Principal Engineer - Power System Modeling and Studies

ZipRecruiter; Glen Allen (VA); Remote; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the energy sector is seeking a Senior Energy Technology Engineer II to drive client engagement and contribute to innovative power systems studies. This role requires extensive expertise in transmission planning, a strong client focus, and leadership abilities. The ideal candidate will be passionate about advancing energy solutions and making a significant impact through collaborative efforts.

Benefits

Flexible work schedule

Work from home

Competitive compensation and benefits

Good work-life balance

Qualifications

• 7+ years' experience in electrical engineering, focusing on transmission planning.
• Proven experience in power system simulation and modeling tools essential.
• Strong track record of relationship building within the electric utility sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced power systems studies and client development in energy sector.
• Conduct transmission planning reliability studies and assessments.
• Mentor and lead team members in engineering practices and methodologies.

Skills

Power system simulation

Transmission planning

Client relationship building

Leadership

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree

Tools

PSSE

TARA

PowerWorld

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

About Simple Thread:

Simple Thread stands at the intersection of software engineering and energy innovation, committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that streamline workflows and enhance processes within the power and energy industries. As we continue to grow, we are looking for a forward-thinking Senior Energy Technology Engineer II to join our team. This role is pivotal in driving our growth, both in acquiring top talent and building strong client relationships, while also contributing to critical study work that underpins our success.

Position Overview:

Reporting to the Director of Energy Technology, the Senior Energy Technology Engineer II will play a key role in expanding Simple Thread’s service portfolio. This individual will bring deep expertise in transmission planning and interconnection studies, with a strong focus on client engagement and team building. As a leader within our organization, you will be responsible for expanding our customer base, identifying and recruiting top talent, keeping us on the cutting edge in this area, and helping to ensure that power systems studies are executed successfully. The engineer is expected to contribute towards the successful completion of a range of consulting projects focused on power system planning studies involving Steady-State, Short Circuit and Dynamic Stability, Generator and Renewables Interconnections, Power System Economics, Market Analysis, and Grid Resilience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and Conduct Advanced Power Systems Studies: Perform transmission planning reliability studies and interconnection including system impact, feasibility, and deliverability assessments, delivering high-quality analyses that meet client needs.
• Execute Advanced Power Systems Modeling: Build and validate high-quality power system models for reliability and injection analyses.
• Client Development: Proactively seek out and cultivate new client relationships within the power and energy sectors, leveraging your expertise to position Simple Thread as a trusted partner.
• Serve as a Technical Expert: Provide expert guidance on power systems studies across multiple RTO/ISO markets, including PJM, MISO, SPP, ERCOT, and TVA ensuring accuracy and reliability in all deliverables and adherence to the regulatory and technical requirements.
• Support Business Growth: Collaborate with the leadership team to develop and implement strategies for expanding our consulting services, including identifying emerging needs and new market opportunities and service offerings.
• Engage with Stakeholders: Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including utilities, RTOs, project developers, and regulatory bodies, to advocate for and advance Simple Thread’s projects.
• Innovate and Improve: Lead the development of innovative methodologies and tools that enhance power systems analysis and streamline processes for both internal and client use.
• Mentor and Lead: Guide and instruct team members using a strong technical understanding of (including IBR), transmission, interconnection, customer and load, and modeling principles.
• Promote Automation and Digitization: Drive innovation by researching and implementing new techniques and methodologies to enhance power system analysis and planning, in line with Simple Thread’s vision for the future.
• Establish and Standardize Practices: Lead the development of internal training programs and the creation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for power system studies and modeling. Ensure that best practices are documented and consistently applied across all projects, contributing to the creation of a robust internal knowledge base.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field; a Master’s degree is .
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in electrical engineering, with a focus on transmission planning and interconnection studies, preferably within a consulting or utility environment.
• Proven experience in power system simulation and modeling tools (PSSE, TARA, PSLF, PowerWorld) is essential.
• Familiarity with PowerGEM TARA's standard and add-on modules such as PJM GD, MISO RIST, and CAISO GD.
• Strong track record of relationship building within the electric utility sector.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with experience in building and managing high-performing engineering teams.
• Proven track record of working in or with RTO/ISO markets (PJM, MISO, SPP, ERCOT, TVA, etc.), providing expert analysis and insights for transmission and interconnection projects.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts to a diverse audience.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and a passion for driving innovation in the energy sector.
• Exceptional organizational skills, capable of juggling multiple projects and adapting to changing priorities.
• Excellent communication abilities, with the skill to distill complex engineering analyses into clear, actionable insights.
• Ability to successfully lead strategic initiatives in a fast-paced and challenging team-based multi-stakeholder environment.
• Eagerness to work in a remote-first work culture.
• Willingness to travel nationwide up to 25% for client engagements and business development activities.

Nice to Have Qualifications:

• Background and experience conducting dynamic transient stability and Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) studies.
• Familiarity with dynamic and EMT simulation tools such as PSSE, PSCAD, and EMTP.
• Familiarity with IBR (Inverter-Based Resource) modeling and study principles.

Join Us:

Simple Thread offers an opportunity to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the energy industry. We are looking for someone who shares our passion for making a difference and is ready to tackle the challenges of integrating software solutions with energy systems. If you’re passionate about power systems, driven by growth, and eager to make an impact, we want to hear from you.

What We Offer

A Great Team – Our team is the best part of working here. We only hire people who are fantastic teammates – competent and smart, sure, but also humble, positive, and generous.

Great Clients – We work with mostly small and medium clients, for whom our projects make a huge impact. We prioritize clients who are pleasant and good to work with, people who share our values of transparency and empathy.

Work From Home – We are a distributed company. Everyone works from home.

Flexible Work Schedule – We require a certain amount of overlap with the rest of the team, but if you have a predictable schedule, we can probably support it, e.g., ending at 3:30 every day or being out every Friday morning.

Good Work Life Balance (really) – We ask our team to work 40 hours a week*. That’s all: a good, productive 40 hours. And then we try our best to leave you alone off the clock. We do this in part because that’s how we want to live but also because we want our team to be recharged and ready to do their best when working. *If you need to work fewer than 40 hours, that might be possible too; let’s talk.

Competitive Compensation – We offer highly competitive salary and benefits, including generous time off, 401k, FSA, medical and dental insurance

Simple Thread values in all of its forms, and we hire the best person we can for each role, no matter your personal background. Research tells us that applicants who are or non-binary, as well as applicants who are people of , are less likely to apply for roles they do not feel 100% qualified for. If you think you meet more than 50% of our requirements but fewer than 100% of them, please apply. We’re imperfect communicators, so think of our job postings as the starting point for discussion rather than proof that you shouldn’t apply.

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