Power Systems Engineer, Microgrids

Intersect; United States; Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellness coverage

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

Equity grant

Food stipend $150 monthly

Job summary

Intersect is seeking a Microgrid Engineer to design and validate high‑performance control systems powering gigawatt‑scale data center loads. You’ll apply EMT and dynamic power system theory, build models, and validate controller behavior across normal and contingency conditions.

You’ll collaborate with controls, electrical design, suppliers, and utility operators, and contribute to SIL/HIL testing and field verification to ensure reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering with emphasis in power or control systems.
• 4–8+ years EMT and dynamic power system studies for microgrids, islanded or weak-grid environments.
• Hands-on PSCAD experience; familiarity with Simulink/Modelica and real-time methods (SIL/HIL).
• Knowledge of inverter modes (grid-forming, grid-following, droop).
• Understanding ERCOT interconnection/market requirements for grid-interactive studies.

Responsibilities

• Model and simulate EMT and dynamic microgrid dynamics for loads, controls, and generation assets.
• Validate system stability and performance under contingency, grid disturbances and interconnection contexts.
• Collaborate with engineering teams and suppliers to incorporate insights into design decisions.
• Support SIL/HIL testing, site validation planning, and post-event data review to improve fidelity.

Skills

Collaborative

Detail-oriented

Curiosity

Persistence

Education

M.S. or PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PSCAD

Simulink

Modelica

SIL

HIL

Job description

We’re a team of friends bound together by a mission to preserve our planet for future generations through innovative energy solutions and modern infrastructure. Intersect develops, constructs, and operates the most ambitious power and data center infrastructure in the country by co‑locating industrial demand with dedicated gas and renewable power generation.

Intersect was acquired by Google in March 2026 and operates as an independent subsidiary. We are developing and constructing multiple gigawatts of energy and data center projects in the U.S., enabling more data center and generation capacity to come online faster. We’re on an aggressive growth trajectory and looking for people hungry to tackle the largest energy challenges on the planet.

Location & Team Gatherings

Intersect has been a fully flexible workplace since its founding in 2016. We’ve been very intentional about the way we do things. We are not work‑from‑home, hybrid, or in‑office – we are any and all of those options! Deepening social connections and offering shared experiences is a cornerstone of the way we work. We connect as a team at our Team Week experiences four times a year and at our recently established Hub locations – SF Bay Area, NYC Metro Area, NY; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; Calgary, AB; and Toronto, ON.

We are currently looking for candidates located within 60 miles of any of the listed hubs to foster more in‑person connections while maintaining our flexible remote culture.

About This Role

As part of Intersect’s Microgrid Engineering team, you’ll apply advanced power system theory, simulation expertise, and real‑world engineering judgment to design and validate high‑performance microgrid control systems. You’ll partner closely with controls engineers, electrical design teams, external suppliers, and utility operators to develop fit‑for‑purpose power system models and validate controller behavior across both normal and contingency conditions. Your work will help prove what’s possible supporting microgrids that reliably power gigawatts of critical datacenter load at unprecedented scale.

Team Overview

This team plays a critical role in advancing Intersect’s mission to accelerate the clean energy transition, supporting large‑scale infrastructure that delivers reliable, cost‑effective power. The Microgrid Engineering team collaborates across engineering, controls, and external partners to design, test, and validate systems that operate under complex and demanding conditions. Joining this team means contributing to high‑impact projects while growing your technical depth alongside experienced engineers tackling some of the industry’s most challenging power system problems.

What You’ll Do

• Model and Simulate Microgrid Dynamics
  • Build and oversee the development of detailed EMT and dynamic models representing loads, supervisory controls, protection schemes, and generation assets including batteries, wind, PV, reciprocating engines, and turbines.
  • Identify key system parameters from design documentation, requirements, and field data to ensure models accurately reflect real‑world behavior.
• Validate System Stability and Performance
  • Identify and simulate contingency events such as breaker trips, generator failures, and fault conditions to confirm system stability and performance.
  • For grid‑connected systems, simulate response to grid disturbances and assess compliance with interconnection agreements, model quality standards, and ancillary market requirements.
• Partner Across Engineering and Suppliers
  • Collaborate with adjacent engineering teams to understand system design, control logic, communication latencies, and protection schemes, feeding simulation insights back into design decisions.
  • Evaluate supplier documentation and models to characterize expected behavior and operational limitations of generation and storage assets.
• Support Testing, Optimization, and Field Validation
  • Assess design options by evaluating performance tradeoffs and long‑term cost impacts from a power system stability perspective.
  • Participate in Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SIL) and Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) testing, site validation planning, and performance verification.
  • Support post‑event analysis through field data review, model correlation, and model playback to continuously improve system fidelity.

What You’ll Bring

• M.S. or PhD in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in power systems or control systems.
• 4‑8+ years of experience performing EMT and dynamic power system studies for microgrids, islanded systems, or weak‑grid environments.
• Hands‑on experience with PSCAD or similar EMT tools; familiarity with Simulink or Modelica and real‑time simulation methodologies including SIL and HIL.
• Strong understanding of inverter operating modes such as grid‑forming, grid‑following, and droop control.
• Experience modeling dynamic loads, including large and fast‑changing datacenter loads, and assessing their impact on system stability.
• Familiarity with modeling communication delays, control system latencies, protection scheme interactions, and fault ride‑through behavior.
• Knowledge of utility interconnection and market requirements, particularly within ERCOT, that will help you succeed in grid‑interactive system studies.
• A collaborative, detail‑oriented work style with the curiosity and persistence needed to solve complex, system‑level engineering challenges.

Total Rewards

• Total Compensation: USD 105,000 – 195,000 (total compensation includes base salary + bonus)
• Health & wellness: 100% premium coverage for you and your dependents on medical, dental, and vision.
• Time to recharge: Unlimited PTO, plus two company‑wide breaks (Fourth of July & end of year).
• Family support: Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, plus 6 additional weeks for birth parents; access to family planning and family care support through Carrot and Maven.
• Mental health: Free access to Spring Health, including 5 free therapy and psychiatry sessions, plus a Headspace account for mindfulness and meditation through our physical health vendor, Wellhub+.
• Perks & extras: $150 monthly food stipend, $150 monthly reimbursement for cell phone and internet, pet insurance allowance, full home office setup, free access to UrbanSitter with $625 in quarterly company‑paid credits, ActiveHero, and One Medical.
• Equity: Beyond your salary, you’ll receive an Equity Grant, giving you a meaningful stake in our parent company.

Intersect maintains a work environment free from discrimination, one where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling Intersect’s commitment to equal employment opportunity. Intersect does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by and consistent with applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline.