 1971, is a global leader in switching power supplies and thermal management products with a thriving portfolio of smart energy-saving systems and solutions in the fields of industrial automation, building automation, telecom power, data center infrastructure, EV charging, renewable energy, energy storage and display, to nurture the development of smart manufacturing and sustainable cities.  As a world-class corporate citizen guided by its mission statement, “To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” Delta leverages its core competence in high-efficiency power electronics and its ESG-embedded business model to address key environmental issues, such as climate change.  Delta serves customers through its sales offices, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities spread over close to 200 locations across five continents.  Delta has 158 sales offices, 72 R&D centers and 48 manufacturing facilities worldwide.

 

Throughout its history, Delta has received various global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies, and dedication to ESG.  Since 2011, Delta has been listed on the DJSI World Index of Dow Jones Sustainability™ Indices for 11 consecutive years.  In 2021, Delta was also recognized by CDP with leadership level ratings for its substantial contribution to climate change and water security issues and named Supplier Engagement Leader for its continuous development of a sustainable value chain.At Delta, we’re leading the energy transition with innovative solutions in solar inverters, energy storage systems, and EV charging infrastructure.  Our technologies are helping utilities, businesses, and communities decarbonize and build resilient, intelligent energy ecosystems.  Join us in creating a cleaner, smarter energy future.

 

Role Summary

Responsible for the end-to-end design of supervisory (EMS), real-time control, and protection-coordinated control strategies for utility-grade and hyperscale microgrids.  This role translates business, reliability, resilience, and compliance objectives into deployable control functions, while ensuring stable dynamic performance, clear command authority boundaries, and safe operation aligned with the site protection philosophy across grid-connected and islanded modes.

 

Primary Outcomes

• Stable grid-connected, islanded, transition, resynchronization, and black-start operation with protection-aware control limits
• Clear authority/arbitration model across EMS, real-time controller, SCADA/operator commands, unit controllers, and protection relays
• Demonstrable compliance with IEEE 1547, utility interconnection requirements, and site-specific operating/protection philosophy
• Traceable validation evidence via SIL/HIL (e.g., RTDS), FAT/SAT, commissioning, and utility/customer witness testing

Key Responsibilities

EMS Optimization & Supervisory Control Design

• Design EMS optimization algorithms (economic dispatch, reserve management, resilience planning, emissions objectives, and degradation-aware operation)
• Implement day-ahead, intraday, and rolling-horizon optimization with robust fallback strategies and operator override handling
• Translate EMS schedules and setpoints into supervisory control intents that respect real-time stability, ramp limits, and protection constraints
• Define EMS constraints and feasibility checks (asset limits, network limits, N-1/contingency policies where applicable) and document assumptions
• Analyze operational performance, tune objectives/constraints, and drive continuous improvement of optimization outcomes

 

Real-Time Control Design & Dynamic Performance

• Design and implement real-time control algorithms for grid-connected, islanded, transition, resynchronization, and black-start operation
• Coordinate frequency, voltage, and active/reactive power objectives across PCS, BESS, generators, and DER assets (including inverter-dominated behavior)
• Develop fast control loops, setpoint tracking, limit enforcement, and event-response logic (e.g., load shedding, ride-through support) aligned with protection systems
• Define and enforce command prioritization/arbitration between real-time control, EMS intents, SCADA commands, and local unit control autonomy
• Support tuning and performance optimization across operating modes, including weak-grid and disturbance recovery behavior

 

Protection Coordination & Protection-Aware Control Constraints

• Design protection-aware control limits, interlocks, and adaptive constraints aligned with relay behavior and unit controller protection functions
• Coordinate inverter-based and traditional protection strategies for grid-connected and islanded operation, including fault response and islanding detection
• Define authority boundaries between protection systems, real-time controllers, and EMS to avoid unsafe command conflicts and ensure deterministic fault handling
• Collaborate with protection engineers to validate relay settings assumptions and evaluate protection–control interactions (selectivity, timing, and sensitivity)
• Document protection logic interactions, operating constraints, and recommended mitigations for known protection/control edge cases

 

Interfaces, Data Models & System Integration

• Define interface contracts and data models between EMS, real-time control, protection relays, unit controllers, SCADA, and operator/HMI systems
• Specify command validation, sanity checks, and safety gating for setpoints and mode transitions across control layers
• Support integration planning including signal lists, latency/update requirements, event/alarm semantics, and time synchronization expectations
• Produce clear technical documentation for control logic, state machines, limits, operating modes, and interface behavior

 

Validation, Testing & Field Support

• Support SIL/HIL validation (including RTDS where applicable) with scenario-based testing of transitions, black-start, faults, and abnormal grid events
• Support FAT, SAT, commissioning, and utility/customer witness testing; provide troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for field issues
• Create and maintain test procedures, acceptance criteria traceability, and closure evidence for defects and corrective actions

 

Typical Deliverables

• Control architecture and authority boundary definition (EMS vs real-time vs protection vs SCADA)
• EMS optimization design notes (objectives, constraints, fallback strategies) and supervisory control intent mapping
• Real-time control functional specifications (modes, transitions, loops, limits, event-response sequences)
• Protection-aware control constraint definitions and protection–control interaction narratives
• Interface Control Documents (ICDs), signal lists, and data model definitions
• SIL/HIL test plans, test cases, reports, and traceable verification evidence; FAT/SAT/commissioning support artifacts

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Controls, or related field
• 3–8+ years of experience in microgrid controls, EMS/supervisory control, real-time control, and/or protection-coordinated control design
• Strong understanding of inverter-based resources, microgrid operating modes, and dynamic control concepts (frequency/voltage/power coordination)
• Working knowledge of protection concepts, protection philosophy, and protection–control coordination in microgrids and utility interconnections
• Experience defining command arbitration/authority models across EMS, real-time control, SCADA/HMI, unit controllers, and protection relays
• Experience supporting SIL/HIL validation, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and cross-functional integration activities
• Excellent documentation, analytical problem-solving, and stakeholder communication skills
• Professional working proficiency in English; additional languages are a plus
• Ability to travel up to ~15%, including international travel as required
• Ability to work across cross-functional and cross-region engineering teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience designing or deploying EMS optimization (economic dispatch, reserves, resilience, emissions, degradation-aware operation)
• Experience with RTDS or comparable real-time simulation/HIL environments for microgrid validation
• Experience with utility interconnection processes, IEEE 1547 compliance workflows, and site-specific protection requirements
• Experience with data-center/hyperscale microgrids and fast load-step handling
• Scripting/automation skills (Python/MATLAB) for analysis, testing, and report generation

Benefit at Delta Electronics Americas

Life at Delta

EEO Statement

Delta Electronics Americas is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Delta Electronics America is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

 

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