Principal, Grid Interconnection

Electric Reliability Council of Texas; Taylor (TX); On-site; USD 182,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) seeks a senior interconnection analysis expert to drive advanced studies for grid reliability. You will mentor engineers, lead cross‑functional projects, and shape modeling requirements for large interconnections, including evolving technologies.

On-site Taylor, TX with 2 days per week minimum; remote work available from Texas residences. You will engage with senior customers and industry groups, influencing policies and standards while

Qualifications

• Requires minimum 10 years of experience in Wholesale-Electric Systems Operations, Transmission Planning, System Operations, Grid Operations, Interconnection Studies, or Power System Modeling.
• Prior experience supervising or leading a team or project is required; experience performing interconnection evaluation event analysis and dynamic models is preferred.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (Required); Master’s Degree preferred or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Recognized as a subject matter expert with advanced technical skills for interconnection studies and system analysis.
• Lead and mentor engineers; provide program/project leadership within matrixed teams.
• Develop methodologies and modeling requirements for interconnection studies, including large loads and new generation interconnections.
• Represent ERCOT in external technical forums and contribute to industry publications and reports.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Team leadership

Interconnection studies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Professional Engineer (PE) certification

Job description

Overview

At ERCOT, our diverse and dynamic work environment provides a platform on which employees can work together to build the future of the Texas power grid and wholesale market utilizing the latest technologies and resources. We encourage you to join our talented, dedicated workforce to develop world-class solutions for today and tomorrow’s energy challenges while learning new skills and growing your career. ERCOT is committed to fostering inclusion at all levels of our company. It is the cornerstone of our corporate values of accountability, leadership, innovation, trust, and expertise. We know that individuals with a wide variety of talents, ideas, and experiences propel the innovation that drives our success. An inclusive and diverse workforce strengthens us and allows for a collaborative environment to solve the challenges that face our industry today and in the future.

Responsibilities may include: Creates and communicates a vision that anticipates, identifies, and explains challenges and opportunities in ERCOT’s grid interconnection, including Large Load interconnection. Develops approaches, processes, and engineering solutions that increase ERCOT’s capabilities in evaluating system performance, integrating emerging technologies, and ensuring system reliability. Exerts enterprise-wide technical influence through advanced problem-solving and subject matter expertise.

Responsibilities

• Recognized as a subject matter expert with advanced technical skills and competencies; frequently contributes to the development of new theories and methods.
• Employs highly developed problem-resolution skills using professional concepts and ERCOT objectives to resolve complex issues.
• Exercises significant latitude in determining objectives, methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for assignments.
• Advises and leads work of lower-level engineers and provides program/project leadership within matrixed teams.
• Interacts with management and senior customers on matters requiring coordination across organizational boundaries.
• Develops methodologies, criteria, and modeling expectations for evaluating Generation Resource and Large Load interconnections, including modeling requirements for synchronous machines, inverter-based resources, and large industrial loads.
• Leads the technical development of new processes to enable the interconnection of large flexible loads and large loads co-located with new generation.
• Develops and proposes new rules, guidelines, study practices, and modeling requirements for emerging technologies—including battery energy storage systems, hybrid resources, distributed generation, and large flexible loads—and supports Protocol and Guide Revision Requests through the ERCOT stakeholder process.
• Represents ERCOT in external technical forums, conferences, NERC groups, IEEE working groups, and ISO/RTO collaboration efforts by providing expertise on interconnection practices, system performance, stability criteria, and emerging technology impacts.
• Publishes conceptual papers, study methodology documents, and technical reports that advance industry understanding of interconnection studies, system analysis techniques, and modeling of emerging technologies.
• Mentors ERCOT engineers in advanced interconnection analysis techniques and provides coaching on interpretation of complex technical results and the development of high-quality engineering reports.
• Provides technical guidance to leadership on complex interconnection and system analysis issues, including evaluation of reliability risks, operational impacts, and long-term implications of new technologies or system trends.
• Provides technical guidance to leadership on the uses of AI for improving Interconnection processes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• REQUIRED EXPERIENCE Requires minimum 10 years of job-related experience in Wholesale-Electric Systems Operations, Transmission Planning, System Operations, Grid Operations, Interconnection Studies, or Power System Modeling; prior experience supervising or leading a team or project is required; experience performing interconnection evaluation event analysis and dynamic models is preferred.
• PREFERRED EXPERIENCE Experience with the ERCOT stakeholder process; experience with stability analysis; experience presenting at industry conferences; participation in industry groups such as NERC, IEEE, etc.

Education and Certification

• Education Bachelor’s Degree: Electrical Engineering or related field (Required); Master’s Degree: Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, or related field (Preferred) or a combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge to a major in such fields is required.
• Certification PE – Professional Engineer (Preferred)

Work Location and Arrangement

Work Location – Taylor, TX: Employees will be required to be on-site in Taylor, TX at a minimum of 2 days per week, or more, as needed based on the business needs as determined by management. Remote work is required to be performed from your Texas residence. Employees may opt to work on-site more than required or 100% of the time.

Additional Information

The foregoing description reflects the minimum qualifications and the essential functions of the position that must be performed proficiently with or without reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. It is not an exhaustive list of the duties expected to be performed, and management may, at its discretion, revise or require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. This job description is not intended to create a contract of employment with ERCOT. Both ERCOT and the employee may exercise their employment-at-will rights at any time.

EEO Statement ERCOT is firmly committed to equal employment for all qualified persons without regard to race, sex, medical condition, religion, age, creed, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, ancestry, veteran status, genetic information or any other protected category under federal, state or local law.

Salary and Benefits

Expected Salary Range: $182,000 - $251,000

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) offers an excellent benefits package, which includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, long/short-term disability insurance, long-term care insurance, Section 125 Flexible Spending Account, and a Retirement Savings Plan. Full-time employees are eligible to enroll in benefits on the first of the month following the date of hire. 401(k) plans are available to help employees plan for the future.

Programs and Opportunities

The ERCOT Internship Program, Engineer Development Program (EDP), GMS Development Program (GDP), and System Operator Development Program (ODP) provide professional learning experiences and mentoring for students and early-career engineers with varying focus areas in grid operations, power systems, and interconnection studies.