Controls and Commissioning Engineer, BESS

About Sparkfund

Sparkfund is the deployment services company utilities rely on to take DERs from grid edge to grid core.

With over a decade of experience as a utility services company, Sparkfund has pioneered a smarter approach to deploying distributed assets as part of a fast-growing grid. Through its Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, Sparkfund enables utilities to plan, deploy, and dispatch DERs at the scale and pace necessary to meet load growth demand and unlock the full value of the grid. We support program design, assessment of DER grid value, host engagement, and value chain management to ensure on-time, on-budget deployment of distributed resources with maximum grid value and lowest cost.

With more than 3,500 projects deployed across 43 states and more than 300MW of energized assets constructed, Sparkfund is transforming buildings into a valuable extension of the grid for the benefit of our society.

Position Summary

As the Controls and Commissioning Engineer, you will serve as our senior expert for all SCADA, controls, and plant communications systems. You will play a pivotal, hands-on role in our deployment model by leading the integration and testing of BESS assets at our central integration and commissioning center. Your expertise is critical to de-risking projects before they reach the field, ensuring every system we deploy is fully functional, cybersecure, and integrates seamlessly with our utility partners' control platforms (DERMS/ADMS).

Location

While Sparkfund is a remote-first company, with a digital workplace built around emerging hub-offices, this role is required to be in/around our Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC hubs area. Candidates must be within commuting distance, or open to relocating, to be considered for this role. Company subsidized relocation is available for this role and will be covered by the recruiter.

Key Responsibilities

- Technical Leadership

: Serve as the senior subject matter expert for all SCADA and plant controls systems, including equipment, network architecture, data interfaces, and cybersecurity.

- System Integration

: Lead technical communications with utility system operators and planners to define requirements for BESS controls, commissioning, and DERMS integration.

- Testing and Validation

: Develop and execute detailed Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and Site Acceptance Test (SAT) plans. Standardize testing protocols for our integration center to simulate utility dispatch signals and validate system performance, including full functional and alarm testing.

- Design and Specification

: Develop detailed design specifications for controls and communications architecture based on project agreements and regulatory requirements (ISO, NERC).

- Field Support

: Oversee on-site commissioning activities, act as the highest tier of support for troubleshooting complex controls issues, and ensure all systems meet design specifications before handoff.

- Continuous Improvement

: Analyze performance data to baseline and improve control algorithms and equipment performance. Stay current with industry innovations to enhance plant reliability.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.

- 5+ years of BESS or power generation controls experience, including project work across the design, implementation, and commissioning phases of multiple projects.

- Utility-scale Power Generation controls experience is highly desired.

- Demonstrated technical proficiency with battery energy storage systems on commercial and/or industrial-scale projects with front-of-meter interconnections.

- Experience with BESS dispatch and monitoring communication systems, including utility SCADA, ADMS, and/or DERMS.

- Understanding of network security protocols and cybersecurity standards.

- Experience with the integration of Energy Storage Systems with utility controls systems.

- Thorough understanding or the ability to rapidly gain an applications-based understanding of BESS-specific codes and safety standards such as NFPA 855, IEEE 1547, UL 1741, and UL 9540.

- Experience modeling energy storage systems dispatch and operation in HOMER, Xendee, or similar software tools.

- Past experience working as an electrical engineer at a consulting engineering company performing detailed electrical power engineering analysis.

- Relevant technology-specific professional certifications, such as the NABCEP Energy Storage Installation Professional (ESIP) or similar.

Benefits

For full-time positions:

- Competitive compensation and stock option plans - we believe in shared ownership.

- The anticipated salary range for this position is between $100,000 - $130,000 per year.

- Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as disability and life insurance.

- Flexible vacation policy encouraging strong work life balance and paid time away. We also observe all federal holidays.

- Alternating 4 day weeks, with every other Friday off.

- 12 weeks gender-neutral paid leave for caregivers when they have a new addition to their families and an additional 4 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents.

- A one-time, work-from-home stipend to help cover any equipment, hardware, etc. you need to set up your remote office.

- A monthly allowance of $100 to help cover phone and WiFi expenses.

We Want You To Know

You can be a great candidate even if you don't fit everything we've described above. You can also have important skills we haven't thought of. If that's you, don't hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We are dedicated to environmental stewardship, and recognize we need diverse perspectives to successfully tackle this massive challenge. To change the world, we must first change ourselves, which is why Sparkfund has created a space that sources viewpoints from people who look and think differently.

We are committed to diversity and building an equitable and inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and experiences, and we're taking steps to meet that commitment. Sparkfund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Sparkfund will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with federal, state, and local legal requirements.