Senior Manager, Grid Modeling

Hansell Tierney; Washington; On-site; USD 165,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

401(k)

Job summary

Hansell Tierney is supporting our client, a mission-driven organization focusing on accelerating clean-energy technologies, in their search for a Senior Manager, Grid Modeling in the United States. The role centers on advancing grid modeling tools, data sources, and benchmarking with utilities and industry partners.

This senior leader will guide benchmarking efforts, prototype workflows with open-source tools, and manage external initiatives while engaging stakeholders across the energy

Qualifications

• 5+ years of transmission and/or distribution planning experience with utilities, ISO/RTO, or consultancies.

Responsibilities

• Benchmark grid modeling tools and data sources.
• Prototype analytical workflows using open-source tools.
• Oversee external grants, contracts, and initiatives.
• Collaborate with utilities and industry partners to adopt open-source planning workflows.
• Represent the organization in industry forums and working groups.
• Stay current on grid modeling tools, data sources, and CEII handling.

Skills

Power systems modeling

Program management

Stakeholder communication

Open-source collaboration

Python proficiency

Travel willingness

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

PowerFactory

PSS/E

TARA

PowerWorld

PSCAD

PowSyBl

Git/GitHub

PyPSA

GenX

Sienna

Job description

Hansell Tierney is supporting our client, a mission-driven organization focused on accelerating the development and deployment of clean-energy technologies, in their search for a Senior Manager, Grid Modeling.

Location: Candidates must be located in Washington State, California, Connecticut, Utah, New Hampshire, New York, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, or Texas.

Compensation Range: $165,000 - $175,000 annually, plus potential performance-based bonus.

Role Overview

The Senior Manager, Grid Modeling will help advance a growing initiative focused on improving electric system planning and accelerating the adoption of modern, transparent, and accessible grid modeling tools and data.

This role combines deep technical expertise in power systems planning and modeling with program leadership and external partner management. The Senior Manager will conduct hands‑on benchmarking of grid modeling tools and data sources, prototype analytical workflows, identify gaps between commercial and open‑source solutions, and help utilities, grid operators, consultancies, and other industry partners evaluate and adopt emerging modeling approaches.

The position will also help scope and oversee investments in external organizations advancing grid modeling tools, solvers, methodologies, and data. This is an opportunity for an experienced power systems practitioner to influence how planning tools and methodologies evolve across the broader energy ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct hands‑on benchmarking of grid modeling tools and data sources, including evaluating performance and capability gaps between leading commercial platforms and open‑source alternatives.
• Prototype analytical workflows using open‑source tools and publicly available grid data.
• Design benchmarking programs in partnership with external collaborators to evaluate modeling tools, solvers, methodologies, and data sources.
• Scope, monitor, and manage grants, contracts, and other externally executed technical initiatives, including defining deliverables, tracking milestones, and evaluating outcomes.
• Work with utilities, grid operators, consultancies, and other industry partners to pilot or transition planning workflows to open‑source tools.
• Identify technical, data, and workflow barriers preventing broader adoption of open‑source grid modeling solutions.
• Evaluate modeling tools, methodologies, and data requirements for assessing emerging grid technologies.
• Serve as a technical thought partner in evaluating external proposals, tools, data products, and methodologies.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure technical work is aligned with broader energy‑system priorities.
• Represent the organization in industry forums, working groups, and technical convenings related to grid modeling, benchmarking, and open‑source development.
• Stay current on emerging power system technologies, industry trends, modeling methodologies, and open‑source software development.

Required Qualifications

• At least 5 years of transmission and/or distribution planning and power systems modeling experience within a utility, ISO/RTO, or consulting organization supporting system operators.
• Hands‑on experience building, developing, and maintaining planning models, including underlying network, generator, and dynamic models.
• Experience conducting power system planning studies including:
• Steady‑state power flow
• Transient stability
• Short‑circuit analysis
• Electromagnetic transient (EMT) analysis
• Experience with PowerFactory and/or PSS®E.
• Experience with electric reliability and resource adequacy studies.
• Working knowledge of transmission, distribution, utility interconnection processes, and electrical infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of transmission and distribution modeling data, including data sources, pipelines, validation, interoperability, and the handling of Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII).
• Demonstrated project and program management skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple concurrent initiatives and oversee external partners or consultants.
• Strong relationship‑building skills across technical and non‑technical stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑moving, entrepreneurial, and evolving environment.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field. Equivalent practical experience and demonstrated expertise will also be considered.
• Knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards and transmission planning standards and forums.
• Familiarity with additional commercial grid modeling tools such as TARA, PowerWorld, and PSCAD.
• Experience with open‑source power system modeling tools such as PowSyBl.
• Experience using or contributing to collaborative open‑source software projects.
• Understanding of optimization solvers used in power systems and the trade‑offs between commercial and open‑source solutions.
• Python proficiency for power systems applications, including manipulating planning‑model data, running modeling tools, and prototyping analytical workflows.
• Experience working in version‑controlled environments such as Git/GitHub.
• Familiarity with open‑source capacity expansion or production cost modeling tools such as PyPSA, GenX, or Sienna.
• Experience with interconnection studies involving inverter‑based resources, including wind, solar, and utility‑scale battery systems.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and incorporate AI‑enabled tools into technical workflows.

The starting salary range for this position is $165,000 - $175,000 annually. Actual compensation within this range will depend on factors including experience, education, skills, relevant certifications, and other job‑related qualifications. The position may also be eligible for performance‑based bonus compensation.

The employer offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, paid time off and sick leave, and a 401(k) program for eligible employees. Specific benefit eligibility and plan details will be provided during the hiring process.

This Organization Participates in E-Verify

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security or Social Security Administration so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.