Associate Director, Power Systems Engineering

Scout Clean Energy•Boulder, CO

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Power Systems Engineering leads Scout’s Power Systems Engineering function and serves as the senior technical authority for electrical systems across utility-scale wind, solar, and battery energy storage projects. The position combines individual-contributor subject matter expertise with leadership of a multidisciplinary team of Electrical Engineering, SCADA, Commissioning, and QA/QC professionals, with up to five direct reports. The role reports to the Senior Director of Engineering. The Associate Director establishes and maintains technical specifications and standards; governs electrical system design; supports project execution; and ensures operational readiness for projects in development and construction. The position provides technical oversight for systems including collection systems, substations, transmission interconnection facilities, protection and control, plant SCADA, plant power controllers, energy management systems, utility communications, and operational technology networks. It serves as the primary technical interface among internal project teams, utilities, OEMs, EPC contractors, and third-party consultants. The role does not perform detailed engineering design, but participates in multidisciplinary design reviews with third-party Owner’s Engineers. The role leads protection and controls, SCADA and digital systems, commissioning and grid integration, electrical equipment quality and reliability, and operational support. It guides QA/QC and factory acceptance testing programs, resolves technical requests for information and nonconformance reports, oversees commissioning and operations handover, and supports asset performance throughout the operating life of Scout’s projects. It also develops standards, mentors engineers, and scales technical best practices across a growing independent power producer. Travel to project sites in the United States and Canada is expected during construction, commissioning, and major operational events. The position requires up to 25% travel to U.S. project sites. Remote work may be considered, with monthly travel to the Boulder office; remote candidates are expected to be in the office one week per month. A hybrid 3/2 schedule at or commutable to the Boulder, Colorado office is preferred. The position is expected to close by January 30, 2027.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
10 or more years of experience in one or more of power systems engineering, protection and controls engineering, substation engineering, utility engineering and operations, renewable energy engineering, or commissioning and grid integration.
Demonstrated experience with utility-scale solar, wind, and/or battery energy storage projects.
At least five years of experience leading engineering or technical teams.
Experience directly managing engineers or other technical professionals, including performance management, coaching, mentoring, and career development.
Proven ability to build, scale, and lead technical organizations while maintaining engineering quality and operational discipline.
Experience allocating resources across multiple projects and managing competing priorities.
Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams through complex technical challenges and major project milestones.
Strong knowledge of high-voltage power systems, protection and control systems, SCADA and PPC systems, utility interconnection requirements, commissioning and energization, and major generation, transmission, and energy storage equipment.
Ability to review and provide technical guidance on power system studies, protection philosophies, relay settings, SCADA architectures, PPC control strategies, equipment specifications, and commissioning programs prepared by engineers, consultants, EPC contractors, and equipment manufacturers.
Experience supporting utility and transmission-provider interactions.
Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Ability to travel to project sites as required.
Valid driver’s license.
Current authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Experience leading teams of five or more technical professionals.
Experience building or transforming an engineering, commissioning, reliability, or technical services organization.
Experience managing geographically distributed teams supporting multiple utility-scale projects simultaneously.
Experience developing corporate engineering standards, technical governance programs, and competency frameworks.
Experience with utility-scale BESS technology and PCS integration.
Experience with substation design, commissioning, and operations.
Experience reviewing protection coordination studies and relay settings.
Familiarity with SEL protection relays, RTAC platforms, and substation automation systems.
Familiarity with ETAP, SKM, ASPEN, PSCAD, EasyPower, or similar power system analysis software.
Familiarity with SCADA, historian, PPC, and operational technology platforms.
Familiarity with NERC, WECC, ERCOT, SPP, MISO, PJM, CAISO, or other utility and ISO/RTO requirements.
Experience supporting operating renewable energy fleets.
PMP certification or formal project management training.
Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, Procore, and Bluebeam.
Industry-standard engineering, protection, SCADA, and power system analysis software experience.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, develop, coach, and mentor the Power Systems Engineering team, including setting goals, performance expectations, development plans, and career pathways.
Lead workforce planning, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, retention, resource allocation, succession planning, and performance reviews for technical staff.
Establish team metrics, KPIs, operating procedures, and a collaborative culture focused on technical excellence, accountability, innovation, and safety.
Provide leadership during critical project milestones, equipment failures, grid events, and commissioning activities, and build relationships across departments and with executive leadership.
Govern design and implementation of collection systems, substations, transmission interconnection facilities, protection and control systems, plant SCADA, plant power controllers, energy management systems, utility communications, and operational technology networks.
Establish technical standards and design philosophies; review critical design decisions and deviations; ensure compliance with utility, interconnection, operational, and company requirements; and apply lessons learned across projects.
Act as the primary subject matter expert for protection and control systems; establish protection philosophies and standards; review relay settings packages and protection coordination studies; and support utility and transmission-provider compliance.
Oversee protection testing and validation during commissioning and provide technical leadership on protective relaying, RTAC systems, automation, revenue metering, disturbance monitoring, and utility communications.
Provide technical ownership and governance for SCADA, PPC architecture and integration, data acquisition, utility SCADA interfaces, telemetry, remote controls, alarm management, operational technology infrastructure, and fleet monitoring and reporting.
Establish SCADA and PPC standards and architecture requirements; support implementation and commissioning; ensure data quality and controls functionality; and partner with Asset Management & Operations on fleet compliance and operational visibility.
Lead technical oversight of commissioning and grid integration; establish standards; review and approve commissioning plans and test procedures; support equipment energization; and oversee substation commissioning, collection system energization, protection testing, SCADA integration, PPC testing and tuning, utility witness testing, and performance and reliability testing.
Ensure projects achieve operational readiness and Commercial Operation Date requirements.
Establish programs for the quality, performance, reliability, and operational readiness of electrical assets across their lifecycle, including wind turbines, solar modules, inverters, BESS, PCS, transformers, collector equipment, switchgear, breakers, relays, metering, substations, and transmission facilities.
Lead technology evaluation, proposal review, technical due diligence, equipment qualification, vendor assessments, technical specification development, fleet standardization, and continuous improvement.
Oversee Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, quality verification, field inspections, contractor quality performance, and nonconformance processes.
Lead failure investigations, root-cause analyses, corrective actions, warranty support, and development of equipment standards, inspection requirements, and quality procedures.
Support Asset Management & Operations with major equipment troubleshooting, reliability improvements, grid-event investigations, protection operations, SCADA and PPC issues, BESS operational challenges, and fleet-wide improvement opportunities.
Maintain technical continuity from development through operations and apply lessons learned from construction, commissioning, operational events, and equipment failures.
Lead technical communication with EPC contractors, OEMs, utilities, consultants, and transmission providers; communicate technical risks and mitigation plans; and maintain company standards, specifications, and engineering documentation.
Partner with Preconstruction, Construction, Interconnection, and Asset Management & Operations to align teams throughout the project lifecycle.
Take on additional responsibilities assigned by the manager to improve Scout’s technical capabilities and organizational effectiveness.