Director, Controls and SCADA Engineering

Clearway Energy • San Francisco, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Controls and SCADA Engineering leads the strategy, engineering, deployment, performance, and lifecycle management of plant control systems and SCADA across Clearway’s utility-scale solar, wind, and battery energy storage portfolio. The role provides technical leadership across development, design, engineering, construction, commissioning, operational readiness, and ongoing fleet operations. It establishes engineering standards, control-system architectures, and technology strategies to support safe, reliable, secure, and optimized generation assets that meet grid interconnection requirements, regulatory obligations, and commercial performance objectives.

The Director leads, develops, and mentors controls and SCADA engineering professionals; establishes the team’s structure, staffing plans, technical competencies, and resource allocation; and coordinates with internal functions and third-party providers. The role also provides technical governance for EPC contractors, OEMs, integrators, and external engineering consultants. A key objective is to standardize and modernize controls and SCADA capabilities across operating assets and new projects while improving availability, operational visibility, grid responsiveness, cybersecurity, and asset performance.

The position is based near a Clearway office, with office-based employees working in person Tuesday through Thursday. The role is eligible for an annual cash bonus subject to personal and company performance goals. No employment-authorization sponsorship is available now or in the future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or control systems engineering.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in controls engineering, SCADA, industrial automation, power generation, or related engineering disciplines.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technical functions, major projects, or multidisciplinary engineering resources.
• Demonstrated experience with utility-scale renewable energy generation, including solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems.
• Experience supporting new-build projects and operating assets, including design, integration, commissioning, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management.
• Proven experience delivering complex control-system integrations involving multiple OEMs, plant controllers, SCADA platforms, communications networks, and grid interfaces.
• Experience managing engineering contractors, equipment vendors, system integrators, budgets, schedules, and technical risks.
• Demonstrated ability to lead root-cause investigations and implement fleet-wide engineering improvements.
• Knowledge of utility-scale solar PV plant controls, inverter integration, and SCADA systems.
• Knowledge of wind turbine control systems, turbine SCADA, OEM interfaces, and plant-level coordination.
• Knowledge of BESS controls and integration, including PCS, BMS, EMS, safety interfaces, and coordinated plant operation.
• Knowledge of Power Plant Controllers (PPCs), PLCs, RTUs, SCADA platforms, industrial communications, and control-system networking.
• Knowledge of active and reactive power control, voltage regulation, frequency response, ramp-rate control, curtailment, dispatch, and grid-support functions.
• Knowledge of communications protocols and interfaces such as Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, IEC 61850, OPC UA, and relevant utility telemetry protocols.
• Knowledge of OT network architecture, industrial cybersecurity, remote access, redundancy, historian systems, and data integration.
• Experience with engineering design reviews, FAT/SAT, commissioning, functional testing, troubleshooting, and configuration management.
• Ability to interpret NERC, ERCOT, WECC, PJM, and CAISO regulations.
• Knowledge of applicable interconnection requirements, grid codes, and industry standards.
• Knowledge of network security protocols and cybersecurity standards.
• Experience with software change-management best practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of current industry trends.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of electrical substations and relay systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement controls and SCADA strategy for the development pipeline and operating fleet, including wind, solar, and battery energy storage facilities.
• Develop and implement design and performance standards for plant controls and SCADA.
• Develop controls strategies for facilities with multiple generation resources serving data centers behind a common Point of Interconnection, potentially including islanded operation and balancing for net-zero MW at the POI.
• Manage the Controls and SCADA engineering team’s project scopes, contractor and integrator design reviews, commissioning, troubleshooting, and completion for new-build and retrofit projects.
• Manage team assignments, work tracking, and reporting.
• Define and implement a development and training program for Controls and SCADA engineers.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for control and SCADA systems and their data interfaces, including Bazefield, EMS, GMS, and third-party systems.
• Coordinate controls and SCADA work across Development, Project Engineering, Commissioning, Construction, Plant Operations, and the Remote Monitoring Center for new and operating plants.
• Design and write requirements for plant-controller upgrades at operating wind, solar, and battery storage facilities to meet local compliance requirements and optimize energy capture and site usability.
• Lead troubleshooting, analysis, and plant-controls upgrades at operating and commissioning sites.
• Manage configuration databases and change management for control software and firmware, and for relay and protection settings, software, and firmware in partnership with electrical engineers.
• Develop and support remote troubleshooting practices and maintenance activities.
• Provide subject-matter expertise on OEM software revisions and upgrades; review proposed modifications for impacts to the site and interconnected systems; and track revisions and upgrades across the fleet as applicable.
• Strengthen O&M capabilities for local troubleshooting and on-site support through training and manuals.
• Research and recommend business-case-positive technology improvements for the operating fleet.
• Lead lessons learned to prevent recurrence of controls and SCADA issues and support improvements to Engineering Department practices and standards.
• Support the Electrical Regulatory and Compliance team with controls testing and model verification.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health savings accounts (HSAs) with company contributions
• Health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Dependent daycare FSAs
• Commuter benefits
• Relocation assistance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Life and accident insurance
• Fertility programs
• Adoption assistance
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Benefits for employees in same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships
• Company-provided meals and events for office-based employees
• Annual cash bonus subject to personal and company performance goals

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director