Engineer I, II, III, or Senior - Grid Planning

Alliant Energy Corp Serv Inc; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Volunteer opportunities

Job summary

Alliant Energy is seeking a Grid Planning engineer to determine where and how generation resources connect to the grid. You will influence reliability, growth, and the energy transition through planning studies across generation, transmission, and distribution.

Collaboration with engineers, internal teams, and partners is essential. You’ll work on moderately complex projects, build models, and support interconnection agreements while applying power system analytics and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited program.

Responsibilities

• Determine where new wind, solar, gas, and storage resources connect to the grid.
• Lead planning studies and collaborate with internal teams and partners.
• Develop scopes of work, cost estimates, sequencing, and prioritization for projects.

Skills

Cost Optimization

Data Analysis

Feasibility Studies

Grid Interconnection Studies

Power Engineering

Power Flow Modeling

Power Systems Planning

Short Circuit Analysis

Standards Compliance

Transient Analysis

Education

ABET-accredited Engineering Degree

Job description

Bring YOUR energy to Alliant Energy! At Alliant Energy, our purpose is to serve customers and build stronger communities. We are passionate about powering beyond the market challenges of today, while powering what's next in energy. When our employees say "I am energy", it means they take pride in the work we do when disaster strikes, as well as all the days in between. We want you to be safe, happy and healthy. That's why we prioritize safety, offer volunteer opportunities and provide competitive pay, comprehensive health and retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement and paid time off.

Job Summary

As a member of our Grid Planning team, you'll play a key role in determining where and how new generation resources, including wind, solar, battery storage, and natural gas, connect to the grid. From early-stage planning through MISO interconnection, you'll influence critical decisions that support reliability, system growth, and the energy transition. In this role, you’ll take on a mix of moderately complex to in-depth engineering work, supporting the planning, design, and development of systems across generation, transmission, and distribution. You’ll collaborate closely with internal teams and industry partners while contributing to high-impact projects. This role offers strong opportunities for continuous learning through hands‑on involvement in grid planning studies, exposure to emerging technologies, and collaboration with experienced engineers and industry stakeholders.

What you will do

• Follows safety rules and practices to identify and correct unsafe conditions for self and team.
• Strives to identify problems and solutions and makes safety suggestions to assist in maintaining a safe work environment, uses tools and standards to design safety in operating and maintaining equipment.
• Maintains an awareness of customer needs and expectations and proposes solutions.
• Is proactively involved in the identification and solution of problems falling within assigned area of responsibility.
• Maintains communication and relationships with employees, business unit stakeholders, and contractors.
• Comfortable discussing technical issues with others from non-technical backgrounds.
• Applies regulatory and organizational engineering standards; makes recommendations for changing processes and procedures.
• Facilitates meetings and lead discussions with stakeholders in support of system studies with limited guidance provided.
• Uses critical thinking skills necessary in the interpretation of governmental regulations, regional or company business practices and the development of recommendations to address system issues or Planning Criteria violations.
• Understands risk assessment methodologies or philosophies applying technical knowledge.
• Makes lot-to-medium risk decisions with limited guidance provided.
• Learns the difference between departmental team and cross functional team.
• Participates as a key team member making positive, supportive contributions addressing moderately complex technical or operational problems.
• Actively participates in departmental budgeting and planning processes.
• Oversees multi-year plan and develops moderately complex scopes of work with cost estimate, sequencing, and prioritization with limited guidance provided.
• Understands the property unit catalog and determining the classification between capital investment projects and O&M spend work.
• Understands system modeling methodologies and software with limited support.
• Able to build moderately complex models and perform power flow studies or analysis.
• Develops understanding of interconnection agreements or other relevant agreement language, terminology, and technical requirements.
• Able to support modifications to existing or development of new agreements including cost sharing with limited guidance.
• Understands the tools, data, and process for supporting moderately complex technical reviews and studies related to distribution energy resource interconnection applications with limited guidance provided.
• Understands and applies power quality concepts with limited guidance provided.
• Engages in other duties as needed that support Alliant Energy's Values and helps deliver on our Purpose to serve customers and build stronger communities.

Requirements

• Engineer I: Bachelor's Degree Engineering program that is accredited through the Engineering Accreditation Commission Required
• Engineer II: 2 years of related experience and Bachelor's Degree Engineering program that is accredited through the Engineering Accreditation Commission Required
• Engineer III: 5 years of related experience and Bachelor's Degree Engineering program that is accredited through the Engineering Accreditation Commission Required
• Senior Engineer: 7 years of related experience and Bachelor's Degree Engineering program that is accredited through the Engineering Accreditation Commission Required

Key Skills

• Cost Optimization
• Data Analysis
• Feasibility Studies
• Grid Interconnection Studies
• Power Engineering
• Power Flow Analysis and Modeling
• Power Systems Performance Monitoring
• Power Systems Planning
• Short Circuit Simulation and Analysis
• Standards Compliance
• Transient Analysis

Alliant Energy offers a comprehensive total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefit programs. Information on these benefit programs is available on our Careers site.

Pay Range

Pay Range: This position is eligible to participate in the annual incentive program. The final salary offered will generally fall within this range and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to the responsibilities of the position, experience, skill set, internal pay equity and other relevant qualifications of the applicant.

Live Safety. Everyone. Always | Make Things Better | Care For Others | Do The Right Thing | Act For Tomorrow | Think Beyond. Be Bold Alliant Energy and its subsidiaries are committed to creating a culture of belonging and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All candidates selected for employment with Alliant Energy will be required to successfully complete a background check, and a drug screen where applicable.

Visa sponsorship not supported.

Disclaimer: The above information on this description has been crafted to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not crafted to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Applicants in need of a reasonable accommodation for any part of the hiring process, please email [e-mail].

It's an exciting time to join Alliant Energy! We focus on creating a culture of belonging. We want everyone to bring their unique perspectives and experiences and be themselves. This helps us all contribute to solving the energy challenges facing our region. It starts at an individual level, with every employee asking, "What makes me unique?" Leaders engage with their teams to ensure they have the tools to be successful in their careers. What you need to reach your goals may be different from what a co-worker needs. Everyone has a fair shot at success. A culture of belonging ensures that everyone contributes their unique perspective. This environment contributes to fresh thinking, innovative solutions and Powering What's Next for our customers. We strive for employee engagement and connection. We want our employees to have the opportunity to bring their whole selves to work.