DER Interconnection Engineer (Entry, Staff, Senior, or Principal)

Xcel Energy Services Inc; United States; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

Medical Plan

Pension

Job summary

Xcel Energy Services Inc. is seeking an experienced Staff/ Senior/ Principal Engineer to support DER Interconnection projects in Minnesota and surrounding regions. The role emphasizes reliability, safety, and collaboration with planning, substation engineering, and protection teams.

The candidate will help evaluate interconnection requests and lead multiple projects with minimal supervision. Join a team that values technical excellence, cross-functional coordination, and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• ABET accredited engineering degree required
• Electrical engineering degree preferred or mechanical engineering with relevant experience
• EIT/FE strongly preferred for advancement

Responsibilities

• Lead projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects
• Provide field engineering oversight for testing, installation, and commissioning
• Mentor less experienced engineers and coordinate with multiple teams
• Participate in bidding/evaluation processes and provide technical recommendations

Skills

Engineering degree ABET

Electrical eng

Mechanical eng

EIT/FE preferred

Education

ABET accredited engineering degree

Job description

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy. Xcel Energy is a place where you'll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you'll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best. Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday-Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

The below job summary and responsibilities reflect the staff engineer level role. The successfully chosen candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with their skills and experience as different skills and/or experience will be required at the entry, senior and principal engineer levels. We are seeking a dedicated and skilled engineer to join our DER Integration team. This team is responsible for evaluating requests to connect distributed generation to the distribution system. Our primary focus is on assessing the impact on reliability and safety and determining the best methods for safe and reliable interconnection. The team collaborates closely with various internal engineering stakeholders, including area engineers, planning, integrated system planning, substation engineering, and the protection team. In this role, you will be one of four engineers based in Minnesota (preferably), supporting the NSP interconnection process. You will have specific geographic and milestone responsibilities, contributing your expertise to ensure the success of the interconnection projects. Position Summary Applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, a type of facility or equipment, or a program function. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects and interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long- term perspective, for desired results. May assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments. Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects. Essential Responsibilities Applies extensive technical expertise and has an understanding of the basic principles of other related disciplines. Fully demonstrates the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level by applying technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to lead projects of moderate to large size, scope and complexity. Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards. Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.) Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory. Provides field engineering oversight and direction for activities such as support, testing, installation, inspections, commissioning etc. Coordinates/leads multiple projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement, installation and commissioning). May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact in the bid/evaluation processes including preparation of bid documents, completion of technical evaluations for proposals and providing recommendations for selection. Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination with internal and external organizations. Effectively and with precision resolves difficult technical/business matters both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors with all formats of communication. May assign tasks to and/or direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and other support staff including coordination and review of work assignments. Provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies. Leads activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.

Entry Engineer Level (Salary Range: $70,000-86,667)

• Minimum Requirements Required bachelor's degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum; electrical engineering degree preferred or mechanical engineering degree with relevant engineering experience.
• 0+ years relevant engineering experience.
• Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
• Preferred EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) preferred.

Staff Engineer Level (Salary Range: $81,800-$106,267)

• Minimum Requirements Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited, electrical engineering degree preferred or mechanical engineering degree with relevant engineering experience.
• 2+year's relevant engineering experience.
• Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.
• Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
• EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred.

Senior Engineer Level (Salary Range: $97,000-$129,267)

• Minimum Requirements Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred or mechanical engineering degree with relevant engineering experience.
• 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.
• Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need.

Principal Engineer (Salary Range: $112,000-$156,600)

• Minimum Requirements Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred or mechanical engineering degree with relevant engineering experience.
• 9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE.
• Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.

Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.

• Our Values Connected
• Committed
• Trustworthy
• Safe

Our Employee Commitments Work that makes a difference A team you can count of Opportunities to grow Rewards that help you thrive Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. Non-Bargaining The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $70,000.00 to $156,600.00 per year This position is eligible for the following benefits:

Benefits

• Annual Incentive Program
• Medical/Pharmacy Plan
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Health Care Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA)
• Transportation Reimbursement Account
• Short-term disability (STD)
• Long-term disability (LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Transit programs
• Employee recognition program
• Pension
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Holidays
• Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)
• Parental Leave

Deadline to Apply: 11/09/26

EEO is the Law (PDF) | Equal Opportunity Statement (PDF) | Employee Rights (PDF)

All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.

Accessibility Statement

Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.

You. Us. Together. At Xcel Energy, we're more than an energy company. We're reinventing how we power communities. Redefining how we care for customers. Reaffirming our commitment to the planet. We're committed to leading with equity and inclusion. You're not waiting for change – you're creating it. You're driven to protect the environment, support your community, and seek innovation. You want a career that grows with you and an employer who values you. You are reliable, trustworthy and bring integrity to everything you do. We are leading the way in clean energy. We're using technology and innovation in every facet of our company. We're providing safe, stable jobs with robust benefits. We keep our customers at the center of all we do. We're committed to hiring a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can provide carbon-free electricity by 2050. Together, we can take care of the environment and our communities. Together, we can create a place where everyone belongs. Together we're building a better tomorrow.