Sr. or Principal Engineer, HV Engineering

avantus; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Medical and dental plan

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Avantus is seeking a Principal Engineer, HV Engineering to lead high‑voltage design and interconnection activities for projects up to 500 kV across CA. You will guide design standards, manage Owner's Engineers, and coordinate with utilities and EPC partners.

You bring 10+ years in HV engineering, substations and transmission, strong project management and stakeholder skills, and a PE license preferred. This role reports to the VP of Design & Cost Engineering.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of HV engineering experience including substations, transmission lines, or utility-scale projects.
• Experience with substations, switchyards, transmission lines, and interconnections up to 500 kV.
• Experience managing multiple engineering firms, Owner's Engineers, EPC contractors, utilities, and vendors.
• Strong knowledge of IEEE, NESC, NFPA, IEC, and interconnection requirements.
• Excellent project management, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for HV engineering activities across all project phases for facilities up to 500 kV.
• Establish and maintain design standards and infrastructure strategies for shared HV facilities.
• Act as technical interface with utilities, EPC contractors, and vendors; coordinate RFIs and interconnections.
• Lead design, routing, siting, and interconnection activities for transmission lines and tie lines.
• Support HV estimating, cost engineering, value engineering, and procurement planning.

Skills

HV engineering

Substations & transmission

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related engineering discipline

Job description

ABOUT AVANTUS

Avantus develops, owns and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. Our development pipeline of solar with integrated storage will generate enough dispatchable power to serve more than 10 million Americans, day and night. Backed by strategic investment from KKR and EIG, and building on more than a decade of industry leadership, Avantus is growing its position as an independent power producer, delivering affordable, reliable clean energy solutions to meet America's growing energy demand.

ABOUT THE POSITION

We are seeking a highly motivative and organized candidate for the Principal Engineer, HV Engineering. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound industry knowledge, superior communications, and detail-oriented organizational skills. This role reports to our Vice President, Design & Cost Engineering.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical leadership for high-voltage engineering activities, including design basis development, shared infrastructure strategies, and review and approval of engineering deliverables through all project phases for facilities up to 500kV.
• Establish and maintain design standards and long-term infrastructure strategies for shared high-voltage facilities supporting multi-phase developments.
• Act as the Owner's technical representative and primary technical interface with utilities, EPC contractors, engineering consultants, Owner's Engineers, equipment vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Support utility interconnection requirements, RFIs, technical reviews, power system studies, and utility approvals throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead routing, siting, and design activities for transmission lines, generation tie lines, and interconnection facilities.
• Manage and coordinate Owner's Engineers, engineering firms, specialty consultants, and design contractors.
• Provide technical oversight of owner-furnished HV equipment including transformers, breakers, reactors, protection and control systems.
• Support telecommunications, SCADA, protection, control, and communications architecture coordination.
• Support HV estimating, cost engineering, value engineering, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Review project schedules, engineering deliverables, procurement strategies, equipment delivery plans, and execution plans.
• Identify and mitigate technical, schedule, procurement, cost, constructability, utility, execution, and operational risks.
• Drive collaboration across Optimization, Development, Land, Permitting, Legal, Procurement, Construction, Asset Management, Operations Technology, EPC contractors, utilities, and consultants.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICAT IONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in HV engineering, substations, transmission systems, or utility-scale renewable energy projects.
• Extensive experience with substations, switchyards, transmission lines, generation tie lines, and utility interconnections up to 500kV.
• Experience supporting utility-scale solar, BESS, hybrid energy, or large-scale power infrastructure projects.
• Experience managing owner-furnished HV equipment including transformers, breakers, reactors, and protection systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple engineering firms, Owner's Engineers, EPC contractors, utilities, equipment vendors, and technical stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of IEEE, NESC, NFPA, IEC, utility standards, and interconnection requirements.
• Strong project management, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

NICE TO HAVES

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Advanced degree
• Experience with CAISO, PG&E, SCE, NV Energy, or other utility interconnection processes.
• Experience supporting telecom, SCADA, protection and controls.
• Experience supporting construction, commissioning, and energization activities.

Avantus offers competitive compensation with an excellent benefits package, including 401(k) matching ; comprehensive medical and dental plan options; and flexible PTO. We are an equal-opportunity employer.

The base salary range for this full-time position is listed below (plus bonus and benefits). Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position in California. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work