Director, Generation Controls, Protection, and Automation — Power and Energy

Nscale • Houston, TX

1d • $190,000 - $300,000 • Remote

About The Position

Nscale is seeking a Director, Generation Controls, Protection, and Automation to lead the development and implementation of stable, protected, and controllable multi-gigawatt island-mode power systems for AI data center loads. This is a hands-on technical leadership role responsible for the entire system, from defining control philosophies and protection schemes to managing engineering teams, consultants, and OEM technical teams. The role involves close collaboration with a peer Director, Generation Electrical Engineering, who focuses on the power system equipment itself. The position requires deep expertise in power systems controls, protection, and automation, with a strong emphasis on islanded microgrids and high inverter penetration. The successful candidate will drive engineering through design, testing, commissioning, and operation, ensuring the reliability and performance of Nscale's behind-the-meter generation systems, including reciprocating engines and battery energy storage systems.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in power systems controls, protection, or automation engineering, with significant time on islanded, industrial, or microgrid power systems.
• Deep protective relaying expertise: scheme design, coordination studies, and settings development on modern digital relay platforms.
• Hands-on experience with plant or microgrid control systems: power management systems, governor and excitation coordination, and grid-forming or grid-following inverter controls.
• Working fluency with power systems studies and models: EMT (PSPSCAD or equivalent), dynamic stability, short circuit, coordination, and arc flash.
• Solid grounding in SCADA and substation automation, communications protocols (IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus), and OT cybersecurity practices.
• Experience taking controls and protection scopes through commissioning and energization on major projects.
• Proven ability to direct OEMs, consultants, and EPC engineering teams.
• Proven ability to build standards, processes, and small teams in a fast-scaling environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Willing and able to travel to project sites and vendor facilities regularly (typically 25%, higher during factory testing and energization campaigns).

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing (RTDS or equivalent).
• Exposure to behind-the-meter generation, BESS, or mission-critical facilities.
• PE license preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the microgrid control architecture, including power management, generation dispatch, frequency and voltage regulation, and coordinated response to load transients and contingencies.
• Define control philosophies and functional specifications for plant master controllers, governor and AVR coordination, and grid-forming BESS controls.
• Direct dynamic performance requirements and verification, including control tuning, load acceptance/rejection behavior, black start logic, and load ramp coordination.
• Oversee EMT and dynamic modeling of microgrids to validate stability and controller interactions.
• Own the protection philosophy for islanded systems with high inverter penetration, including relaying schemes, coordination studies, and arc flash analysis.
• Review and approve protection designs, relay settings, and coordination studies.
• Direct controller and protection hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL/HIL) testing.
• Establish settings management discipline for controls and protection systems.
• Own the plant automation and SCADA architecture for the generation scope, including control system topology, substation automation, and communications design.
• Define signal lists, alarm philosophy, and operator interfaces for safe plant operation.
• Set OT network and cybersecurity requirements for the controls and protection estate.
• Ensure automation designs integrate with data center building management and Nscale's operational data platforms.
• Carry the controls and protection scope through the project lifecycle, including design reviews, FAT, site functional testing, and energization.
• Support root cause analysis of controls, protection, and power quality events during startup and operations.
• Develop Nscale's engineering standards, specifications, and reference designs for microgrid controls, protection, and automation.
• Build and lead a small team of controls and protection engineers, and direct specialist consultants and studies firms.
• Manage the technical relationship with relay, controls, BESS, and switchgear OEMs.
• Partner closely with the Director, Generation Electrical Engineering on integrated system design.
• Coordinate with data center operations and controls teams on the generation and campus load interface.
• Communicate complex power systems issues clearly to project leadership, commissioning teams, and executives.

Benefits

• Highly competitive US compensation package (base + bonus + equity)
• Performance reviews every 12 months
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Generous PTO plus US federal holidays
• A career-defining opportunity to be an early member of one of the fastest growing AI infrastructure companies in the world
• Flexible workplace with autonomy

What This Job Offers

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