Senior Engineer, Power Systems

Remote – United States

Sparkfund is looking for a Senior Engineer, Power Systems with deep experience in electric utility distribution systems, power systems analysis, and distributed energy resource (DER) interconnection to help advance the deployment of distributed energy infrastructure across multiple utility markets.

This is an opportunity for an experienced engineer who wants to work beyond the boundaries of a traditional utility environment. Rather than focusing on a single utility territory, you'll collaborate with utility partners, technology providers, and internal teams to solve complex engineering challenges and develop scalable approaches to grid integration.

As part of our Systems Engineering team, you'll serve as a technical expert supporting Sparkfund's Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) platform. You'll lead engineering work on assigned programs, from grid needs assessments and distribution system analysis through interconnection, protection coordination, and integration with utility operational systems.

This role combines hands-on engineering expertise with direct utility engagement. You'll work closely with utility planning, protection, and operations teams to address technical requirements, move interconnection reviews toward approval, and ensure that distributed energy assets can be safely and effectively integrated into the grid.

You'll also partner across Sparkfund with Commercialization, Program Management, and Project Delivery to support technical feasibility, program design, and successful deployment.

This is a senior individual contributor position reporting to the Director, Power Systems Engineering. The role requires a high degree of technical independence, sound engineering judgment, and the ability to navigate complex utility requirements while developing repeatable solutions that can be applied across markets.

Our values shape how we work, make decisions, and show up for our customers and each other. They are also part of how we evaluate success at Sparkfund.

We hold ourselves to high standards and continuously look for ways to improve.

In this role, Excellence means applying sound engineering judgment, maintaining technical accuracy, and delivering high-quality engineering work that meets utility requirements and industry standards. It also means continuously improving our technical approaches, solving complex problems, and developing scalable solutions that support reliable grid integration.

We take ownership, follow through on our commitments, and make thoughtful decisions with the long term in mind.

For this role, Stewardship means taking accountability for engineering decisions, recognizing the operational and financial impacts of technical recommendations, and balancing safety, reliability, cost, and deployment requirements. It also means building trust with utility partners and making decisions that support long-term grid performance and responsible use of resources.

We approach challenges constructively, assume positive intent, support one another, and bring solutions.

For this role, Positivity means approaching complex engineering and utility challenges with a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset. It means communicating technical concerns clearly and respectfully, working through differences in engineering approaches, and helping internal teams and utility partners find practical paths forward.

• Serve as a primary day-to-day engineering contact for utility distribution planning, protection, and interconnection teams on assigned programs.

• Lead technical discussions with utility partners to resolve engineering questions and advance interconnection reviews toward approval.

• Prepare and present engineering recommendations related to IEEE 1547-2018 compliance, protection coordination, effective grounding, and utility-specific technical requirements.

• Develop and review engineering deliverables, including single-line diagrams, site plans, preliminary protection settings, grounding calculations, commissioning plans, and conformity assessments.

• Evaluate utility interconnection processes and identify opportunities to streamline engineering reviews and approvals.

• Navigate technical requirements across different utilities, jurisdictions, and distribution systems.

• Conduct power-flow, short-circuit, and hosting-capacity analyses to assess distribution system capabilities and constraints.

• Evaluate feeders and substations to determine available capacity, site suitability, and potential infrastructure upgrade requirements.

• Support grid needs assessments, distribution planning studies, and locational value evaluations.

• Assess utility modeling tools, methodologies, and engineering capabilities to support DCP program development.

• Evaluate distribution system integration opportunities, including traditional infrastructure planning, non-wires alternatives, and DER interconnection.

• Evaluate utility operational technology capabilities, including DERMS, ADMS, SCADA, and distribution management systems.

• Develop controls and communications architectures that support DER dispatch, monitoring, telemetry, and grid integration.

• Define technical integration requirements, including communications pathways, site controller interfaces, and system interoperability.

• Develop network and communications architecture recommendations using protocols such as DNP3, SunSpec Modbus, and IEEE 2030.5.

• Support the development of operational technology integration roadmaps, including vendor evaluations, phased implementation approaches, and cybersecurity considerations.

• Collaborate with technology providers and equipment manufacturers to ensure battery energy storage and distributed generation solutions support utility requirements and scalable deployment.

• Partner with Commercialization, Program Management, and Project Delivery to evaluate technical feasibility and support program execution.

• Assess distributed energy opportunities involving front-of-the-meter, behind-the-meter, and across-the-meter applications.

• Contribute engineering expertise to cost-benefit analyses, including capital costs, operating costs, and distribution system value.

• Support technical assessments of battery energy storage, distributed generation, and other emerging grid technologies.

• Maintain working knowledge of relevant wholesale electricity market requirements, including energy storage registration, telemetry, dispatch, and settlement.

• Translate technical findings into clear recommendations that support program development, utility engagement, and project delivery.

• Contribute to Sparkfund's engineering standards, reference designs, technical templates, and design review processes.

• Develop repeatable approaches to feeder screening, interconnection assessments, and grid integration that can be applied across utility markets.

• Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency, technical consistency, and deployment scalability.

• Provide technical guidance and review for newer engineers and external engineering partners.

• Collaborate across teams to ensure engineering decisions align with commercial, operational, financial, and delivery objectives.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program.

• 8+ years of professional experience in power systems engineering, electric utility distribution planning, protection engineering, or DER interconnection.

• Direct experience working with electric utilities on distribution planning and interconnection, including taking projects through utility technical review and approval processes.

• Strong working knowledge of IEEE 1547-2018, protection coordination, effective grounding, NESC (IEEE C2), and utility standards for medium- and low-voltage distribution equipment.

• Hands-on proficiency with power systems modeling and analysis tools such as CYME, Synergi Electric, OpenDSS, or ASPEN.

• Experience conducting power-flow, short-circuit, and hosting-capacity analyses.

• Experience with distributed energy technologies, including battery energy storage, solar, or distributed generation.

• Experience integrating distributed energy technologies with utility operational systems such as SCADA, DERMS, or ADMS.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex engineering workstreams and navigate utility-specific technical requirements.

• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to explain complex engineering concepts, risks, and tradeoffs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to travel approximately 15% for utility partner meetings, project sites, company gatherings, and industry events.

This role requires direct power systems engineering and electric utility distribution or interconnection experience. Experience limited to general electrical design, renewable energy project development, or project management without direct utility engineering experience does not substitute for these technical requirements.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or FE/EIT certification with plans to pursue licensure.

• Previous experience working within an electric utility, particularly in distribution planning, protection, or interconnection engineering.

• Experience with battery energy storage system (BESS) design, technical evaluation, and grid integration.

• Familiarity with NERC CIP compliance frameworks and their applicability to distribution-connected operational technology.

• Experience with battery energy storage project finance technical due diligence, independent engineer reports, or bankability assessments.

• Familiarity with FERC Order 2222 and distributed energy resource aggregation participation models.

• Experience working in a multi-site deployment, program-based engineering, or utility grid modernization environment.

• Experience developing engineering standards, improving technical processes, or supporting organizational change.

You have a strong understanding of electric distribution systems, protection, interconnection requirements, and relevant engineering standards. You're comfortable performing detailed technical analysis, evaluating system constraints, and making sound engineering recommendations.

You understand how utilities evaluate engineering proposals and interconnection applications. You can engage directly with utility planning, protection, and operations teams, work through technical challenges, and build credibility through your expertise and practical approach.

You can take responsibility for complex engineering workstreams, establish priorities, evaluate technical risks, and move work forward without requiring extensive oversight. You know when to make a recommendation, when to collaborate, and when to escalate an issue.

You look beyond the immediate project and identify opportunities to develop repeatable processes, engineering standards, and technical solutions. You understand the importance of building approaches that can work across different utilities, markets, and deployment environments.

You work effectively with engineering, commercial, program management, and project delivery teams. You understand how technical decisions affect schedules, budgets, customer commitments, and operational outcomes.

You can navigate varying utility requirements, evolving technical standards, and complex engineering challenges. You balance technical rigor with practical implementation and can develop solutions when the path forward isn't immediately clear.

The approved salary range for this position is $145,000–$180,000, based on experience, qualifications, and location.

Where applicable, this position may also be eligible for discretionary bonus or incentive compensation. Any such compensation is separate from base salary and is not guaranteed. Eligibility, amounts, and payment are subject to applicable plan terms, company performance, individual performance, and other business considerations.

Sparkfund offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance

• 401(k) plan with a 2% employer match

• Flexible vacation policy

• Paid federal holidays

• Flexible Fridays (half-day Fridays every week)

• 12 weeks of gender-neutral paid caregiver leave

• One-time work-from-home stipend for eligible remote roles

• Monthly phone and internet allowance

Sparkfund is a remote-first company with emerging hub offices in Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC.

This position is remote within the United States, with occasional travel of approximately 15% for utility partner meetings, project site visits, company gatherings, industry conferences, and business development activities.

The role is primarily performed in a remote office environment, with periodic visits to utility and project sites. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.