Director of Advanced Solutions Engineering

Role Summary

Our Director of Advanced Solutions Engineering will lead the integration and validation of advanced power and energy technologies across microgrids, functional testbeds, first-of-kind commissioning, and complex commercial deployments.  They will establish an execution-focused R&D vertical that connects product development, controls, power systems, commissioning, operations, suppliers, laboratories, and customers. While they build and lead the integration team, including the technologist responsible for scouting and evaluating emerging technologies they will also serve as a senior engineering interface for strategic partners and stakeholders.

 

Key Responsibilities

New Solutions and Micro-grid Integration

• Define integrated solutions combining BESS, PCS, generation, switchgear, transformers, protection, EMS, communications, and customer loads.
• Lead grid-connected and islanded controls architecture, operating modes and sequences, control priorities, protection and coordination, and recovery sequences.
• Take technical ownership of high-complexity programs involving new products, new controls, nonstandard architectures, or first-of-kind applications.
• Set technical ownership, interfaces, deliverables, acceptance criteria, decision rights, and escalation paths across internal and external teams.

Testbed Development and Validation

• Coordinate with test and modeling teams to grow laboratory and partner-facility environments that reproduce commercial electrical, controls, communications, protection, and operational behavior.
• Define configurations, instrumentation, procedures, data requirements, success criteria, and evidence required for integration readiness.
• Direct simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, full-power, software, controls, communications, and failure-response validation work to de-risk solutions before field deployment.

Technology Evaluation

• Direct evaluation of emerging technologies in micro-grids, energy storage, power conversion, controls, protection, communications, simulation, and test infrastructure.
• Require defined use cases, measurable requirements, structured technical criteria, practical testing, risk assessment, and decision gates.
• Issue evidence-based recommendations to adopt, develop, constrain, partner, or reject, with documented limitations, integration needs, and next actions.
• Direct supplier diligence, research, evaluation planning, laboratory characterization, and technical documentation performed by the technologist.
• Support first-of-kind commissioning by confirming integration readiness, resolving systems-level issues, and converting field lessons into repeatable technical standards.
• Drive identification and categorization of emerging customer requirements, grid challenges, technology trends, and architectural opportunities that could influence future ON Energy products and solutions.

Engineering Governance

• Maintain traceable functional, performance, safety, commissioning, and interface requirements across electrical, controls, communications, protection, and operations.
• Control hardware configurations, firmware and software versions, parameter sets, communications maps, protection settings, test scripts, and approved baselines.
• Lead readiness reviews, maintain technical risk registers, and prioritize risk retirement based on consequences and commercial exposure.

Team and Technical Leadership

• Build and lead a high-performing team of senior engineers and technical specialists focused on advanced system integration, power systems, controls, validation, and emerging technologies.
• Define organizational capabilities, hiring priorities, technical roles, and areas of ownership as the company and advanced product portfolio scale.
• Develop engineers as technical owners capable of independently leading complex programs and cross-functional initiatives.
• Participate in and grow technical mentorship, design-review, peer-review, and knowledge-sharing practices across the organization.

 

Key Requirements

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years in power systems, power electronics, microgrids, energy storage, controls, commissioning, or complex system integration, with demonstrated leadership progression.
• Strong knowledge of BESS, PCS/inverters, DC systems, transformers, switchgear, protection, EMS/SCADA, PLCs, and industrial communications.
• Proven experience integrating and commissioning complex electrical and controls systems, developing functional tests, tuning controls, and resolving multi-vendor issues.
• Experience with laboratory, HIL, full-power, and field validation, plus structured evaluation of technologies and suppliers.
• Ability to build teams, direct ambiguous first-of-kind work, hold contributors accountable, and communicate technical risk and evidence to engineers, customers, suppliers, and executives.
• Willingness to travel periodically and during critical laboratory, commissioning, or issue-resolution activities.

Work Environment

• Based remote, with periodic work at ON.energy laboratories, partner test facilities, supplier locations, and customer project sites.
• Work spans office, laboratory, industrial, construction, and energized electrical environments as permitted by training and site safety requirements.

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