Associate, Interconnection

Copia Power; Dana Point, Lake Oswego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City (CA, OR, AZ, UT); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

401(k) plan

Unlimited PTO

Paid holidays

Wellness and cell phone credits

Life & AD&D insurance

ERGs and professional development

Job summary

Copia Power is seeking an Associate, Interconnection to lead generation interconnection activities for solar, energy storage, and data center projects. You will coordinate pre-application feasibility, interconnection studies, and agreements, while tracking milestones across EPC and development teams.

The role reports to the Director of Transmission & Interconnection and partners with asset management, legal, and finance to advance a broad pipeline across the US.

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ professional experience, preferably in renewable energy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially PowerPoint & Excel.
• Experience with project management software.
• Ability to work in the Dana Point, CA, Salt Lake City, UT, Phoenix, AZ, or Lake Oswego office a minimum of 3 days per week.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.
• Authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate generation and load interconnection processes for utility-scale solar, energy storage, natural gas, and data center projects.
• Prepare and respond to interconnection studies and agreements; manage deposits and fees.
• Track queue milestones and coordinate with stakeholders to secure approvals.
• Support development and financing activities and assist with co-location of generation projects on data center campuses.
• Engage with utilities, ISOs, and regulatory bodies to stay current on interconnection policies.

Skills

PowerPoint

Excel

MS Office

Project management software

Travel ready

Tools

None

Job description

Dana Point, California, United States; Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States; Phoenix, Arizona, United States; Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Copia Power (“Copia”) is a Carlyle-backed energy and digital infrastructure platform that develops, constructs, and operates large-scale assets across the U.S. to accelerate the electrification and growth of the digital economy. Copia Power has over 2,600 MW of energy generation and storage assets in operation or under construction and is actively developing over 15 GW of grid-connected data centers supported by Copia’s portfolio of gigawatt-scale energy campuses comprising more than 25 GW of solar and storage and 7 GW of natural gas generation assets.

At Copia, we pride ourselves on a culture where sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to making a meaningful impact on the environment, and we believe that achieving this goal requires not just hard work but also enjoying the journey. Our team thrives on connectivity, fostering strong relationships across all levels of the organization. Together, we combine passion and playfulness to drive progress and make a difference.

Job Description

Copia is seeking an Associate, Interconnection to manage generation interconnection requests, coordinate application and study processes, and lead interconnection agreement negotiations, as well as support facility construction for renewable energy projects in the US. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing, coordinating, and leading all aspects of the generation interconnection process and related engineering for solar, energy storage, and natural gas projects. This role requires extensive knowledge of FERC large generator interconnection processes and tariff requirements, experience supporting early-stage development of utility-scale interconnection projects and GIA negotiations/executions, and familiarity with interconnection and power flow studies.

The Associate, Interconnection will report directly to the Director of Transmission & Interconnection, working closely with Copia’s asset management, energy markets, legal, and finance teams in an individual contributor capacity.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and coordinate the generation and load interconnection process for utility-scale solar, energy storage, natural gas, and data center projects, including pre-application feasibility analysis, interconnection application submission, interconnection study & agreement processes, communicating study results, and EPC milestone management.
• Provide responses and analysis to internal site selection processes to determine feasible transmission locations to apply for interconnection, timed and coordinated to support queue application open windows
• Request and coordinate application technical packages prepared by transmission consulting engineers
• Submit interconnection applications to ISOs/Utilities
• Support timely execution of study agreement and payment of deposits and study fees
• Track execution of queue milestones such as:
  • Deficiency corrections
  • Scoping meetings
  • Study agreement execution and funding
  • Study results meetings
  • Generator and Load Interconnection Agreement negotiation and execution
  • GIA and Load Milestone tracking and execution
• Coordinate with utilities, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to obtain interconnection approvals.
• Participate in ISO/PTO Generation Interconnection and other stakeholder forums to stay current on industry changes and trends.
• Coordinate with Land Acquisition, Engineering, Permitting, EPC, and Operations teams to develop a strong pipeline of solar, energy storage, natural gas, and data center projects
• Provide interconnection support for project acquisition and financing activities
• Provide coordination support for co-location of generation projects with data center campuses
• Support development and maintenance of company tracking tools
• Ensures all milestones are kept up to date in company tracking tools
• Support consultant and other service provider activities, including tracking work order status

What We Look For

• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written correspondence.
• Highly driven with problem-solving abilities, integrity, and strong work ethic.
• Proactive mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to work effectively within a rapidly changing organization.
• Demonstrated collaborative partnerships with peers, management, and vendors.
• Resourcefulness and polite persistence.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years’ professional experience, preferably in the renewable energy industry
• Proven experience with Microsoft Office, including advanced proficiency in PowerPoint & Excel
• Experience with project management software
• Ability to work in the Dana Point, CA, Salt Lake City, UT, Phoenix, AZ, or Lake Oswego office a minimum of 3 days per week.
• Ability to travel up to 25%
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

We are partnering with select search firms for this role and are not accepting inquiries or candidates from additional third-party agencies or recruiters.

Compensation

At Copia, we carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including your skills, qualifications, location, and experience. This role may also be eligible for benefits, performance bonuses, and other perks. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

At Copia, we prioritize diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment where everyone can be their true selves every day. Our commitment extends to providing comprehensive benefits to all employees, such as:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage (with no premiums)
• Company contribution to 401(k) plans
• Unlimited paid time off for a healthy work-life balance
• Paid holidays to celebrate and recharge
• Wellness and cell phone credits to support personal well-being
• Life and AD&D insurance for peace of mind
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for community and support
• Opportunities for professional development to grow and thrive within the company

We believe that by fostering a culture of inclusivity and offering these benefits, we empower our employees to thrive both personally and professionally.

About Copia

Copia Power (“Copia”), is a wholly owned portfolio company of the global investment firm, The Carlyle Group. Copia’s platform is focused on developing, owning, and operating utility-scale sustainable infrastructure in the United States.We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. For more information, visit www.copiapower.com .

At Copia, we value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment & do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.