Distributed Energy Resources Principal Engineer

Southern Company•Atlanta, GA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Georgia Power Company is seeking a Principal Engineer to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for Distributed Energy Resource (DER) communications. This position will lead the development, deployment, and lifecycle support of a utility-owned DER field gateway solution and assist with the design and implementation of the OT system architecture required to enable real-time DER monitoring and control via a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS). Establishing secure, scalable, and sustainable DER communications is essential to maintain safe, reliable, and affordable operations as we transition towards the grid of the future. The Principal Engineer will provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise in DER communications and field integration, supporting lab validation, field commissioning, cybersecurity compliance, and long-term operational reliability. This position will serve as the Georgia Power DER Gateway Subject Matter Expert, supporting DER operations teams, and working with SME’s across Southern Company. The successful candidate will be joining GPC’s expanding Grid Strategy & Solutions team that is developing Company strategies for the “grid of the future”. This collaborative and innovative team values leaders and problem‑solvers who are excited about shaping the future of our industry.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical discipline (ABET accredited) is required
Professional Engineer License is required
Minimum of 5 years electric utility engineering experience is required

Nice To Haves

Experience working in I&C Engineering, Distribution Automation, P&C Field Services, P&C Applications, Transmission or Distribution Engineering is highly preferred.
Experience with distributed generation (DG) interconnection, DG witness testing, and Renewables/DER operations experience is highly preferred.
Experience supporting SCADA and OT control systems for utility, renewable, or industrial environments is highly preferred.
Experience with installation, commissioning, maintenance, or operations of control, automation, &/or communications equipment is highly preferred.
Experience integrating customer-owned or third-party equipment with utility OT systems is highly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to execute projects successfully and on time by coordinating multiple cross-functional workstreams is a plus.
Strong working knowledge of DER and industrial communication protocols (DNP3, Modbus, IEEE 2030.5, OpenADR, 61850) is highly preferred.
Experience with communication protocol conversion is a plus.
Understanding of monitoring and control systems, SCADA architectures, and electric utility OT environments is highly preferred.
Data management techniques using industrial automation communication protocols (e.g. Modbus, OPC, DNP3) experience a plus.
Experience with RTACs, PLCs, inverter-based resources (IBR), and renewable generation control systems is a plus.
Experience with Inverter Based Resource (IBR) monitoring and control via SCADA or other protocols is a plus.
High-level understanding of networking, cybersecurity, and firewalls, including use of diagnostic tools is a plus.
Experience producing engineering documentation, schematics, diagrams, and configuration artifacts is a plus.
Demonstrates Safety First mindset in all engineering and operational decisions.
Acts with integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
Proactive, self-directed, and capable of defining priorities across complex technical initiatives.
Strong communicator able to build effective relationships across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
Growth-oriented mindset with commitment to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and implementation of a standardized utility-owned DER field gateway solution for use across Georgia Power and Southern Company.
Define and maintain technical and functional requirements for DER gateway hardware, software, and communications.
Provide expert guidance on DER and industry communication protocols, including DNP3, Modbus, IEEE 2030.5, OpenADR, and related data models.
Evaluate vendor solutions, prototypes, and architectures in collaboration with engineering, cybersecurity, operations, and external consultants.
Support integration of DER gateways with DERMS and other enterprise OT platforms used for monitoring and control of DER assets.
Develop and support point list mapping, data flows, and control logic required for real-time monitoring and control.
Apply knowledge of networking, firewalls, VLANs, NATs, and secure architectures to ensure reliable and compliant gateway deployments.
Support compliance with Southern Company cybersecurity standards, regulatory requirements, and applicable NERC/CIP obligations for renewable and DER facilities.
Lead and support lab testing, field testing, and pilot deployments of DER gateway solutions prior to large-scale deployment
Provide technical oversight for installation, configuration, testing, and commissioning of DER gateways at company-operated DER sites.
Serve as an escalation point for troubleshooting, failure analysis, and operational issues, ensuring high system reliability and safety.
Develop documentation, schematics, configuration standards, and operating procedures to support long-term maintainability.
Act as the technical lead and trusted advisor for DER gateway engineering within Georgia Power.
Collaborate with engineering, operations, cybersecurity, system operations, and field organizations to ensure safe, reliable deployments.
Support the development and training of a DER field gateway support team and provide training for contractors as needed
Promote and model Southern Company values of Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity, and Superior Performance.

Benefits

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being.
This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s).
A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf
Additional and specific details about total compensation and beneﬁts will also be provided during the hiring process.

Stand Out From the Crowd

Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.

Upload and Match Resume