Controls Engineer

Canadian Solar Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Canadian Solar is seeking a Controls Engineer to lead the deployment of utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems across the Americas. You will collaborate with Procurement, Project Management, Project Engineering, Commissioning, and O&M to deliver end-to-end control solutions.

The role covers contracting, design, implementation, delivery, commissioning, and ongoing support, with travel up to 10–15% to project sites and vendor facilities.

Qualifications

• Educational background in Controls Engineering or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years’ experience working with control systems in an electrical generation environment (SCADA, plant control systems, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience with industrial communication protocols (Modbus, DNP3, TCP/IP).
• Strong understanding of networking, including IP/port mapping, network rules, subnetting, and VPN structures.
• Experience with Inverter-Based Resources (IBR) such as solar or energy storage is preferred.
• Exposure to SCADA systems, substations, protective relays, and transformers is preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 10–15% nationally and internationally to project sites and vendor facilities.

Responsibilities

• Review project contracts and vendor agreements for controls-related requirements and alignment.
• Review and validate project design submittals, including electrical drawings, data flow diagrams, network designs, signal mappings, electrical power models, and control narratives.
• Maintain and organize technical documentation in SharePoint; coordinate documentation flow with vendors and stakeholders.
• Develop batch scripts or automation tools to streamline data collection and operational tasks.
• Maintain clear, consistent communication with all stakeholders—including customers, vendors, EPCs, and utilities.
• Troubleshoot network issues within VPN-secured environments.
• Respond to customer and operator requests regarding system modifications, troubleshooting, or enhancements.
• Support site commissioning activities for all control-related tasks.

Skills

Controls engineering

Electrical generation experience

Industrial communication protocols

Networking fundamentals

Willingness to travel

Education

Controls Engineering degree

Job description

At Canadian Solar, our vision is to make lives better by bringing electricity powered by the sun to millions of people worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions, we’ve been an industry front‑runner since our founding in 2001. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all parts of our organization as we navigate the complexities of a booming industry.

Throughout Canadian Solar’s subsidiaries, e-Storage, Recurrent Energy, MSS and CSI Solar Co., we invest in our employees’ growth. Our training programs and promotional opportunities ensure we all can continue to learn. We understand the importance of work-life balance and provide various flexible work options to support our employees’ well‑being. Join our team to “Make the Difference” by creating a lasting positive impact on the world and the communities where we operate.

Position Title: Controls Engineer
Department: Controls Engineering
Compensation: $100,000 - $145,000 + annual bonus (paid in local currency; range varies by location)
Reports To: Sr. Deployment Engineering Manager
Location: Canada or United States

About the Role:

The Controls Engineer will play a key role in the deployment of utility‑scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) across the Americas region. This role supports the full project life cycle—from contracting, design, and implementation through delivery, commissioning, and ongoing support.

The engineer will collaborate closely with internal teams including Procurement, Project Management, Project Engineering, Commissioning, and O&M. As the primary technical contact for controls implementation, this individual will work directly with equipment vendors, project developers, project owners, and other stakeholders such as utility or modelling teams.

Responsibilities:

• Review project contracts and vendor agreements for controls‑related requirements and alignment

• Review and validate project design submittals, including electrical drawings, data flow diagrams, network designs, signal mappings (analog, Modbus, DNP3), electrical power models, and control narratives

• Maintain and organize technical documentation in SharePoint; coordinate documentation flow with vendors and stakeholders

• Develop batch scripts or automation tools to streamline data collection and operational tasks.

• Maintain clear, consistent communication with all stakeholders—including customers, vendors, EPCs, and utilities

• Troubleshoot network issues within VPN‑secured environments

• Respond to customer and operator requests regarding system modifications, troubleshooting, or enhancements

• Support site commissioning activities for all control‑related tasks

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Educational background in Controls Engineering, or a related discipline

• At least 3 years’ of experience working with control systems in an electrical generation environment (e.g., SCADA, plant control systems, or similar)

• Demonstrated experience with industrial communication protocols (Modbus, DNP3, TCP/IP).

• Strong understanding of networking, including IP/port mapping, network rules (switch/firewall), subnetting, and VPN structures

• Experience working with Inverter‑Based Resources (IBR) such as solar, energy storage systems, or alternative generation systems is an preferred

• Exposure to SCADA systems, substations, protective relays, and transformersis preferred

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 10–15% national and internationally to project sites and vendor facilities

e-STORAGE is Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

e-STORAGEuses AI-assisted tools during parts of the hiring process, including screening and workflow automation. All final hiring decisions are made by humans.

This is a current vacancy, and we are actively hiring for this position.

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