Microgrid Control Systems Design Engineer

Delta Electronics Americas; United States; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Delta Electronics Americas is seeking a skilled professional for the role of Microgrid Control Engineer. This position involves the design of supervisory control strategies for utility-grade microgrids, focusing on EMS optimization and real-time control. Candidates should possess a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering along with extensive experience in microgrid controls and strong problem-solving skills. The role will require collaboration across diverse engineering teams and may involve travel. Competitive compensation and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 3–8+ years of experience in microgrid controls, EMS, real-time control design.
• Strong understanding of inverter-based resources and dynamic control concepts.
• Experience defining command arbitration models across various systems.

Responsibilities

• Design EMS optimization algorithms for microgrid control.
• Implement real-time control algorithms for various operating modes.
• Collaborate with protection engineers for validation of control logic.

Skills

Microgrid control design

Protection coordination

Real-time control

Analytical problem-solving

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Role Summary

Responsible for the end-to-end design of supervisory (EMS), real-time control, and protection-coordinated control strategies for utility-grade and hyperscale microgrids. This role translates business, reliability, resilience, and compliance objectives into deployable control functions, while ensuring stable dynamic performance, clear command authority boundaries, and safe operation aligned with the site protection philosophy across grid-connected and islanded modes.

Primary Outcomes

• Stable grid-connected, islanded, transition, resynchronization, and black-start operation with protection-aware control limits
• Clear authority/arbitration model across EMS, real-time controller, SCADA/operator commands, unit controllers, and protection relays
• Demonstrable compliance with IEEE 1547, utility interconnection requirements, and site‑specific operating/protection philosophy
• Traceable validation evidence via SIL/HIL (e.g., RTDS), FAT/SAT, commissioning, and utility/customer witness testing

Key Responsibilities

EMS Optimization & Supervisory Control Design

• Design EMS optimization algorithms (economic dispatch, reserve management, resilience planning, emissions objectives, and degradation‑aware operation)
• Implement day‑ahead, intraday, and rolling‑horizon optimization with robust fallback strategies and operator override handling
• Translate EMS schedules and setpoints into supervisory control intents that respect real‑time stability, ramp limits, and protection constraints
• Define EMS constraints and feasibility checks (asset limits, network limits, N‑1/contingency policies where applicable) and document assumptions
• Analyze operational performance, tune objectives/constraints, and drive continuous improvement of optimization outcomes

Real‑Time Control Design & Dynamic Performance

• Design and implement real‑time control algorithms for grid‑connected, islanded, transition, resynchronization, and black‑start operation
• Coordinate frequency, voltage, and active/reactive power objectives across PCS, BESS, generators, and DER assets (including inverter‑dominated behavior)
• Develop fast control loops, setpoint tracking, limit enforcement, and event‑response logic (e.g., load shedding, ride‑through support) aligned with protection systems
• Define and enforce command prioritization/arbitration between real‑time control, EMS intents, SCADA commands, and local unit control autonomy
• Support tuning and performance optimization across operating modes, including weak‑grid and disturbance recovery behavior

Protection Coordination & Protection‑Aware Control Constraints

• Design protection‑aware control limits, interlocks, and adaptive constraints aligned with relay behavior and unit controller protection functions
• Coordinate inverter‑based and traditional protection strategies for grid‑connected and islanded operation, including fault response and islanding detection
• Define authority boundaries between protection systems, real‑time controllers, and EMS to avoid unsafe command conflicts and ensure deterministic fault handling
• Collaborate with protection engineers to validate relay settings assumptions and evaluate protection–control interactions (selectivity, timing, and sensitivity)
• Document protection logic interactions, operating constraints, and recommended mitigations for known protection/control edge cases
• Define interface contracts and data models between EMS, real‑time control, protection relays, unit controllers, SCADA, and operator/HMI systems
• Specify command validation, sanity checks, and safety gating for setpoints and mode transitions across control layers
• Support integration planning including signal lists, latency/update requirements, event/alarm semantics, and time synchronization expectations
• Produce clear technical documentation for control logic, state machines, limits, operating modes, and interface behavior

Validation, Testing & Field Support

• Support SIL/HIL validation (including RTDS where applicable) with scenario‑based testing of transitions, black‑start, faults, and abnormal grid events
• Support FAT, SAT, commissioning, and utility/customer witness testing; provide troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis for field issues
• Create and maintain test procedures, acceptance criteria traceability, and closure evidence for defects and corrective actions

Typical Deliverables

• Control architecture and authority boundary definition (EMS vs real‑time vs protection vs SCADA)
• EMS optimization design notes (objectives, constraints, fallback strategies) and supervisory control intent mapping
• Real‑time control functional specifications (modes, transitions, loops, limits, event‑response sequences)
• Protection‑aware control constraint definitions and protection–control interaction narratives
• Interface Control Documents (ICDs), signal lists, and data model definitions
• SIL/HIL test plans, test cases, reports, and traceable verification evidence; FAT/SAT/commissioning support artifacts

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Controls, or related field
• 3–8+ years of experience in microgrid controls, EMS/supervisory control, real‑time control, and/or protection‑coordinated control design
• Strong understanding of inverter‑based resources, microgrid operating modes, and dynamic control concepts (frequency/voltage/power coordination)
• Working knowledge of protection concepts, protection philosophy, and protection–control coordination in microgrids and utility interconnections
• Experience defining command arbitration/authority models across EMS, real‑time control, SCADA/HMI, unit controllers, and protection relays
• Experience supporting SIL/HIL validation, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and cross‑functional integration activities
• Excellent documentation, analytical problem‑solving, and stakeholder communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience designing or deploying EMS optimization (economic dispatch, reserves, resilience, emissions, degradation‑aware operation)
• Experience with RTDS or comparable real‑time simulation/HIL environments for microgrid validation
• Experience with utility interconnection processes, IEEE 1547 compliance workflows, and site‑specific protection requirements
• Experience with data‑center/hyperscale microgrids and fast load‑step handling
• Scripting/automation skills (Python/MATLAB) for analysis, testing, and report generation

Additional Requirements

• Professional working proficiency in English; additional languages are a plus
• Ability to travel up to ~15%, including international travel as required
• Ability to work across cross‑functional and cross‑region engineering teams