Principal Electrical Engineer

NorthITE; Massachusetts; Remote; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Opportunity for travel

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

A renewable energy company is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead technical efforts in distributed solar and battery energy storage projects. This role requires deep expertise in electrical design, performance optimization, and grid compliance. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, 5+ years of experience, and a strong background in renewable energy projects, specifically in solar PV and energy storage systems. This position offers the chance to influence high-performance project delivery in a rapidly growing sector.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in electrical engineering for renewable energy.
• Professional Engineer (PE) certification preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in DG and commercial solar projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical authority on electrical engineering for solar projects.
• Review complex electrical designs and compliance.
• Collaborate with teams to optimize system configurations.

Skills

Advanced performance engineering

Technical communication

Problem-solving

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree or PhD

Tools

PVsyst

AutoCAD Electrical

Battery modeling software

Job description

Job Title: Principal Electrical Engineer

Location: Remote

Job Summary

The Principal Electrical Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader and subject matter expert for distributed generation (DG) and commercial solar + storage projects. This individual contributor role focuses on advanced electrical design, performance optimization, system integration, and technical oversight for rooftop, carport, ground-mount solar installations, and associated battery energy storage systems (BESS). Reporting to senior leadership, the Principal Engineer will provide deep expertise in solar PV engineering, energy modeling, BESS integration, and grid compliance to ensure high-performance, reliable, safe, and cost-effective project delivery while supporting rapid growth in distributed solar and storage.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead technical authority on electrical engineering for distributed solar and battery energy storage projects, including rooftop (commercial/industrial), carport, ground-mount PV systems, and co-located or standalone BESS.
• Review advanced performance engineering and energy modeling using PVsyst, conducting detailed simulations, shading analysis, loss modeling, sensitivity studies, yield optimization, and hybrid solar + storage performance assessments to inform project economics, financing, PPA terms, peak shaving, arbitrage opportunities, and operational expectations.
• Subject Matter Expert for any Interconnection related issues, processes and medium voltage.
• Review complex electrical designs, including system layouts, single-line diagrams, DC/AC configurations, interconnection strategies, grounding, protection coordination, inverter/BESS controls, energy management systems (EMS), and compliance with utility interconnection requirements.
• Provide expert technical guidance on power systems, inverters, transformers, battery technologies (e.g., lithium-ion), charge/discharge strategies, fire safety, thermal management, and grid services (e.g., frequency regulation, voltage support).
• Lead technical due diligence for project acquisitions, landowner consultations, developer partnerships, third-party engineering reviews, and BESS-specific risk assessments.
• Ensure all designs meet or exceed industry standards, codes (e.g., NEC, IEEE, UL 9540 for energy storage), NFPA guidelines, and state-specific regulations in key markets (e.g., MA, NJ, CA), including permitting for solar + storage hybrids.
• Collaborate closely with development, project management, procurement, construction, operations, and finance teams to resolve technical challenges, optimize system configurations, and maximize project value.
• Contribute to innovation by evaluating emerging technologies (e.g., advanced BESS chemistries, hybrid controls), refining internal engineering processes, and mentoring junior engineers on solar + storage best practices.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, interconnection applications, performance forecasts, safety analyses, and presentations for internal stakeholders, investors, utilities, and regulatory bodies.
• Stay current with advancements in solar PV, battery energy storage, grid integration, renewable energy policies, and market drivers (e.g., ITC for solar + storage) to drive strategic technical decisions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field; Master's degree or PhD preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) certification, with Massachusetts being the preferred but not required State.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in electrical engineering for renewable energy, with significant focus on solar PV and battery energy storage systems.
• Demonstrated deep expertise in DG and commercial solar projects, including hands‑on design and delivery of rooftop, carport, and ground‑mount systems, preferably with integrated or co‑located BESS.
• Advanced proficiency in performance engineering and energy modeling using PVsyst, with a track record of producing accurate, bankable yield assessments, hybrid solar + storage simulations, and optimization recommendations.
• Strong knowledge of power electronics, inverters, transformers, grounding/protection schemes, battery management systems (BMS), energy storage safety, and utility interconnection processes for solar + storage projects.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required (or ability to obtain reciprocity in multiple states).
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and technical communication skills, with the ability to explain complex solar + storage concepts to non‑technical stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel to project sites or partner locations as needed (up to 20%).

Preferred Skills

• Experience with PSCAD for power system dynamic simulations, transient analysis, and grid impact studies involving BESS.
• Familiarity with additional solar and storage tools (e.g., Helioscope, AutoCAD Electrical, battery modeling software like SAM or GridLAB‑D).
• Knowledge of U.S. renewable energy markets, federal/state incentives (e.g., ITC, MACRS for solar + storage), permitting processes, community solar/subscriber models, and grid services revenue streams.
• Prior experience in a solar developer or owner‑operator environment, particularly with C&I distributed solar + storage projects.
• Track record of technical leadership on multimillion‑dollar solar and battery storage portfolios.