SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER / DESIGNER – BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (BESS)

CANEIL; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Professional licensure support

Contract opportunities

Job summary

CANEIL is expanding its in-house electrical engineering team to support a growing portfolio of utility-scale and commercial/industrial energy storage projects across Canada and the United States. The Senior Electrical Engineer/Designer will lead BESS design packages, mentor staff, and provide technical guidance through all project phases.

Requires a minimum of 10 years in energy storage or inverter-based resources, P.Eng.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on electrical engineering and detailed design experience on energy storage or inverter-based projects.
• Experience developing complete electrical design packages for energy storage facilities.
• Knowledge of NFPA 855, NEC 706/705, UL 9540/9540A and related standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of BESS electrical design packages from concept to as-built.
• Prepare single-line/three-line diagrams, DC collection, MV layouts, and protection schematics.
• Review OEM docs, vendor drawings, and interconnection requirements; coordinate with multiple disciplines.

Skills

Battery storage

Electrical design

AutoCAD Electrical

Bluebeam

Power system studies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering technology diploma

Tools

ETAP

SKM PowerTools

EasyPower

AutoCAD

Bluebeam

Job description

CANEIL is continuing to expand its in-house electrical engineering team to support a growing portfolio of transmission, utility, industrial, renewable energy, energy storage, and mission-critical infrastructure projects throughout Canada and the United States. We are seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer/Designer with extensive experience in the design of utility-scale and commercial/industrial battery energy storage systems, who will lead the development and review of BESS electrical design packages while providing technical guidance to project teams and junior personnel.

CANEIL offers flexible work arrangements, including remote, hybrid, and in-office options, depending on candidate location, project requirements, and team needs. Our primary offices are located in Edmonton, Alberta, and the Houston, Texas area.

POSITION SUMMARY

This position is intended for an experienced energy storage design professional who enjoys detailed engineering and design work, solving complex interconnection and integration challenges, and producing accurate, constructible, and defensible deliverables. The successful candidate will lead BESS electrical engineering and design activities throughout all stages of a project, from basis of design through detailed design, interconnection support, technical review, and commissioning.

A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience is required. Professional Engineers and senior designers with substantially greater experience are strongly encouraged to apply, particularly those with specialized technical expertise or demonstrated experience leading complex energy storage or inverter-based resource projects.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development, review, and delivery of BESS electrical design packages, from concept through issued-for-construction and as-built.
• Prepare and review key electrical deliverables, including:
• Single-line and three-line diagrams, and DC collection design including combiners, disconnects, fusing, and DC cable routing;
• MV collection layouts, feeder topology, PCS/inverter and MV skid arrangements, and electrical site plans;
• Grounding, lightning protection, conduit, duct bank, and trench plans;
• Auxiliary and station service one-lines, MCC and panelboard schedules, and lighting plans;
• Protection and control schematics, wiring and termination diagrams, and panel elevations;
• SCADA, EMS, and communications architecture drawings and point lists, cable and load schedules, bills of materials, and equipment specifications.
• Perform and review studies and calculations, including load flow, short circuit, coordination, AC and DC arc flash, grounding and step-and-touch potential, cable sizing, harmonics, transformer sizing and inrush, and reactive capability at the point of interconnection.
• Account for the current-limited fault contribution of inverter-based resources in protection and coordination design, where conventional overcurrent methods require alternative approaches.
• Support battery sizing, round-trip efficiency, degradation, and augmentation planning, including provision of space, spare feeder positions, and switchgear capacity for future augmentation.
• Support interconnection activities, including application packages, utility and ISO study responses, model submittals, protection philosophy, relay settings review, and metering.
• Review OEM documentation, vendor drawings, and utility standards, and define the electrical interface between the enclosure scope and the balance of plant.
• Coordinate with clients, utilities, vendors, and the civil, structural, mechanical, fire protection, and controls disciplines, resolving technical, spatial, and constructability issues.
• Support fire and life safety coordination, including hazard mitigation analysis input, review of UL 9540A and large-scale fire test reports, setback determination, and authority having jurisdiction engagement.
• Perform technical reviews and QA/QC of drawings, calculations, specifications, and complete design packages, and support procurement, construction, factory and site acceptance testing, commissioning, energization, and performance testing.
• Participate in client meetings and design reviews, and assist with project scoping, proposals, level-of-effort estimates, and schedules.
• Mentor junior and intermediate engineers and designers, and remain current with applicable codes, standards, technologies, and industry practices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, or an electrical engineering technology diploma with substantial, directly relevant design experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant, hands-on electrical engineering and detailed design experience, including demonstrated work on battery energy storage, solar, wind, or other inverter-based resource projects.
• Experience developing and reviewing complete electrical design packages for energy storage or comparable generation facilities, and a strong understanding of power conversion systems, DC block architecture, MV collection, transformers, station service, and plant control and SCADA interfaces.
• Working knowledge of the codes and standards governing energy storage design, including NFPA 855, NFPA 70 (NEC) Articles 706 and 705, CSA C22.1 (Canadian Electrical Code) Section 64, UL 9540, UL 9540A, UL 1973, UL 1741 SB, IEEE 1547, IEEE 2800, IEEE 519, IEEE 80, IEEE 1584, and NFPA 70E.
• Experience performing or reviewing power system studies using ETAP, SKM PowerTools, EasyPower, or comparable platforms.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD (AutoCAD Electrical strongly preferred) and with Bluebeam for drawing review, markup coordination, and package compilation.
• Ability to interpret equipment specifications, utility and ISO requirements, vendor drawings, and OEM documentation, with the judgment to identify design conflicts and unsuitable engineering assumptions.
• Strong technical writing, communication, and client-facing skills, and the organizational ability to manage multiple projects, deliverables, and deadlines.
• P.Eng. in Canada or PE in the United States is preferred. Candidates eligible to obtain registration within a reasonable timeframe may also be considered.
• Legally eligible to work in the country where the position is based.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with standalone BESS, solar- or wind-plus-storage, microgrid, and behind-the-meter or data centre-adjacent storage applications.
• Familiarity with grid-forming and grid-following inverter control, ride-through and volt-VAR requirements, weak-grid operation, and temporary overvoltage on load rejection.
• Experience with EMT or dynamic modelling in PSCAD, PSS/E, or PowerFactory, and with model submittal and validation for interconnection.
• Familiarity with Alberta requirements, including AESO ISO Rules Division 503, AESO Information Document 2016-001R, ancillary service and fast frequency response qualification, and AUC facility applications; or equivalent US ISO and NERC experience.
• Experience supporting factory acceptance testing, commissioning, capacity and round-trip efficiency testing, grid code compliance testing, and energization.
• Experience in an owner's engineer, independent engineer, or technical advisory role, or previous consulting experience delivering concurrent projects for external clients.

WHY JOIN CANEIL

• Work on technically meaningful energy storage projects during a period of rapid growth in the Alberta, Canadian, and United States storage markets.
• Help establish CANEIL's energy storage design practice, including templates, calculation methods, specifications, and technical standards, alongside experienced engineers, project managers, designers, and technical specialists.
• Take ownership of complex BESS design assignments that directly influence system safety, reliability, constructability, and performance.
• Access flexible remote, hybrid, and in-office arrangements, with full-time permanent or contract opportunities available, and support for continuing education, technical development, and professional licensure.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• The expected base salary range for this position is $120,000–$160,000 per year, based on experience, qualifications, professional designation, location, technical capabilities, and overall suitability for the role.
• Candidates with significantly greater experience, specialized expertise or a demonstrated record of leading complex energy storage projects may be considered above the stated range. All candidates are assessed individually.
• Contract compensation may also be considered for candidates engaged on a contract basis.
• Comprehensive benefits for eligible full-time employees, including extended health care, dental coverage, paid vacation, and an employer-supported RRSP or retirement savings matching program, where applicable.
• Flexible work arrangements and professional development and continuing-education support.