Senior Systems Architect

GE Vernova; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Retirement plan with 401(k)

Tuition assistance

Paid holidays

Discretionary annual bonus

Job summary

GE Vernova in Chicago seeks a Sr Systems Architect to translate complex customer needs into scalable power generation architectures, lead cross-functional teams, and shape technical strategy across the lifecycle.

You will own system requirements, drive verification plans, coordinate multiple engineering disciplines, and deliver high-availability energy solutions for utility-scale projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Power/Systems Engineering or related field.
• 12+ years in power generation, utility systems, EPC or related electrical infra.
• 7+ years in engineering with 3+ years in leadership overseeing multidisciplinary teams.
• 5+ years presenting technical solutions to executives and stakeholders.
• 5+ years managing complex technical initiatives across large projects.
• 7+ years in utility-scale power generation systems and grid interconnection.
• 5+ years applying IEEE/ANSI/IEC/NERC/FERC/NFPA standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and govern integrated power generation architectures aligned with performance and reliability.
• Lead inside-the-fence-line power assets including gas turbines, GSUs, HV/LV gear, substations, and BESS.
• Define system requirements, baselines, interfaces, and design standards.
• Define validation strategies, traceability, FAT/SAT, and commissioning milestones.
• Coordinate cross-disciplinary integration to maximize uptime and performance.
• Review power system studies for validation of architecture performance.
• Translate customer requirements into architecture and design specs.
• Lead risk identification, interface management, and integration planning.
• Serve as primary technical coordinator across GE Vernova units.
• Support business development with solution architectures and proposals.
• Develop reference architectures for data centers, microgrids, and utility campuses.
• Lead customer workshops and architecture reviews with executive recommendations.
• Ensure performance objectives and acceptance criteria are met.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor engineering teams.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Systems integration

Requirements tracing

Architecture definition

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering

Tools

IEEE standards

IEC 61850

MBSE

DCS/SCADA

Job description

Job Description Summary

Systems Engineering is the heartbeat of innovation—a high-stakes discipline where bold strategy meets technical precision. It transforms complex customer needs into high-performance realities, driving the entire lifecycle from initial concept to operational excellence.

As a Sr Systems Architect in this space, you aren't just managing processes; you are wielding the evaluative judgment and operational acumen to shape budgets, steer cross-functional teams, and influence the trajectory of the entire business. It is where vision, design, and impact converge to deliver world-class solutions.

Job Description

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop and govern integrated power generation system architectures from generator terminals through transmission interconnection facilities, ensuring alignment with customer performance, reliability, and operational objectives.

• Lead technical definition and integration of "inside-the-fence-line" power generation assets including gas turbines, generators, generator step-up transformers (GSUs), isolated phase bus systems, HV/LV electrical gear, substations, protection and control systems, STATCOMs, BESS, and auxiliary plant systems.

• Establish system requirements, architecture baselines, interface definitions, and design standards for complex power generation and industrial electrification projects.

• Partner with Systems Engineering teams to define solution validation strategies, requirements traceability, verification plans, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), commissioning milestones, and performance validation criteria.

• Lead equipment coordination and system integration activities between multiple engineering disciplines to ensure maximum uptime, operational resilience, maintainability, and system performance.

• Support and review power system studies including load flow, short circuit, grounding, protection coordination, transient stability, harmonics, and arc flash analyses to validate architecture performance.

• Translate customer requirements related to availability, reliability, SLA commitments, MTBF targets, and operational performance into electrical system architecture and design requirements.

• Lead technical risk identification, interface management, and integration planning activities throughout proposal development, engineering, construction, commissioning, and operational phases.

• Serve as the primary technical coordinator across GE Vernova business units including Consulting Services, Gas Power, Grid Solutions, Electrification, Product Management, Engineering, Commercial Operations, Services, and Digital organizations.

• Support business development activities by evaluating technical scope, defining solution architectures, assessing risks, and supporting customer presentations and proposal development activities.

• Develop and standardize reference architectures for repeatable customer applications including data centers, industrial facilities, microgrids, hybrid generation plants, and utility-scale power generation campuses.

• Lead customer-facing technical workshops and architecture reviews while providing executive-level recommendations regarding system design, reliability, and integration strategies.

• Support requirements validation and commissioning activities to ensure all system performance objectives and customer acceptance criteria are successfully achieved.

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across engineering teams while advancing systems engineering best practices throughout the organization.

• Coordinate cross-functional efforts to perform requirements testing, system validation, and integrated solution reviews while driving technical alignment across internal and external stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related engineering discipline.

• 12+ years of professional experience in power generation, electric utility systems, EPC projects, transmission and distribution engineering, or related electrical infrastructure functions.

• 7+ years of experience in engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity overseeing multidisciplinary teams. Proven track record of delivering high-value technical solutions for complex energy projects.

• 5+ years of experience presenting technical solutions, including at least 3 years of direct engagement with executive leadership, utility representatives, EPC contractors, and regulatory stakeholders.

• 5+ years of experience managing complex technical initiatives, with demonstrated success in at least 3 large-scale projects as an individual contributor, technical lead, or project manager.

• 7+ years of experience with utility-scale power generation systems, transmission and distribution equipment, and grid interconnection requirements.

• 5+ years of experience managing system requirements, interface control, and the execution of verification and validation (V&V) processes for complex engineering systems.

• 5+ years of experience applying and interpreting IEEE, ANSI, IEC, NERC, FERC, and NFPA standards in a professional environment.

• Ability and willingness to travel a minimum of 25% of the time, as required.

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline from an accredited university or college.

• Ability to lead, motivate, influence, and mentor individuals and engineering teams across multiple organizations.

• Direct experience with utility-scale power generation plants, data center power systems, industrial electrification projects, hybrid generation systems, or microgrid applications.

• Deep understanding of electrical selectivity, protective relay coordination, PLC/SCADA systems, DCS integration, and IEC 61850 architectures.

• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), requirements management tools, and systems validation methodologies.

• General understanding of technical regulatory standards, utility interconnection requirements, grid code compliance evaluation, testing, and reporting.

• Experience supporting commissioning, startup, operational readiness, and performance validation activities for power generation facilities.

• Demonstrated success developing and implementing reference architectures and repeatable technical solutions across multiple customer applications.

• Strong understanding of power plant reliability, maintainability, availability analysis, and lifecycle asset management principles.

Additional Information

GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights_10_20.pdf). Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).

Relocation Assistance Provided: No

Benefits

• Available benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to Health Coach from GE Vernova, a 24/7 nurse-based resource; and access to the Employee Assistance Program, providing 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services.
• Retirement benefits include the GE Vernova Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-advantaged 401(k) savings opportunity with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and financial planning consultants.
• Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability benefits, life insurance, 12 paid holidays, and permissive time off.
• Bonus eligibility: discretionary annual bonus.

This posting is expected to remain open for at least seven days after it was posted on September 04, 2026.

GE Vernova Inc. or its affiliates (collectively or individually, “GE Vernova”) sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs GE Vernova reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace, and modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a GE Vernova welfare benefit plan or program.

GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.