Senior Energy Optimization & Controls Specialist

Schneider Electric; Richmond; On-site; CAD 115,000 - 162,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental and caregiver leave

Retirement plan with employer match

Learning and development programs

Job summary

Schneider Electric is seeking a Senior Energy Optimization & Controls Specialist to design and implement forecasting, optimization, and control solutions for distributed energy resources. You will coordinate energy assets across device, site, and fleet scales, leveraging data-driven approaches and MPC techniques to optimize solar, storage, and EV charging applications.

You will work with embedded Linux and cloud platforms, using MATLAB/Simulink and Python to model, simulate, and validate energy

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in controls, optimization, energy management systems, DERs, or related technologies.
• Strong background in control system design, modeling, simulation, and optimization.
• Experience with solar PV, BESS, EV charging systems, microgrids, DERs, or related energy applications.
• Experience applying forecasting, optimization, AI, or advanced analytics to real-world engineering challenges.
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and Python; C/C++ is considered an asset.
• Experience working with embedded and/or cloud-connected systems.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Preferred qualifications include EMS/HEMS/DERMS/VPPs experience and familiarity with AI-enabled optimization.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop advanced control, forecasting, and energy optimization strategies for solar PV, BESS, EV charging, microgrids, and DERs.
• Design and implement EMS algorithms to coordinate energy assets across device, site, and fleet levels.
• Develop optimization strategies for energy arbitrage, demand response, time-of-use optimization, and VPP applications.
• Build forecasting models for solar generation, load demand, EV charging, and electricity pricing.
• Apply MPC, scheduling, dispatch, and rule-based control approaches.
• Leverage MATLAB, Simulink, Python to model, simulate, and validate energy systems and DER assets.
• Design, deploy, and support applications across embedded Linux and cloud platforms using Docker/Podman.
• Develop and validate embedded control software using model-based design methodologies.
• Evaluate emerging technologies like AI, digital twins, DERMS, and grid-edge solutions.
• Prepare technical requirements, test plans, verification procedures, and validation reports.
• Support HIL, CIL, Digital Twin, certification, and field validation during product development.
• Collaborate with product management, firmware, software, systems, cloud, compliance, and power electronics teams to deliver integrated energy management solutions.

Skills

Control system design

Forecasting & optimization

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++ (asset)

Embedded/cloud systems

Data-driven/AI/ML

Collaborative teamwork

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

PhD in related field

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Docker/Podman

Job description

At Schneider Electric, we are helping shape the future of connected energy by bringing together solar generation, battery storage, EV charging, and intelligent energy management solutions into a unified ecosystem. As homes and energy systems become increasingly electrified and interconnected, optimizing how these technologies interact is becoming one of the industry's most important engineering challenges.

As a Senior Energy Optimization & Controls Specialist, you will develop advanced forecasting, optimization, and control solutions that help coordinate distributed energy resources and improve how energy is generated, stored, and consumed. Leveraging data-driven approaches, controls engineering, and applied AI/ML techniques, you will contribute to solutions that address real-world energy challenges and support the evolution of Schneider Electric's growing ecosystem of connected energy products.

Working closely with teams across software, controls, power electronics, and product development, you will play a key role in shaping the next generation of intelligent energy management capabilities across residential and distributed energy applications.

What you'll be doing

• Define and develop advanced control, forecasting, and energy optimization strategies for solar PV, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging infrastructure, microgrids, and distributed energy resources (DERs).
• Design and implement Energy Management System (EMS) algorithms to coordinate energy assets across device, site, and fleet-level applications.
• Develop optimization strategies for energy arbitrage, demand response, demand charge reduction, time-of-use optimization, managed EV charging, grid services, and virtual power plant (VPP) applications.
• Build forecasting models for solar generation, load demand, EV charging behavior, and electricity pricing using data-driven methodologies.
• Apply advanced control and optimization techniques, including Model Predictive Control (MPC), scheduling, dispatch, and rule-based control approaches.
• Leverage MATLAB, Simulink, Python, and related engineering tools to model, simulate, and validate energy systems, power converters, generation sources, loads, and DER assets.
• Design, deploy, and support applications across embedded Linux and cloud-connected platforms using Docker, Podman, or similar technologies.
• Develop and validate embedded control software using model-based design methodologies.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends related to AI, machine learning, digital twins, DERMS, VPPs, demand flexibility, and grid-edge solutions.
• Prepare technical requirements, test plans, verification procedures, validation reports, and supporting engineering documentation.
• Support HIL, CIL, Digital Twin, certification, and field validation activities throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Partner with product management, firmware, software, systems, cloud, compliance, and power electronics teams to deliver integrated energy management solutions.

What you bring

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Energy Systems, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in controls, optimization, energy management systems, distributed energy resources (DERs), power electronics, or related technologies.
• Strong background in control system design, modeling, simulation, and optimization.
• Experience with solar PV, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging systems, microgrids, distributed energy resources (DERs), or related energy applications.
• Experience applying forecasting, optimization, machine learning, AI, or advanced analytics to real-world engineering challenges.
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and Python; experience with C/C++ is considered an asset.
• Experience working with embedded and/or cloud-connected systems.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with EMS, HEMS, DERMS, VPPs, or DER coordination strategies.
• Experience developing forecasting solutions for energy production, consumption, EV charging, or related applications.
• Familiarity with Digital Twin, HIL, or CIL validation environments.
• Knowledge of AI-enabled optimization, predictive analytics, or intelligent energy management solutions.
• Publications, patents, or technical presentations related to energy systems, controls, optimization, or applied AI/ML.

We recognize that skills and competencies can be developed through a variety of experiences, both professional and personal. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement listed, we still encourage you to apply. Your unique background and perspective could be exactly what we’re looking for.

This job posting represents an active opportunity within our team. All applications are reviewed directly by our recruitment professionals, and no AI is used in the screening or selection process.

At Schneider, we believe that every employee is a talent who deserves equal opportunities. This means you matter. Every individual needs to feel valued, supported, and treated fairly to do their best work.

Our Total Rewards is our way of saying: “We see you. We value you”. It’s more than just pay and benefits- it’s a meaningful investment in you. It is designed for you to perform, grow, feel safe, and elevate your potential to shine as an impact maker.

The expected pay range is CAD 114,750 - CAD 162,000 per year. This pay range includes base pay and short-term incentives.

For Ontario applicants, this posting complies with provincial law which does not require disclosure of the pay range. Inquiries regarding the pay range can be directed to the recruiting / hiring manager.

Schneider Electric is there when it matters most to you

Our Total Rewards package outlines all the benefits and support you’ll enjoy as part of the Schneider Electric team:

Care for yourself and your family. We ensure you feel secure with benefits that help you and your family thrive: insurance coverage for health, inclusive of medical, dental, vision, basic life, accident, and disability insurance; telemedicine program; paid family leaves; parental and care leave; employee assistant program with mental, family, and legal counselling and flexible work arrangements.

Invest and plan your future. We help you plan and invest for the future with competitive pay and programs: base salary; incentive plans; employee share ownership plan; retirement plan with employer pension match.

Grow your skills and career. We commit to helping you grow with ongoing performance and development conversations, Senior Talent Program, global career opportunities, access to our Schneider Career Hub for new positions, projects, and mentors, and learning platforms like Coursera to equip you with the skills for today and tomorrow.

Team up in the workplace. We encourage teaming up through project opportunities on the Schneider Career Hub, smart ways to collaborate, celebrating contributions via a recognition program (including service anniversary), sharing your voice in our engagement survey, and fostering an inclusive, caring workplace.

Support your community. We make a difference in your community with volunteer leave, programs through the Schneider Electric Foundation, and initiatives that support youth education.

Looking to make an IMPACT with your career?

When you are thinking about joining a new team, culture matters. At Schneider Electric, our values and behaviors are the foundation for creating a great culture to support business success. We believe that our IMPACT values – Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity, Teamwork – starts with us.

IMPACT is also your invitation to join Schneider Electric where you can contribute to turning sustainability ambition into actions, no matter what role you play. It is a call to connect your career with the ambition of achieving a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable world.

We are looking for IMPACT Makers; exceptional people who turn sustainability ambitions into actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. We celebrate IMPACT Makers and believe everyone has the potential to be one.

€40 billion global revenue
+9% organic growth
150 000+ employees in 100+ countries

Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and ‘inclusion’ is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do.

At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here

Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.