Principal Power Systems Engineer - R&D
Onenergy
·Today
- Location
- Houston, Texas, United States; Miami, Florida, United States; Reston, Virginia, United States · Tysons
- Department
- Research & Development
- Seniority
- Lead
- Education
- PhD
- Source
- Greenhouse
Description
ON.energy is setting the standard for large load interconnection. ON’s patented AI UPS™ is a medium-voltage UPS that serves as a firewall, protecting the data center from the grid, and the grid from the data center. With multiple gigawatts currently under construction, we are enabling grid-safe data centers.
The Principal Power Systems Modeling Engineer is ON.energy’s technical owner for power system modeling, model validation, and grid performance assessment. This role sets modeling standards, leads high-impact simulation work, and ensures models accurately represent ON.energy hardware, controls, firmware, protection settings, and plant-level operating modes.
The position supports product development, interconnection studies, grid requirements demonstrations, customer projects, and emerging large-load applications. It serves as a key technical bridge across R&D, Controls, Test, Product, Project Engineering, external consultants, customers, utilities, ISOs, and standards organizations.
Key focus areas include EMT and dynamic modeling, ERCOT Model Quality Testing, evolving large-load ride-through requirements, hardware-to-model matching, Hardware-in-the-Loop and real-time simulation, and project-specific modeling support for ON.energy deployments.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical Modeling Leadership
- Define modeling standards: Establish ON.energy’s modeling philosophy, validation methods, governance processes, and quality expectations across EMT, RMS, transient, steady-state, HIL, and real-time simulation environments.
- Own model lifecycle management: Ensure models remain aligned with released hardware, firmware, controls algorithms, protection settings, plant controls, and project-specific configurations.
- Serve as technical authority: Provide expert judgment on model fidelity, validation evidence, simulation assumptions, and external model submissions.
Project and Product Support
- Lead technical execution: Develop, review, and approve EMT and dynamic models supporting interconnection studies, customer applications, product qualification, and grid requirements.
- Support project modeling: Partner with Project Engineering on study assumptions, equivalent models, SLD representation, equipment settings, operating conditions, and data requirements.
- Assess system performance: Evaluate ride-through behavior, weak-grid performance, harmonics, generator interations, startup behavior, control response, and large-disturbance response.
Validation, HIL, and Hardware Matching
- Ensure hardware-to-model alignment: Confirm models represent inverter behavior, BESS response, EMS functionality, firmware, protection, controls, and fielded product configurations.
- Correlate models with evidence: Compare simulations against lab tests, HIL results, commissioning data, field measurements, disturbance records, and vendor model behavior.
Grid Requirements, Consultant Oversight, and Technical Leadership
- Lead grid requirements modeling: Serve as technical lead for ISO MQT, large-load ride-through evaluations, and evolving grid requirements.
- Oversee external studies: Direct and review work performed by consultants and study partners, ensuring technical quality, traceability, and consistency with ON.energy standards.
- Influence product and engineering direction: Translate modeling insights into recommendations for controls, firmware, hardware design, validation investments, customer applications, and roadmap priorities.
- Mentor and represent: Guide engineers across modeling, controls, test, and project teams, and represent ON.energy in technical discussions with utilities, ISOs, consultants, customers, and industry groups.
EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS
- Education: Masters Degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience: 12+ years of advanced power systems modeling experience, including EMT, RMS, dynamic modeling, inverter-based resources, BESS, large loads, or transmission-connected facilities.
- Tools: Expertise with PSCAD, PSSE, PSLF, MATLAB/Simulink, and related simulation platforms; experience with HIL or real-time simulation platforms strongly preferred.
- Grid requirements: Strong understanding of ISO and Utility interconnection requirements, MQT, NERC reliability standards, inverter-based resource requirements, and evolving large-load expectations.
- Technical breadth: Fluency in inverter controls, protection settings, firmware behavior, EMS functions, UPS/BESS architectures, and hardware/software integration.
- Leadership: Demonstrated ability to set technical direction, influence across engineering disciplines, review complex deliverables, communicate with external stakeholders, and create scalable engineering processes.
For US-based roles - What you’ll get:
- Competitive salary + annual performance-based bonus eligibility
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off and company holidays
For Mexico-based roles - What you’ll get:
- Competitive salary + annual performance bonus eligibility
- Christmas Bonus (Aguinaldo): 30 days
- Major medical expenses and life insurance
- Paid time off and holidays (per local policy)
For all roles:
- Professional development and growth opportunities
- Opportunity to grow with a mission-driven team shaping the future of clean energy
- Equal Opportunity: ON.energy is committed to equal employment opportunity and to maintaining a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.
- Benefits vary by role and location and are subject to change.
Agency Notice: ON.energy does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies, search firms, or third-party recruiters. Resumes submitted without a fully executed Master Services Agreement (MSA) and a written request from an authorized member of our Talent Acquisition team will be considered the property of ON.energy. No placement fees or compensation will be paid for unsolicited candidate submissions.